So.. are you one of those parents that park themselves on the 50 and shout out instructions to your kids while they are in the middle of the game? Or, are you one of those parents who quietly lurk near the corner flag and take it all in?

Practices are usually uneventful to shoot for the paper. But when I pulled up the pictures on my laptop and saw the ball on a players’ nose, it stood out to me.

Recreational youth sports leagues are an essential part of any town, no matter the population. They are not only the feeder programs for junior high and high school teams, but also play a key role in the healthiness of the town’s youngest generation.

Have you ever noticed all the different colors of soccer cleats … looks like a bag of Skittles!

At the big league baseball games, you may hear the words “popcorn, peanuts, Cracker Jacks,” or “beer here.” But, what do you bring on the road to AAU games when there are no vendors around?
*Peanuts in the shell (I prefer the unsalted ones). They’re a little messy at the fields, but they compose over time.
*Bottled [...]

From time to time we’re called up to volunteer, in some capacity or another, by the club. Last weekend one of the moms from my son’s team was on field marshal duty (the task involves retrieving balls that make their way over the super high fence and into the woods, reporting scores, keeping the crowd under control - a topic for a future blog- and wearing a beautiful vest that is the mark of authority!!!). A ball took flight over the fence and landed in the pond next to the field… there was no stick long enough to retrieve the ball, so our brave and dedicated volunteer had no choice but to tough it out and make her way across the thin ice. Well… I think its obvious what happened.

Happy news in our household! My daughter is thrilled to have been chosen for the NH U13 Girls ODP team.

THE SEASON BEGINS
And here I thought finding a Soprano’s style café in the middle of Queens was going to be the highlight of my weekend. Little did I know that 20 minutes into the first half my son would be gushing blood before he hit the ground….

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’d like to introduce a new guest voice to this blog. I’ve been looking for bloggers with interests in youth sports that I’m not involved in. Soccer was one of those topics. Marcia Griffith of Amherst has voluteered to share her experiences with you.
Hi there… My name is Marcia Griffith and I am [...]