Sunday, July 08, 2007

Feeling Like a Kennedy



Alright - minus the money, and the politics, and the massive compound in Hyannis. I'm mostly talking about the football.

We had a family cookout today and I led a group of 10 to 14 year old boys in a game of touch football. AWESOME.

I've never shared that I played football as a girl. My father told lots of my war stories today as I ran up and down the field with the sqad of kids - hurling the ball, chasing the TD, being as tomboyish as ever. "She was one of the best players on the Attleboro White Hawk team, you know. She ran right over those boys."

You'd believe it if you saw it. I can throw a pretty much perfect spiral - and hard. I know the rules of the game - and I know how to make them work on a smaller field (ie; 10 yards doesn't make a first down, but two completed passes does, and on a small field lateral movement of the ball is nearly impossible). When a fourteen year old boy comments "How long have you been playing for? You're good at this," you know you've got to be decent at the game. What's amusing is that I haven't played in years - I guess it must be a little like riding a bicycle though...

I even got my dad to join us for twenty minutes. He was on the opposing team and kept telling the boys on his side "We CANNOT let them score. I'll never live it down." And, you know what? We scored - and he won't live it down. I feel vaguely like a Kennedy - and an eensy bit like Shannon - who kicked her hubby's butt in triathlonning.

8 comments:

Scott K. Johnson said...

Oh man. First roller derby, now football?

Look out George - we better get practicing on our cheerleading!!

Nicole P said...

Football's been forever. Though I was a cheerleader at one point too. :)

The derby won't actually be a derby - just skating with the ladies...

Chrissie in Belgium said...

Heja Nicole, Heja Nicole!!! That is Swedish!

Shannon said...

Jeff would be very impressed with your football playing talent and the fact that you can throw a tight spiral.

There's a certain satisfaction that comes with kicking guy's asses, isnt' there? LOL.

Bernard said...

Nicole

Sounds like a lot of fun. And that picture of your family looks really like the Kennedys. No wonder you felt that way. :-)

Nicole P said...

Those are the Kennedys - B - stolen from some history site!!

;)

Nicole P said...

Chrissie - LOL!!! :D

Shannon - Generally, males give me a look that says "Yeah, right" when I say "Let's play football." Then we start playing. I love watching the tune change. Fun. And yes, there is a certain sweet satisfaction in victory over a man - especially when he's being obnoxious about his prowess...

Penny Ratzlaff said...

You go, Nicole. If you can kick butt at football maybe you should look into a real roller derby;-)

I play second base in a church softball league. It is mainly men that play and I hear comments all the time like "man, that girl can play". I love it.