Football!

When it was time to signup the boys for football in the Spring, BS volunteered to be the assistant coach for Wilbur's 3rd grade team.  You may remember it was Will's team that ended 2011 undefeated and champions of the Utah County Football Conference.  As luck would have it, four other Dads volunteered to assist, but no one was willing to budge and be the head coach.  The league was talking about seperating the boys from Will's team last year (because the other lone peak team had a few head coach volunteers), and BS didn't want to see that happen.  He volunteered to be the head coach.   This meant that BS would be pretty much gone from August to November.  

Sambo is in 5th grade, and the 5th graders try out for A and B teams.  After two weeks of hot summer tryouts, Sambo made the A team.  As it turned out, this team was basically his team from two years ago that won the conference championship.  Turns out the 5th graders played their games at noon every Saturday, and the 3rd graders played at 1:00 in a different city. So BS was only able to see one of Sambo's games :(

Wilbur played defensive end, and was really good.  We were all amazed how much more coordinated and aggressive he was this year.  BS would glow when Wilbur was on the field.  A couple things about Will;  he would not back down from the bigger kids, and would remember what the coaches asked him to do the first time.  If you were watching the defense, you would always find Will on the bottom of the pile.  More than once, Will would make a bit hit, and when helping the running back or quarterback up tell them sorry for "smoking them."

Sambo was more of a utility player.  Although he dreamed of running or catching the ball, he usually ended up as corner, linebacker, or defensive tackle.  Sambo's coaches told BS that Sambo had the biggest hit of the year.  He was lucky enough to have a couple carries, and will think about them until football starts again in the summer.

The 3rd grade team had a great year.  Thanks to a double overtime win (where Wilbur sealed the deal with a sack and fumble recovery), the LP 3 Knights finished the year undefeated.  Finishing in first place, the 3rd graders got the first round bye in the playoffs.  In the semi-finals after a hard fought effort, we were as Will would say "extra smoked!"  BS was proud of the boys, and their 8-1 record.  I was proud of the boys too, but also proud of BS for being a terrific Coach and doing a great job teaching and being a positive influence.

Sambo's team also ended the year undefeated!  They won the semifinals, and made it to the championship.  There will be more on this later.  

Now that the season is over, BS and the boys are wondering what to do with their Saturdays and weekday evenings.  Each night since August it has been wake up, work/school, football, and sleep.  Repeat this process over and over.  BS absolutely loved spending the time with Will, and watching him turn into a football nut.  He said he had more fun coaching, than he ever had playing football himself, but it would break his heart not to see Sambo play.  It is a good thing both teams practiced on the same field at the same time, so BS could be there for Sambo as much as possible.  

Here we are, cheering on the boys:

A quick nap between soccer game and football game.  Quincy is quite the trooper going to all of these games!  Eventually I discovered that Chops is the secret weapon to entertain her at the games!

Wilbur and Sambo, we are all so proud of you!  Go Knights!

And thanks again to family members coming to cheer them on!