Steeler Football

We had snow squalls yesterday. Perfect weather for playing a little bit of football....if you are a Steelers Fan. The boys had fun and I stayed warm inside other than the quick jaunt outside to snap a couple of pictures.

A Win

I finally got to see Devin's football team win a game! Last year, no wins. This year, no wins....until last evening. They played under the lights at the high school stadium. The weather was perfect for football - crisp and cool. The boys and coaches were pumped up coming off a win from Saturday - their first actual win but I missed that game due to the USDAA trial at Fair Hill, Maryland. The Varsity squad didn't play much in the game on Saturday because we were up by more than 18 points which requires us to put in our back up players. Since the Varsity players didn't play much on Saturday, they were slated to rotate in last night.

Lucky for me, this was the last game I will get to see before leaving for Arizona. It was a fantastic game. Both teams played with heart, matching each others touchdowns and defensive attacks. Devin made some key plays so I was excited for him. He had two guys blocking him all night so he didn't get in the backfield like he has much of the season. He had to work hard to make plays for his team.

He was pretty excited by the win and the fact that I got to see it. He has one more Varsity game this weekend and one more JV game on Monday. Both of which I will miss but I can leave for AZ happy having seen a win.

The focus will soon turn to basketball, the sport I grew up playing as a kid. I hope Devin gets excited by it. I have a feeling that basketball will only be his second sport, he loves to tackle. I will enjoy the basketball season though because Greg gets to be the Head Coach for the 3rd and 4th grade level. He is a pretty patient guy and loves to work with kids so this should be fun. With my new camera in tow, I should be able to get some decent pics inside the dark gymnasium.

Midget Football

At one point, several weeks ago I was not happy that I would be missing Devin's last 2 football games of the season. I am now over that feeling because their football team has a losing season so far and I am sort of tired watching them lose over and over again. They play well but are just not big enough and they get pushed around A LOT. Devin basically got neutralized on Sunday. He only made 3 tackles and was not in the backfield at all! That hasn't happened yet this season.

He is still enjoying it though and it has made him quite fit. He challenged me to a foot race to the car after his game on Monday and he beat me. Now I was not in running shoes but still!!! He was very proud of himself because this summer when we were jogging together, he couldn't catch me when I sprinted.

The latest new thing for Devin is that he is planning torun for Student Council. He made the decision on his own and shocked both Greg and me. Even if he doesn't get elected, it will be a great experience for him. He has to write a speech and give it to his class. Wish I could be there to hear it.

Bring the Heat

Ok - I tried to not post about football but I cannot resist it. Besides agility, it is one of my favorite Fall activities ever since Devin started playing. I never really knew that much about the game - I knew the general rules and the overall objective but I had no clue how truly involved the game was. Last year I got an introduction into the world of the Outside Linebackers because that was the position they had Devin play all season long. This year, I am learning what a Defensive End's job is....basically, a pass rusher. Or at least, that is what Devin has deemed his job and the coaches are happy so I guess it is an appropriate function. One night this week, they had him doing Offensive line functions - blocking for the Running Backs. He did well at that too - Devin is not afraid of physical contact so he does well at any of the jobs requiring that type of skill.

Last night, it was raining and quite chilly. The boys didn't care at all and were sort of wound up by the weather. He played well - his usual sacks and tackles. On our way to the car, one of the coaches told Devin, "Way to bring the heat, let's do that this Saturday".

While I am in Pittsburgh doing my own sport, I will be checking on Devin's football game and silently happy to be indoors while Greg has to stand in the rain and the cold.

Bring the heat, Devin!

What I Will Miss

In order to get ready for Nationals, I have to do some actual events as in more than one day. This means I will miss 3 of Devin's football games; I have pleaded with Greg to videotape them for me. I sure hope he will do that so I can see them later.

I am also going to be away when the election occurs, Rosanne and I will be driving back from AZ (I now know what day we leave - thanks Rosanne). I have to research how to do an absentee ballot. It looks like a vacation is considered an eligible reason to submit an absentee vote. It is really hard to consider the trip to AZ a vacation but since agility is not a professional sport and we usually only win a few bucks here and there; it falls under the category of vacation for absentee voting purposes.

Devin's Football Game

Wow! He played like a champ! Seriously - not bragging like a proud Mom, I'm going to repeat comments made by Parents during and after the game just to prove it isn't me being a bragging Parent.

"Devin had a great game." "Your son is on fire." "Nice tackles." "Your boy caused that fumble." So many people noticed his playing and here is why....

Two near sacks resulting in no gains. Tackle that resulted in a 5 or 6 yard loss. A stop at the goal line. A tackle resulting in a fumble and we recovered the ball. He got in the QB's face several times when the boy was trying to pass, breaking up the pass attempts. When he got blocked, he was still able to help the boys make tackles. He played with heart - it was great to watch!

Here is the other fun thing about the game, Greg was the announcer and he did a fantastic job. He used music during the dead times. Several songs were ones that the boys liked and it got them all pumped up. What a fun night even though I was blowing my nose all night and basically miserable.

Staying home today, no agility because I am not up to making the 2 hr drive to Maryland.

New Football Pics

Devin's team played Lancaster Catholic yesterday in 90 + degree temps! They played very well but lost 20-12. I got some great pictures with my new Olympus E-520. Downloaded the software and did some editing to crop the pictures. I do need a better zoom lense but I think this will do for now.

Anyway, Devin was amazing yesterday. He was in the backfield, putting pressure on the quarterback so many times I lost track. He made some great tackles and had 2 near sacks but the quarterback dumped the ball. Devin had one great play that resulted in a loss of 5 yards and another one that prevented a touchdown at the goal line. What a game!

Note: Devin in the red jersey, number 22.

Devin gets a T-shirt

Big deal, huh? But this t-shirt is special; not like any other t-shirt because it is given out to the midget football players for recognition of hard work and dedication. On the last practice day of the week, the coaches decide who gets shirts. They give out about 3 each week to recognize special efforts. The boys really look forward to this and many boys work hard to try to get one. Devin had not gotten his yet (every boy eventually gets a shirt and you can only get one). So on Wednesday night, he was all business. Cheering from the sidelines, pumping the defensive line up and getting all worked up. He made 2 quarterback sacks that night and several other tackles. This was probably one of his best practices to date and he wanted his shirt. I was getting ready to leave (I had the dogs in the car because I had come directly from agility classes) when one of his coaches came over and told us not to leave. They got the boys in their end of practice huddle and the Head Coach had the shirts in his hand. He describes why the particular boy is getting one without giving a name out and then says the name and the group erupts into cheers for that kid. It's really cool to watch. Devin was the first to get recognized and the group was very loud in recognition of Devin's efforts - he was really happy.

I think midget football is a great outlet for boys with a lot of energy but more important - it teaches life lessons which is the primary reason we insist that Devin play sports. Laziness is not tolerated, hard efforts are rewarded, self-confidence is developed.

Devin's Football Game

We lost but it was a valiant effort. The boys played their hearts out and we were very proud of Devin. They played him almost the entire game and moved him around some. He played Right Defensive End, Left side - same position, and Tackle. The coaches know that he can make sacks so they are putting in positions that he has the best chance of doing just that. He did put pressure on the quarterback many times but just missed actual sacks by meer seconds as the Q would dump the ball. He made some crucial tackles as well. He played tough which is all that the coaches ask of him.

NOTE: Devin plays for the Warwick Warriors - black and red, he is number 22. If you look at the top picture, number 74 - white jersey - is trying to stop Devin. He is pushing through 2 kids to get to the quarterback.

Torrential Downpours

Devin's football game got cancelled....thank goodness because I was not looking forward to standing in the rain all afternoon. It has been re-scheduled for tomorrow and the weather should be much improved.

Last night, we went over to Devin's former Defensive Coach's house...that was a blast. They told me to try Myspace for blogging and connecting with friends. Sounds like they enjoy it so I did check it out today but didn't get very far at creating a space or loading pictures or really anything. I need to get used to the format. It looks like a lot more fun than Facebooks.

Had to cancel my herding lesson for tomorrow due to the re-scheduled football game. I was looking forward to the lesson, Robbie really needs to be worked. He is still too young to do any serious agility training.

Yesterday, LuAnn and I got together and worked our boys. We did some tough handling exercises. Gusto only dropped maybe one or two bars. He did quite nicely. Robbie got to play a little bit. It was so hot that we stopped early and later headed to the outlets for shopping. I hit pay dirt at the Under Armour outlet. I bought Devin a ton of stuff for football and I got some clothes for agility. LuAnn and I plan to head back for a full day of fun at the outlets - so many stores, so little time. They even have an Oakley outlet - my favorite sunglasses!

Today, I hopped on my indoor bike for a quick calorie burn - rode 43 mins, 7 miles. I never know if it will bother my leg until the next day.

Woo Hoo Devin's on Varsity!

We got the news last night that Devin will now be on the Varsity Section 3 team for Warwick Midget Football - ages 9, 10, 11. They tried him in a new position at his first game (Defensive End) and he did very well. I'm excited for him except now it means I will miss many of his games due to my agility trial schedule which gets crazy as I ramp up for the 2008 Cynosport World Games in Scottsdale, AZ at the end of October.

I just printed the entry form - I'm now officially excited! Gusto's first trip to Nationals - yee haw! Sadly, I decided not to take Ivy. She was really struggling after the Regional in Perry, GA and I decided to drop her to performance. She's 8 and has done agility for 6.5 years - many of those years I did a ton of training with her in an attempt to become a great team. That never happened but she gave me her best and taught me a lot about how to run a fast dog and how to work with a hearing impaired dog.

Football

Devin's first game of the season. Weather was hot but nice - at least we didn't get poured on. This was a controversial game because they played our Varsity Section 3 and JV team against Manheim Township's Varsity Section 1 team - a good 15 to 20 lbs heavier on average than our team and at least a half an inch taller.

Our boys played very well - they held their own against bigger, stronger players. We lost - the score was 26 to 6. Colin May scored the only touchdown but we had many other good plays. Devin got to play a lot. They put him on the Defensive line as a Defensive End - a new position for him. He played quite well. I thought he would get tossed around by the bigger players but he didn't. He held his own!

Next week our Varsity Section 3 and JV each have their own games so Devin will probably play with the JV. A lot of parent's keep asking why he is on the JV (white) team. Can't answer that one but they were glad to see him playing a lot today and I was there to watch. I had a lot of fun.

Great News for Me

My knee doesn't hurt today at all. I cycled, albeit not long and I have no pain. And I increased my speeds slightly and went 1 mile longer. Slow and steady back to cycling. I hope I hope I hope.

Today - training agility with a friend of mine, LuAnn and then I leave for the USDAA show in NJ. I'm only doing 1 day so that I can be home to watch Dev play football - if they put him in the game. He has been doing really well. They are playing him with both the JV and the Varsity Section 3. I think they have him with the Sec 3 kids due to vacations but that does mean he is the first sub they use on Varsity so that's great.

Agility today and tomorrow. Football on Sunday and I will try to ride on Sunday if my knees are ok after doing agility for 2 days. One weekend - 3 of my favorite activities.

Devin Cracks Me Up

My 9 yr old has quite a sense of humor and he is quite full of himself. He told me that he doesn't like football this year so I asked him why. He told me that it is because the coaches aren't pushing him - they are too nice. Last year, he had the best coach ever named Shane Shillady. We loved going to the practices to hear Shane's booming voice busting on Devin to work harder. He absolutely knew how to get the best out of him.

Last week, I went over to the older group's practice to visit with Jaimie Shillady - Shane's wife. We were talking as the C group went jogging by on their run around the field. Greg and I caught Devin WALKING! Greg said something to him - quietly. As Devin went by me, I said, "you better run Gilligan." He sprinted the rest of the way, smiling cuz he got caught.

I asked him later that night what he liked so much about last year; that's when he said the coaching. I asked him, "Did you like it when Shane busted your chops?" He smiled, sort of sheepishly and said YES.

Scrimmage

Devin had his first scrimmage last night against Manheim Central. We out-numbered them 77 to 30-something. Their poor kids had to play all 3 of our sections all night long. All of our groups played pretty well. Our offense still needs more work on the White team (less experienced group). Devin played on the Black team - we think that is the Varsity Section 3 so we are quite confused as to what group Devin will be playing on. He had some great tackles and many many assists. We were very proud of him. Before the game, we told him to have fun and that we wouldn't put any pressure on him. We told him to play his best and we would be proud. I think that relieved him cuz he got out of the car with more enthusiasm and he did play very well. I just want him to enjoy it, it is a game and it should be fun. So no more pressure from us - our only expectation is that he does his best.

Devin and Football

Well, we got the answer last night. While I was home sick with the flu, Greg called me to tell me that Devin in on JV instead of Varsity Section 3. We were both upset about it because Devin is a very good linebacker and can take down even the fastest of kids. We felt that there was some favoratism going on in the decision making process. What can we do about it? Nothing really. We have to look at the positives and make sure that Devin isn't affected by our own wishes. Greg asked him if he cared which team he was on and he said no. What a good sport! At least I will get to see all of his games and he will probably get to play a lot since he will be one of the better players. He truly is as good as some of the players that will get to play on Varsity though so it does upset me. I have to remind myself that this is not Devin's final athletic endeavor. In fact, he probably won't play next year as he doesn't like it as much as he did the first year. But if playing on JV makes it easier and therefore, more fun; maybe he will play another year. That would be fine by me. He needs a sport to get rid of his high energy level.

The Hitman

The Hitman Gilligan is back! I left Robbie's puppy class a bit early so I could get home to watch Devin at football practice. They are working on their tackling and pursuit skills. Teaching the boys to keep an eye on the ball and move their bodies to be in the correct position to take down the receiver or running back. They set up a drill with 2 tackling dummies on the ground to create a lane. The offensive players on one side, the defensive players on the other. One defensive player would run down the lane and face 2 offensive players...one carrying the ball, the other one blocking. Devin's positions requires him to shed the blocker and tackle the ball carrier.

First time up, Devin got stopped by the blocker so one of the coaches explained what he needed to do. The second time up, wham! He got rid of the blocker and took the ball carrier down. It was a very nice tackle. Third time up, Devin and Collin May (very fast agile player) slammed into each other; knocking Devin backwards. The sound of the pads clashing was impressive. Well, Devin never likes to be stuffed. Next time out, he had to go up against Collin again. This time, slam and Collin went down. His Mother was standing with us watching them. She asked which kid was Devin. Right at that point, Devin and Collin were hitting each other and I said - there he is, with Collin. We have come to enjoy talking with her - our boys played together last year and were always on opposite sides due to their individual strengths. Devin and Collin like to go up against each other because they are both quite intense and enjoy pushing each other to improve. It's fun to watch. Her younger son, Kyle, played soccer with Devin several years ago and is one amazing soccer player. But I think he will be playing football next year as he is too young to play yet. So American Soccer loses another bright star of the future to football. Such is life in America.

Back to football - we are still waiting to hear how the teams will be split up. Varsity Section 1, Varsity Section 3 and JV. The Section 1 Varsity is for the bigger, older boys who have played several years already. But there is a chance that Devin will play in Section 3. If so, I will miss some of his games. If he is on JV, I will get to see him play a lot. We may find out tonight.