Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Another front page article! Yea!

 I'm on the front page of The Leader again! I'm loving this. Here's the article for those of you who are interested.

      I was always picked last for every sports team when I was young. Looking back now, I wouldn’t have picked me either. I had no athletic talent and my parents didn't encourage us girls to be that way.
      I do it differently in my own house. I want to raise athletic kids. Not because I'm competitive. I'm not. But because I want them to develop good fitness habits while they're young. I want them to learn there is no such thing as “girl” sports and “boy” sports. And athletic activities are fun! I'm learning that myself.
      It's funny, but the one sport my only daughter loves is dance. How much girlier does that get? But if that's what she loves, it's cool with me. My boys, on the other hand, have taken years to find their niche, their one particular, most important love. And that's lacrosse.
      I'd heard of lacrosse but had no idea what it was. I didn't want my oldest playing football because he always seemed to get hurt so easy. That could be because he has no fear and goes all out despite the consequences. So I said yes to this new and curious game. Little did I know, but lacrosse is not a gentle, safe activity like curling. I can't tell you how many times we've gone to the chiropractor, the doctor, and the emergency room for various injuries. Is this normal? With four boys, there's just no hope of staying injury free.
      What I didn't expect was to fall in love with lacrosse myself. Never having been adept at anything except music, it came as a complete surprise to find myself at the sidelines screaming encouragement to the boys I now love and adore.
      My second son will start next year. We have so many lacrosse sticks floating around that I know a broken widow is the next disaster awaiting, not to mention all the holes we have in our walls. How many times do you have to tell them to play outside?
      The moral of the story is this: even if you're not great at sports you can learn to appreciate what each game has to offer, and support your local teams. The Tremonton lacrosse team doesn't have a coach and didn't even get to play last year. How sad is that?
      Our kids grow up fast. We only get to be a part of their lives for an instant and then they're gone. Participate in the things they love. It will create an unbreakable bond and will bring you closer than you could ever imagine.
         Believe me. I speak from experience.
      --From your local lacrosse mom.

15 comments:

Julie Flanders said...

Congratulations! This is a wonderful article. And as one who was also always picked last, I can really relate to your experience.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

how funny! you sound like you could've been me! and i want my kids to be athletic. and the book I just wrote features a boy who plays lacrosse, soemthing I knew NOTHING about until I wrote the book!

Old Kitty said...

Awwww I loved this article!! Yay for you!! Congratulations!! May you and your family continue to enjoy and celebrate the amazing sport of lacrosse!! Yay!! Take care
x

Beth said...

It's a great thing to teach your kids that fitness is fun. I struggle with this myself. I take bouts of enjoying it and hating it, needless to say the bouts where I like it, I'm thinner.
bethfred.com

Wanda said...

Congrats on not only be published but making the front page. Great article.

Blaze McRob said...

Lacrosse is a tough sport! I'm glad to see you lit the match that might start a fire.

Blaze

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Another fine article! Good for you. And very cool on your boys playing lacrosse. It was very popular in MD when we were growing up, but I hear interest in it is finally spreading to other parts of the country. A fun sport.

Rob-bear said...

Lovely story, Melissa.

Ah, yes; great Canadian sport. Our official summer sport in Canada — something like Major League Baseball in the US, but not nearly as popular. Sadly.

Glad your lad is having such a good time. It is a rugged sport, like rugby — scene of bumps and bruises. But people won't get killed playing it, unless they really don't know what they're doing.

Too bad you don't have a coach for your boys. Up here, they teach Lacrosse in high school. Or, at least, they did years ago. I hope they still do.

Melissa Cunningham said...

My boys have a fantastic coach. It's the other high school in our area that doesn't. It's so sad.

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Great article! My son played baseball for years, so I relate to what you said about cheering from the sidelines for all the kids you've grown to love through the game. Now Lacrosse is something I'm ignorant of; I don't believe I've ever even seen a game! You do make it sound worth a look, though.

Sister Susan said...

Hey Sister!! I read both of your articles and loved them both!! You are such an entertaining writer and talk so honestly and real. I got tears in my eyes thinking about mom and how proud she'd be of you right now. She would have been your biggest cheerleader since you got that talent from her. I wish she were here to see you and your kids and to see what a wonderful mother and woomen you have become. She would feel honored to call you HER DAUGHTER!!!! I love you too!!!

Mary Aalgaard said...

So true, all of it. Your words speak my story as well. I'm still working on liking football, though.

Melissa Cunningham said...

Susan-Thank you so much! That means the world to me to hear you say that. I hope she's proud. I miss her so much.

Peggy Eddleman said...

Great article! Congratulations! I have two boys that aren't interested in sports, and a daughter that isn't interested in dance. She plays every sport she can. Including football. And she's been dying to play lacrosse! Now I'm a little scared for her.

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