By Stephen C. Schultz
The whistles are blowing constantly and the sound of shoes squeaking on the hardwood floor is relentless. Cheers from the spectators are mingled with the stomping of feet every time a point is scored. There is a level of anticipation and excitement that can only be felt at a sporting event of some kind.
For me, watching volleyball has become a weekly event. All of my kids have shown an interest in sports. My oldest daughter as well as her two younger sisters had years of soccer, softball and volleyball. My son gravitated to basketball and baseball. He did have a few years of chasing a soccer ball when he was barely beyond being a toddler.
Athletics and team sports provide exercise and the development of essential character traits that are so important when navigating the child and adolescent stages of development. Kids learn about hard work, focus, determination, courage, collaboration, problem solving, assertiveness and empathy to name a few.
However, my own personal opinion is that the shared memories are the most important aspect of sports activities. These memories foster healthy relationships. You see, the day will come when the sport is no longer played. The practices fade away into the rigors of life, work, civic and family responsibilities. What's left are the memories of playing, memories of the conversations in the car afterword and the bonding that takes place between a child and their parents.
For this reason, I share some of the memories of my daughter and her volleyball season. I am a proud papa, but these days won't last forever except as memories. We always seem to be fighting that elusive nemesis called "Time". I hope you enjoy!
The whistles are blowing constantly and the sound of shoes squeaking on the hardwood floor is relentless. Cheers from the spectators are mingled with the stomping of feet every time a point is scored. There is a level of anticipation and excitement that can only be felt at a sporting event of some kind.
For me, watching volleyball has become a weekly event. All of my kids have shown an interest in sports. My oldest daughter as well as her two younger sisters had years of soccer, softball and volleyball. My son gravitated to basketball and baseball. He did have a few years of chasing a soccer ball when he was barely beyond being a toddler.
Athletics and team sports provide exercise and the development of essential character traits that are so important when navigating the child and adolescent stages of development. Kids learn about hard work, focus, determination, courage, collaboration, problem solving, assertiveness and empathy to name a few.
However, my own personal opinion is that the shared memories are the most important aspect of sports activities. These memories foster healthy relationships. You see, the day will come when the sport is no longer played. The practices fade away into the rigors of life, work, civic and family responsibilities. What's left are the memories of playing, memories of the conversations in the car afterword and the bonding that takes place between a child and their parents.
For this reason, I share some of the memories of my daughter and her volleyball season. I am a proud papa, but these days won't last forever except as memories. We always seem to be fighting that elusive nemesis called "Time". I hope you enjoy!
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