It's Gobbles Time!: Team Players PLUS golf!

It's already time to be signing up for fall sports, so I should probably recap the spring athletics in the Gobbles household. Both kids started a sport that was new to them, one loved it, the other was darn good but complained that it wasn't dance class more than half the time. Gobbles also had an opportunity to play golf with the big boys, and based on that outing, he's hooked.

The Lobster's inaugural soccer season began first in early April. The weather could have been a little better - from subzero one week to scorching the next and back again- a lot for a bunch of three year olds to handle, but she managed. After the first week one of her classmates joined us from a later session because my little ray of sunshine was just what he needed to coax him onto the field. And isn't it always better to have another normal mom to hang out with among the sea of latte-carrying, lululemon wearing yet perfectly groomed moms?

Anyway, the Lobster took to the field like a natural, enthusiastically participating for the first 15 minutes, then getting bored, then hopping back in it when promised a reward for not giving up. Seriously though, she's pretty good (I'm sure it's all momma's raw talent, haha). There were kids over a full year older than her in the group and she managed to steal the ball from them quite a few times throughout the scrimmage sessions. She had an aggressive heart and vengeance in her eyes whenever she was knocked over, complete with rolling around dramatics followed by a dirty look and a chase to regain possession. She did get a little pissy when things didn't go her way on the field, and may have cheated once or twice by picking the ball up completely, but she had fun. She listened to her coaches (most of the time) and showed off for them when they complimented her. I'm sure this won't be the end of her soccer career, but we do have to take a season or two off to explore this pesky need for dance class...

I certainly look the part, don't I?

Doing my toe-taps!

Catch!

Hustle!

Cheese!

Finally some nice weather!

Doesn't everyone play in a skirt?

Take that, 4-year-old!

My boy!

She's a sassy player, sometimes a cheater, but really pretty darn good for a three year old!

And now onto Mr. Gobbles. After the winter indoor session, Gobbles declared himself over soccer and onto new and different things. I bought him his first tball glove a few years back after I saw him throwing lefty, as soon as I found a child's lefty glove I snatched it up. After signing up to be on a team with his bff, Gobbles was eager to get the season started, which finally happened in late April. Though score and rankings were not kept, this was the first league where he actually had separate practices and games. There was at least one practice or game occurring on a weeknight with the other on the weekend. It was a little bit of a rush grabbing the kids from school, feeding a dinner of crackers and fruit in the car, and rushing off to the field after stopping home to let the dogs out, but we managed, and it was probably just a small taste of things to come when they get older.

Anyway, this kid loved every minute of Tball and was actually upset that the games only lasted 3 innings (3 innings with no outs, everyone batting, etc gets to be verrry long). He managed to weasel his way into playing key positions each game - short stop, pitcher, or one of the bases. He especially loved first base, which makes me happy because once he gets down catching the ball, a lefty first-baseman is the way to go. Gobbles took the "ready" position with his hands on knees waiting for the ball with each batter (which position did you play today buddy? "ready"). In the beginning he was a little overeager, tackling kids on his on team to field the ball, but after a few games and some direction from the coaches, he managed to make plays appropriate for the position he was playing. I loved watching him swell with pride after completing a play, getting a kid "out", or making it to first after a hit. Batting was a little tougher for him because he was not used to the tee, so I think he'll actually improve once the tee is out of the picture.

It was a great season having fun with his friend (they somehow managed to get placed near each other on the field a lot, distracting each other once in awhile by shaking their buts at each other or telling inside jokes). It was also a great time for learning the fundamentals of the game and being a team player in a very individual-focused sport. Gobbles' choice for team name (The Blue Rockets) won out when the team voted (on the schedule they were just called Team #5), so that was something else he was happy about- it really is the little things. The season wrapped up mid-June with his grandpop having seen him twice, grandmom, aunts, and uncle all having had a chance to cheer as well, the first of many baseball seasons for my little slugger.

Ready for opening day with my biggest fan!

And ready to make trouble with my bff.

Parading...

Tough guys on the fence...

Cheering for my buddy!

Kickin' the dirt like pitchers do...

hahaha, wiggle your butt at me!

Ok, time to focus!

got it!

Go, gobbles, GO!

Outta here!

The long trek to first~

What a great season!

He has since learned to field with more control, stopped throwing the bat, but still loving every moment:

Somewhere in between all of the t-ball and soccer and other fun we had in the spring, Gobbles managed to get a chance to head out with his grandpop, dad, and uncle to play a real 9 hole round of golf. My dad and brother-in-law were a little apprehensive about his joining the adults to play, but hubs and I were confident he'd be able to keep up and even enjoy himself. So out they went on a weekend morning, armed with Gobbles' hand-me-down clubs from my cousin and hubs dusty-haven't-been-used-in-five-years set. They teed up, drove, and putted to their hearts' content and to the amazement of everyone there, Gobbles did fantastic. I mentioned to hubs when I watched his videos that the swings were a bit happy gilmore-ish, but he assured me that Gobbles moved the ball accurately and shocked his grandpop and uncle with his skills. Moreover, Gobbles had a blast and survived two hours on the course plus the driving range. It makes me happy knowing that no matter what kind of roadblocks and sports he's prevented from playing because of his eyes, he'll always have golf to go back to if nothing else works out.