This past weekend, I sat in the gym with a dozen other parents for fourteen and a half hours.
We weren’t staging a sit-in and we weren’t attending an all night wake-at-thon…instead, we were hosting a volleyball tournament with the Bedford Blizzard U15s where ten teams throughout the province came for a full day of competition and fun.
Despite hitting the snooze on my alarm and trying to will myself to go back to sleep (it being a KID FREE weekend and I really could have used a day of sleeping-in and relaxation), I arrived at the gym at 7:30 lugging behind me 200 bowls for the meatballs and rice we’d be serving, a kettle, player of the game awards, a griddle for grilled cheeses, four dozen juice paks, five loaves of bread, speakers for the team and a birthday cake for Bones!
Along with the other parents…I stayed all day while we ran the canteen, the admissions, the clothing sales…and flipped the score sheets.
At the end of the evening…we took it all down, cleaned up, put it all away…and left exhausted. The kids…they were probably tired as well but with silver medals around their necks and smiles on their faces…it was worth the full day!
Volleyball has become a huge part of my daily life. With four practices a week and one evening of dryland training along with multiple tournaments…it’s busy!
Last weekend, I saw a number of moms tucked out of the way in corners…down hallways…on their computers…trying to grab a few hours work…and I totally got it. (Currently, while I type this, I’m sitting on an incredibly uncomfortable seat in the gym of a junior high…trying to grab a few hours of work while my daughter practices for next weekends tournament in Yarmouth.)
It’s one thing after the next.
And why do we do it? Why am I chasing from hockey rinks to riding stables to volleyball gyms.
Because they love it.
And I love that they love it.
There’s something that sport has provided for my children that no amount of parenting on my end would give them. They learn incredible skills from being a teammate…they learn to think, to feel, to hold back their emotions, to celebrate…they learn to work together and grow as an individual.
So…I follow them around and luckily, I have a job where I can bring my computer and do the best I can to make it all work.
Even if I’m a little tired at the end of the day.
The reality…I’m not the only one who’s working to make sure my daughter has the very best experience that she can. The Bedford Blizzards Volleyball Club works with its athletes to make sure they’re getting what they need…that they continue to learn and grow and in the process…have a bit of fun!
This year, with the help of a donation from O’Regan’s KIA Dartmouth…they’ve incorporated two new programs that will be of great benefit to my daughter…and the 100 other players in the club. The athletes on each of the Blizz teams will receive training with both a Sports Psychologist and a Nutritionist…making sure each athlete has what they need to be successful in their sport. KIA’s commitment of #DrivingChange is a HUGE addition to our sport and the players that live to play it!
This coming weekend…I’m heading to Yarmouth for the VNS SuperSeries…where someone else will be running the canteen, selling the clothes and keeping score. Me…I’ll be cheering on my kid from the bleachers…and if I get a few moments, working on my computer in some corner…down some hall!
Busy Mom. Happy kids. It’s all goid.