This morning the sun came up proudly in a cloudless sky and a cool breeze fluttered through the trees creating a fall crisp we haven't felt since late spring. Perfect baseball weather. In spite of this, we are a bit melancholy in our household. This is because baseball season ended this past weekend for the Center Grove Trojans 8U team.
The irony of this morning's beautiful weather is not lost on me as I recall the four baseball games we played in the sweltering 100 degree heat this past Saturday. This day produced record highs and one of the many heat advisories issued this summer. We lost an umpire in the first game, we had a player go down in the second game and the other team had a player fall in the third game. We went into our 4Th game reckless and giddy from a day spent under a fire bomb of heat and pressure. Not to mention, a humidity that could drain the life from your body quicker than an average adult could consume a cold beer at the Brickyard on race day. Needless to say, we were dragging by game #4, and down by eight runs in the first inning and each inning after this. It is what happened in the 6Th inning that is the overwhelming life lesson here and one that can be applied across the board to every one's lives.
It is this 6Th inning that I will cherish and hold dear when I think about the Center Grove Trojans 8U baseball team. We had an amazing season, 26 wins and 5 losses, but this game illustrated to team and parents alike that baseball is about heart, team work and never, never, never giving up. Our players were tired, overheated, some injured, deflated and certainly ready to throw in the towel this last inning. We were down by 6 runs and had 2 outs. Things were looking pretty grim. It was at this point we witnessed a collective heart and tenacity so strong that life lessons will always come back to this very defining baseball moment -- WE WON! Eleven batters and 7 runs later, WE WON!
This is what I hope our players and coaches will take with them:
Life lesson # 1 -- Never give up on your dream. Life can go either way, if we lose hope, we may never realize our true potential. We must learn to be what we wish to see.
Life lesson #2 -- There is no "I" in "TEAM." If even one of our batters had thrown in the towel, we wouldn't have won the game. This was an outstanding collective victory.
Life lesson #3 -- Always do your best and you will live with no regrets. It is easy to look back on something knowing that we gave 100%. There is no dishonor in always giving your all.
Life lesson #4 -- Treat each other with respect and kindness. Live by the Golden Rule. There is nothing to be gained by disrespecting others. Live your life like you would like to be treated.
This is why my household is a bit melancholy on such a beautiful day. We are going to miss the ball field in the waning days of summer. I will absolutely miss the camaraderie between parents and players, and the sheer joy and celebration of seeing these kids play together.
Baseball has given my son a lifetime of amazing memories and life lessons to carry with him to school this fall. In actuality, I truly believe each one of our players will carry this baseball season along with them to school and other fall sports venues. I have no doubt they will make good decisions and be good friends to others because of what they learned on the field this summer. I know they will always do their best because they learned first hand to never give up even in the face of defeat. Most importantly, every player learned the importance of community and being part of a team.
Team sports provide many life lessons for our children, and this past season I was proud to watch our players grow together and embrace many of the skills necessary to be successful throughout their personal and academic careers. Priceless!!!!
This is why I cannot wait until next season to hear, "PLAY BALL!"
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
I'd Like a Ring Pop with Those Fries!
Wouldn't it be nice to walk into a concession stand and see fresh fruit and yogurt on the menu or a grilled chicken breast on a whole wheat bun offered instead of a walking taco?? What kind of a message is being sent to our young athletes when the only food offered at the ball park is chock full of grease, salt, fat and enough preservatives to keep it "alive" long after the games have ended and the lights are out. I mean, REALLY, even McDonald's has started to offer "healthier" options than I can find at any sports venue, field or stadium.
My family spends an average of 4 days a week at the ball field and the idea of a healthier venue or menu is very appealing. My youngest just turned eight years old and morphed this past year into a bit of a chunkster. He managed to gain 10 lbs in a short period of about two months and this was fueled primarily on a concession food diet -- chicken tenders, hamburgers, an occasional hot dog and, of course, french fries. Imagine our dismay when his washboard stomach and muscular back was replaced with an over inflated bicycle tire and, as a result, he could not fit into any of his pants. This was shocking to me, however, one friend explained that it was natural to "pack the weight on" during the cold winter months, and that when spring turned up, so would my son's metabolism. My husband and I bought into this because we moved to Indiana from California and the winter months definitely cut back on our children's ability to play outdoors.
When we visited the doctor in the spring, my son got on the scale and the nurse weighed him twice because she thought she had it wrong the first time. If we were to analyze his weight gain, I have no doubt that his BMI would be through the roof, but I am more concerned with the nutrients he is not absorbing through fast food.
This summer, we have been making the ball field circuit and have found there is some disparity in the concession food offered. It is still mostly fast food, greasy, high in fat and calories and lacking in vital nutrients. Yet, we still buy it! Not just buy it, but look forward to our favorite ball park hot dog, pizza sticks, chicken tenders or hamburger. This is why it wasn't so shocking to learn from Eric Schlosser's novel Fast Food Nation, "that Americans spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software or cars" (3). This is just perpetuated through our sports culture, cafeterias at school and the many stops along the side of the road.
What can we do to change this? Basically, stop buying it or make it a "special occasion" treat instead of a nightly occurrence. Talk to your league directors and see what the profit margin is on healthier options and research what is available. Limit your child to one concession stand visit a week and push "growing" or nutritious food at every meal.
My sons are competitive! We Build on this by letting them know they will perform better with nutritious food in their body. They are going to have a lot more energy from an apple, yogurt, chicken and cheese stick rather than from pizza sticks, fries and a ring pop. It is a bit cliche to keep saying, "We must be the change." Because, if we are not producing nutritious meals in our homes and at our sports venues, how can we expect to see wholesale change on a national level?
My family spends an average of 4 days a week at the ball field and the idea of a healthier venue or menu is very appealing. My youngest just turned eight years old and morphed this past year into a bit of a chunkster. He managed to gain 10 lbs in a short period of about two months and this was fueled primarily on a concession food diet -- chicken tenders, hamburgers, an occasional hot dog and, of course, french fries. Imagine our dismay when his washboard stomach and muscular back was replaced with an over inflated bicycle tire and, as a result, he could not fit into any of his pants. This was shocking to me, however, one friend explained that it was natural to "pack the weight on" during the cold winter months, and that when spring turned up, so would my son's metabolism. My husband and I bought into this because we moved to Indiana from California and the winter months definitely cut back on our children's ability to play outdoors.
When we visited the doctor in the spring, my son got on the scale and the nurse weighed him twice because she thought she had it wrong the first time. If we were to analyze his weight gain, I have no doubt that his BMI would be through the roof, but I am more concerned with the nutrients he is not absorbing through fast food.
This summer, we have been making the ball field circuit and have found there is some disparity in the concession food offered. It is still mostly fast food, greasy, high in fat and calories and lacking in vital nutrients. Yet, we still buy it! Not just buy it, but look forward to our favorite ball park hot dog, pizza sticks, chicken tenders or hamburger. This is why it wasn't so shocking to learn from Eric Schlosser's novel Fast Food Nation, "that Americans spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software or cars" (3). This is just perpetuated through our sports culture, cafeterias at school and the many stops along the side of the road.
What can we do to change this? Basically, stop buying it or make it a "special occasion" treat instead of a nightly occurrence. Talk to your league directors and see what the profit margin is on healthier options and research what is available. Limit your child to one concession stand visit a week and push "growing" or nutritious food at every meal.
My sons are competitive! We Build on this by letting them know they will perform better with nutritious food in their body. They are going to have a lot more energy from an apple, yogurt, chicken and cheese stick rather than from pizza sticks, fries and a ring pop. It is a bit cliche to keep saying, "We must be the change." Because, if we are not producing nutritious meals in our homes and at our sports venues, how can we expect to see wholesale change on a national level?
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Halt!
In Julia Cameron's book, "The Writing Diet," she likens dieting to a 12 step process. I'm thinking I could use both right now. Halt is an acronym for, "Don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired" (44). Oftentimes when you wait too long to eat, you tend to over indulge. I am simply a creature of habit and when I get stressed, I use wine to "decompress." Pair this with waiting too long to eat and it is a recipe for disaster.
Cameron suggests writing instead of binge-eating or drinking. Her idea is that while food soothes, anger and stress provide creative impetus. She suggests that instead of sitting down to a plate of cake, sit down and write a journal entry or poem. I thought I would try this:
Love Loves in My Refrigerator
Looking back on this past celebratory week
I find the simple things that many people seek.
A happy 10 years with my spouse
and two spirited children in my house.
Milestones and benchmarks made with ease,
can be likened to goods in my fridge like wine and cheese.
As I rummage through my fridge looking for a quick fix,
I see all the ingredients to add to the mix.
A little wine for sanity and eggs for a cake,
these both are a foundation to celebrate.
Greens for good health and milk for the bones,
also help strengthen the love in my home.
Hot sauce to sprinkle and add a little flare
to the passion and intensity living here.
Add a little sugar for good measure
and what we have is truly a pleasure,
for every relationship you see
is built on love, food and family.
Together all of these compose
the perfect combo in life and show,
that love lives not only within
but also in the food you prepare and in your produce bins.
OK, try it on and see if it fits! Exercise your ability to HALT and try writing as a means to curbing your emotional hunger.
Cameron suggests writing instead of binge-eating or drinking. Her idea is that while food soothes, anger and stress provide creative impetus. She suggests that instead of sitting down to a plate of cake, sit down and write a journal entry or poem. I thought I would try this:
Love Loves in My Refrigerator
Looking back on this past celebratory week
I find the simple things that many people seek.
A happy 10 years with my spouse
and two spirited children in my house.
Milestones and benchmarks made with ease,
can be likened to goods in my fridge like wine and cheese.
As I rummage through my fridge looking for a quick fix,
I see all the ingredients to add to the mix.
A little wine for sanity and eggs for a cake,
these both are a foundation to celebrate.
Greens for good health and milk for the bones,
also help strengthen the love in my home.
Hot sauce to sprinkle and add a little flare
to the passion and intensity living here.
Add a little sugar for good measure
and what we have is truly a pleasure,
for every relationship you see
is built on love, food and family.
Together all of these compose
the perfect combo in life and show,
that love lives not only within
but also in the food you prepare and in your produce bins.
OK, try it on and see if it fits! Exercise your ability to HALT and try writing as a means to curbing your emotional hunger.
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