Tea Time Again: One Game at a Time

Our routine has been out-of-sync since mid-August due to football practice three times a week. Weekend games. We miss the sit-down dinners with the four of us at the table. Usually the guys eat a quick, thrown-together dinner. They are getting ready to drive away when I pull in the driveway. Olivia and I then eat, clean up and have the evening together. The guys arrive home talking loudly about practice and the pending game. It’s hard to get them focused on what needs to be done – snack, dressed for bed, teeth brushed then tuck-in time. I try to maintain some form of schedule with this new addition to our family life. We have become proud parents of an athlete. Our daughter has been a silent supporter.

And over time, the enjoyment of watching these young seven and eight year olds play this game, increases. Their first game was terrible. They did not know where they were to stand on the field or what to do. Running around like chickens with their heads cut off comes to mind when I think back to that game in early September. They lost that one. Back to the practice field. Second game was different. They won. They played better and the score boosted their confidence. Game three was almost a blow-out, 37-6. The fourth game was my favorite. They were all working together. The other team scored once and our team took the game from there. They listened to their coaches; they even passed the ball and ran with it. They walked off the field winners once again. The next game was an edge-of-the-seat game. Tied at 18-18 with six minutes left. It was cold and starting to rain. The other team was working their way down the field. We were not holding them. Then their little lightning bolt got his hands on the ball and he was gone. Some of those boys run so fast it is incredible. It was another loss for the Panthers but they are having a great season overall. They won their last game. They shut the other team out, 18-0. And so, this team continues to go to practice as they played their way into the playoffs. Incredible! All the focus is on getting to the Super Bowl.

I have to say, our youth teams get support not only from their parents and family but from the school district as well. They get to play on the high school football field. The concession stand is manned during all three youth games. The teams were announced during half-time at one of the high school games. They were in uniform and ran from the end zone to the 50 yard line when their name was announced. Win or lose, when the players came off the field, spectators lined up to cheer for them, clap them on the back and say good game to each and every one of them. Isn’t that great? We want them to have fun, learn how to play the game and know that they are doing a great job.

It’s been a pleasure watching this young group of boys and girl, develop into a winning team. A team that plays by the rules. A team that plays hard. A team that plays together.

They had their first play-off game this past Sunday. Once again, they played the team that they played first this season. We played at their home stadium. On turf. We went. They played. Panthers won! 26 to 12. Their little lightning boy intercepted the ball and ran to the end zone. Panthers understood this and came together to stop this boy and they succeeded. It was a great win!

I have supported the team by attending every game, cheering from the bleachers or sidelines until hoarse, baking items for the concession stand and working the concession stand. It has been a fun experience for me and our family.

And if I am not crazy enough, I thought I should make jersey cookies for the team. Twenty-nine numbered cookies. Originally, I wanted to decorate the cookies to look like the back of their jerseys. They have sharp looking uniforms! Black, white and red. However, Elliott wanted me to make the cookies look like the front of their jerseys. So together we designed how I would decorate the cookies. I was going to frost the cookies by flooding them with frosting. A technique that I tried only once before and I used a different frosting. Obviously, I did not think this through very well. I decided to use another frosting and I was not happy with it but I had 29 players that I wanted to gift so I did not give up. Pictures of the cookies becoming Panther jerseys:

I wanted to give up on these cookies but when my little guy kept checking on my progress and saying how wonderful they were and he loved me, I was motivated to finish each and every one of them. Elliott, I love you too and you and your teammates are all WINNERS in my book. Just like the tag on their cookie bag said! Go Panthers! We are so proud of all of you.