Jamboree

Wow, what a difference a year makes. Riley opted out of going. We stopped by the library to pick up a book for him on our way out of town. The library was closed for an old car event downtown. Since he didn't have anything to read he wanted me to drop him back at home. I didn't argue, though I was disappointed. He would have pouted if I made him go. Its not nearly as fun watching as it is playing the game. Now that he can't play and didn't have a friend to hang with at the track, I dropped him at the corner of our neighborhood to walk home. My mom thought he might have felt bad about not being able to play this season and that is why he didn't want to watch the game. We were running on a tight schedule and I didn't want to be late. I wasn't going to spend time arguing and ruining the day for everyone present.



As Trevor and I were driving I remembered I had said I would do snacks for the game, oranges and grapes. It was going to be bananas, but Trev said he wanted grapes. Now I had to drop Trev and find a store and cut the oranges to have the snacks ready to go.



Just up the hill a few blocks from the stadium, I found a local store. It reminded me of New York. One of those cramped markets my sister shops at. The aisles were two feet wide and displays crammed in every free nook. It had a little of everything including gallon size bags and paring knives to cut the oranges and grape clusters. I prepared the snacks on the back of the trunk and headed back to the field with time to spare.



I put the paring knife in my glove box for future use. Loved the squirt bottle of hand sanitizer that I keep in the car, to remove the sticky juice from my hands.



The sun was shining but it wasn't too hot. A perfect day for football. I wore a shirt with Trevor's name and number on the back in his team colors. It was one I bought last year for him for under his gear, that doesn't fit him anymore. The bottom of the shirt curls up over his belly, but it fits me just fine. With my sun hat and the team roster with their numbers I was set. I handed out the rosters to parents when I saw them.



Coach asked me and a couple of other moms standing by to be weigh masters. We didn't have our books yet, with their pictures and numbers. Jamboree is more of a scrimmage or practice, so we pretend weigh in to catch the stripers and check gear for safety. Then the games begin; 20 minutes offense on the half field, then switch to 20 minutes defense, with a running clock. Refs flag and tell you what the kids did wrong but there are no penalties.



Trevor is a striper. At weigh in for eighth grade, stripers are over 170 pounds. You are either over or under. A piece of colored tape goes on the front and back of a stripers helmet to identify him as a none ball carrier. He can intercept a ball, but he can not be given a ball to run a play. It prevents really big kids from dominating the field in a youth league, where everyone has their growth spurts at different times. Coach had Trevor practice Defense. He played the second half.



I couldn't believe it, the other team double teamed him. Not only that but they illegally wrapped him up in their arms. You are allowed to push, shove, knock someone down. But you cannot just wrap your arms around a player on the line and hold him. I had no idea Trevor was such a threat. He had this ballet spin where he rolled off his opponent and kept going using that momentum to stay with the ball. He had his brace on his knee so it didn't bother him at all. He played hard.



I still can't get over that the other team thought him so powerful they assigned two people to stop him and should have been flagged for holding at least five times. It was just a scrimmage, but once the season starts if they do it during a game the refs should call the penalty. It was so blatant I even noticed.



Tom says Trevor just needs to learn how to be quick, make decisions quickly on the field. He loved that roll spin Trevor had. Trevor wont be a fast runner, but he can get stuff done on the line. He definitely kept those two blockers busy, which freed up someone else to break through the line, who is not being guarded by one of those two boys busy with my son. Trevor was in on a few tackles once he spun off his guards, that was probably when they started holding and wrapping him up. It was a great game.



Another team mate was covering a receiver in the end zone. He batted down a beautiful throw that would have been a touch down for the other side. He made it look so easy and graceful. The coach was encouraging and positive throughout the game with everyone. He really knows his stuff. From one year to the next it is lovely to see the improvements. I really don't want to miss any games. I hope they are all late in the day. Its going to be a great season, as I told Trevor, as long as he doesn't get injured. That brace really seems to have done the trick.



Tom was not happy Riley missed the game. My parents and my sister came to watch. They were disappointed Riley did not come, and they didn't get to see him. Tom made Riley mow the lawn as a punishment when he got home, for bogging out on his brother. Riley did a great job, so I took both boys to Dairy queen for treats. Riley said he wanted to avoid his Dad and any more chores. We swung by the library to see if it was open. The downtown event was over so the library was open and we were able to pick up the books on hold for both boys.



Tom is making them watch a football game with him, pointing out the linemen plays to Trevor and showing how the pros play that position. Trevor is trying to get his dad to agree to take him to an OSU game. But the ones that don't conflict with Trevor's season are the big ones. USC or the Civil War, which by the way falls on our anniversary this year, December 4. I wouldn't dare plan anything else.



Maybe a hotel in Corvallis and game tickets for the family would be a great anniversary gift. We have done that before. Tom took the boys for an overnight and a game. Civil war is so intense though. They would probably love it. I am not sure I would.



My peach tree has ended its season. I will have to trim it back. It is now two stories tall, very beautiful, but hard to pick the fruit off the higher branches. The pear is just coming ripe and the apples also. . My grass is mowed, thanks to Riley. Fall is right around the corner. Yeah football season.



Tom got his fantasy league team today so everyone is happy. Check out his fantasy football blog squiggyrant.blogspot.com