Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Football Flair

I've always been very competitive. Ask my brothers, they'll tell you. My competition is with most people but I find myself competing against the boys even more! Being a bit of a tomboy probably helped with that.

I am the oldest of three and the only girl. I always had to be taller, stronger, and faster than my brothers. I always had to hit the ball farther, catch better, throw farther, and run faster. We often would play competitive sports as well. Baseball, football, soccer, basketball, you name it. I had to be good enough to stay in the game with them(and their friends), but I also had to push myself farther so there would be a good chance of beating them. Not until we were in high school did my brothers start to beat me. (They got taller, stronger and heavier, funny how that happens. I'm 5'7" and have been since sophomore or junior year, my brothers are 6'4" and 6'0".) But because of all my competition I really felt like I was a bit of an athlete and jock.

I played basketball for four years in high school. (yes along with being in the pep band, that often made for scheduling conflicts but it was all good!) I also had a pretty good arm. I was pretty accomplished at throwing a good spiral with a football. Throwing it far too.

My first fall semester at Ricks. First day of classes. That evening with my 5 other female roommates we went over to the boys apartment complex to meet our F.H.E. brothers. (F.H.E. stands for Family Home Evening. FHE Brothers were designated boys to hang out with on an at least weekly basis). There were 6 boys in their apartment too. Since it was late August and the weather was still pretty nice we stood outside talking. A little way away a group of guys were playing catch with a football. The ball got away from them and it rolled over to me. I picked it up, and gently tossed it back to the guy closest to me. While we were standing there talking, a few minutes later the ball came rolling up to my feet again. This time I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to show off my fine football skills!

I picked up the ball and held it like I was going to throw it this time. The guy closest to me; still about 20 feet away; told me to throw it to him. I waved my arm at him to back up, he backed up another few feet, and acted like there was no way I could throw it that far. I waved at him to back up still, ( I knew what I could do!), but he wouldn't back up any farther. So I pulled back my arm and let it go. I had thrown the most beautiful spiral known to man! It went way over the guys head and all the way to where the other guys were waiting to continue their game of catch. (Oh, and I'm left-handed by the way!)

I got a bunch of "Oohh's" and "Aahh's" from the guys that were playing the game of catch, a few "wow, good for you 'D'" from the girls, along with a few "You show 'em how its done!". Plus a few "How did you learn how to throw a spiral like that?". I was so proud of myself, especially because a good spiral like that wasn't a guarantee. From that moment on for the rest of the year I was known as the "Athletic One" in our apartment. (I was also known as the only brunette, and the only one in my apartment not at Ricks to get their M.R.S. degree, but that's another post all on its own!)

Ahh, to only be that young and fresh from the athletics department again. I can only imagine the dismal failure I would make of trying to throw a spiral now. I bet I would pull a muscle. I better practice up, I'll be the one teaching my son how to do it in a few years...
Posted by ABQ Mom :: 12/14/2005 06:00:00 AM :: 3 Comments:

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