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  Tuesday, March 19, 2024  
 
October 11, 2008
Summer Update - Baseball, Rugby, Hockey Camp, Triathlon, Soccer

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A lot has happened since the last update...and I've got a lot to say about it.

Baseball ended. Rugby came and went. And we have a 2nd grader and a brand new Kindergartener!

Baseball was fun and a little too short. The kids just really started to get the game as the season ended. A fun group of kids, though.

Rugby was a pleasant surprise. As you can imagine, kids clubs are hard to come by, but I found one sponsored by the Boston Irish Wolfhounds, which is a high quality local men's team. They play with flags rather than tackle until about age 13, and it's a GREAT game for kids! The ball is a good size for the kids to deal with, and the concept is pretty darn simple. Run with ball, pass it before someone gets your flag, or touch it down behind the try line. Luke was far more into it than I imagined, which made for a fun experience.

Speaking of more into it than I imagined, we put Luke into the Eagle Hockey School this summer for one week at the end of July. I've been trying hard not to project my enthusiasm for hockey onto Luke. I want it to remain fun for HIM and remember that at age seven he's already had three more years of "formal" skating than I've had in my life. We didn't know a ton about this small, relatively unpublicized camp at our home rink other than it included 7- to 10-yr olds and seemed linked to Boston College so I was a little nervous for Luke.

Turns out the camp is run by an ex-Olympic Women's Hockey player...that played with a girl from my Mite team in River Falls, WI when I was seven. It is also supported by several current Boston College Hockey players. For those that don't know, BC won its third National Championship last season and their second in six years. In and of itself, I think it's cool to get exposure to that caliber of player at his young age, but that was just the beginning.

These "kids" were incredibly generous and enthusiastic about teaching the game. Ben Smith, Andrew Orpik, Tim Filangieri, Anthony Aiello, and Joe Whitney. I mention the names because most of them have been drafted by the NHL, and at least a couple are likely to see some real playing time in the coming years. I also mention the names because I still can't get over how nice they were to my son.

It was 9a - 1p every day for a week so I didn't get to see much, but I saw enough. Every time I did watch, they were singling him out helping him with techniques as well as joking around like he was a peer. These kids have been drafted, just won the highest college team honor there is, and they still seemed to not only tolerate but genuinely enjoy my son. They represented BC in the most positive light.

Joe Whitney, in particular, seemed to connect with Luke. I'm sure it has something to do with Luke being one of the smaller guys out there and Joe being 5'6" 165lbs. He may identify with the fiesty, little guy. When I first met Joe, I assumed that as a diminutive freshman he probably got a little playing time and would maybe be fighting for playing time this season. Admittedly, I only really knew the "big" names. Turns out I missed one. He set or was in the running for nearly every freshman record BC has. He played in every game and won some serious accolades.

I've linked to a truly incredible and meaningful goal by Joe on YouTube below. Well worth a couple minutes to see the slow-motion replay (the good replays start at 01:19/05:04). He's on the left wing and notice his patience as the play develops. He hangs back in perfect position for the rebound.

Due to the fun factor, we sent Luke back for the second week, and he enjoyed it and learned a ton. He's a completely different hockey player. In five games this season, he's scored 3 goals and has 3 assists. That tops last year's totals after 20+ games.

I almost forgot! Joe and Anthony were hanging out with Luke after camp, and Luke asked if Joe could be his next babysitter. Libby was there, and--being the generous fellow he is--Joe said he would be up for that some time. Anthony said, "Dude. I wouldn't even trust you to watch my sandwich." I'm sure it would be fun for all, but I don't think it will happen.

Around the time of hockey camp, Libby managed to win her age group again for the Falmouth Sprint Triathlon. A scenic 1/3-mile swim in the Atlantic Ocean in Nantucket Sound, a 9-mile bike, and a 3.1-mile run. She hadn't swim all year and backstroked her way through the choppy ocean swim about 20% slower than the fast women. Then proceeded to punish all contenders on the bike (a 1999 Cannondale with rat-trap pedals) and the run.

FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 to 39
Place Name Race# Age Sex Town/State Final
1Elizabeth Foster35035FNewton MA59:08
2Kim Cilley45738FManchester MA59:16
3Meredith Gilson39737FFalmouth MA59:53

Libby also did her 3.5 weeks in Provincetown for her Master's of Fine Arts program beginning September 1 so I had to handle first day of school by myself. Pretty chaotic...and in the chaos I did NOT get any pictures. Bad Dad.

On the plus side, Libby had an extremely successful adventure in P-Town. You can view some of the results at the Saatchi Gallery Online

Dunes | 46 x 61 Aerial Dunes | 61 x 46 Burst | 94 x 94
picture
Straight Scarlet | 61 x 92Breath | 61 x 92Stacked | 61 x 92
Beach Forest | 61 x 92Bowl of Dunes | 61 x 46 Slide | 70 x 92
Fat | 60 x 100 Untitled | 61 x 92 Pining | 61 x 92
Moon Pond | 61 x 46 Head of the Meadow | 61 x 92 Weave | 61 x 92
Float | 46 x 61 Beach Forest 2 | 46 x 61 Opening | 94 x 74
Collectible | 91 x 122 Persimmon Dunes | 95 x 70
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN CONTACTING THIS ARTIST, CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE TO SEND THIS PROFILE TO YOUR FRIENDS

Ben played soccer! Last year we put him in the pre-K program, and he was too shy to play. He tried to crawl inside his soccer ball. I wasn't optimistic for this season but figured it was worth a try. When we arrived, he said he was not playing. Fortunately, he has a friend on his team, which helped to get him out there. Lo and behold he might have even had fun...? There's no evidence that he is out there competing yet, but he continues to be a participating member of the team. Confidence is key, and that's all I'm really hoping for.

Joe Whitney sends BC to the Frozen Four!

 

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