Monday, August 29, 2011

Boys, Sports, Gatorade, Being an Athlete's Mother and a Giveaway





Thirty-eight summers ago I was a ten year old little girl living on a street in New Jersey. I played with my sister Melissa, my dolls and rode my bicycle around my neighborhood. I played hopscotch up the street with my best friend Laura and occasionally climbed trees. Other than that, I read books. In fact, I was probably the biggest bookworm for miles -- if not the country. I had absolutely no interest in sports other than an occasional Sunday afternoon of Wide World of Sports on the television and the Olympics every four years. That disinterest and near aversion to anything athletic continued for the next thirty years, except for a brief, avid interest in my high school boyfriend's football games and then the near-hysteria of basketball years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Michael Jordan was a classmate).

I turned forty-eight years old this week, and I've never developed any athletic ability and remain one of the world's biggest bookworms. But I'm also the mother of not one, but two boys who are not only interested in sports but are actual athletes -- dare I say jocks? And I have to admit that while I still struggle with the rules of every sport they play (lacrosse, baseball, basketball, flag football and soccer), I actually enjoy them.






Who knew?



As most of you know, I have a daughter, too, who is sixteen years old, but she has severe disabilities related to a seizure disorder that she developed at three months old. As a result, she has never taken ballet or hip-hop or played volleyball or basketball or soccer. She has never run or jumped, either. When I see my sons playing sports, their beautiful and perfect bodies running and jumping and throwing, I can only marvel at the seeming effortlessness of it all. I am filled with gratitude for their sheer physicality and have, surprisingly, found myself committed to helping them become the athletes that they want to be. And then I marvel at how I've sort of, kind of, become a sports mom.




So, what's all of this about? As a part of the BlogHer community, I was asked to post about my experiences being a mother to athletes. Gatorade is sponsoring this post and also letting me give away a $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods! And while I still can't believe that I'm out there doing this -- driving my sons to their incessant practices, buying their equipment and making sure that they have it all, instilling a sense of sportsmanship and the importance of physical activity for one's well-being -- I'm also learning about things like sports nutrition and hydration and what role this plays before, during and after a game or practice.

Gatorade and the Women's Sports Foundation have created a pledge to support young athletes in their quest TO BECOME the best athlete they can be. You can read more about the program and take the pledge HERE To encourage mothers to support their athletes as they BECOME, Gatorade will donate one dollar up to $10,000 to the Women's Sports Foundation for every pledge they receive atGatorade Moms.

And the $100 giftcard to Dick's Sporting Goods? The sweepstakes runs from August 29th through September 30th. Just tell me how you help inspire your young athlete to be their best.


Here are the rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.



This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.



The official rules are available here.



Additional chances to win the gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods are over at BlogHer's round up page.

60 comments:

  1. I can't participate because I am from Canada but dare I say Sophie dances? I see her pictures and she is dancing.

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  2. Well this is just neat! I'll bite. :) My son is quite young, six and in first grade. We've found that letting him try new things, with absolutely no pressure, has allowed him to have a lot of fun with sports. So far he's done Taekwondo (sp!), ice skating, swimming...but mainly he likes to simply RUN. Maybe he'll like track? Or maybe he'll just enjoy trail running for his own pleasure. Keeping it non-competitive has worked for him. :)

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  3. My husband leads by example and tells our sons all about his team sports experiences. Our sons want to be like daddy so the stories inspire them to do their best.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  4. tweet:

    http://twitter.com/#!/mami2jcn/status/109601013454999552

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

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  5. i encourage my niece to cheer everyone on and to make sure she shares her snacks lol

    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

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  6. http://twitter.com/#!/aes529/status/109690037100216320

    pokergrl8 at gmail.com

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  7. We encourage our children to have fun and be good sports whether they win or lose, we also make sure they stay hydrated during the game

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

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  8. http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/110078129300717568

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

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  9. I love these photos and your joy in your boys' abilities. (You don't need to enter my name, because I don't think we have a Dick's sporting goods store here.) xoxoxo

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  10. I was, a self proclaimed tomboy. And, really still am.

    I had the girls first, then these 2 little guys. In the mix, one girl HUGE athlete all her life, other 2 dabbled,and the boys, one would rather read and play the guitar and play with legos and the other, literally ESPN 24/7 and out at the crack of dawn, rounding up the neighborhood to play something, anything... with them all, we say, be who you are, the best you you can be, be as kind on the field, as you are off, hold your head high if in the end, you can say you have done both.

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  11. I'll share something to support you, Elizabeth. This is about another family that participated in my son's t-ball team. All of the kids were at a young age where they had trouble focusing and getting their bodies to do what would be effortless for slightly older kids. One boy in particular found everything much more challenging than the other kids. It was a co-ed team and he got excited about a pink batting helmet that belonged to one of the girls. His parents were always there together and they handled him with love and grace and attention. They were completely accepting of his affection for the pink helmet to keep him interested in playing and participating. I think about them every year when baseball season rolls around and I'm exasperated with schedules for my two boys.

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  12. I try to inspire my boy to use horseback riding as a way to help him overcome certain challenges associated with his autism.

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  13. Yay! Awesome giveaway Elizabeth. Let's see, Ian is in football off and on and it's really been good for him; he's a brainiac and football helps him find another side of his personality and connect with kids in a different way.

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  14. Hey there, rockstar mama! I don't win at games of chance, but I am a sho nuff soccer mom! Isaiah and Zachary are totally into it and I am into cheering for them (and hauling them to their games!) Fall Soccer is around the corner--can't wait!

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  15. I always tell DD to enjoy the process, be happy and learn from team work- that's what the sports for.

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  16. http://twitter.com/#!/tcarolinep/status/111674927656075265

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  17. I miss those basketball, karate and soccer days. I was sort of an athlete (but more of a bookworm) in high school. Like you, I marveled at the innate talent my son had for sports when he was in grade school. He was effortless. As puberty hit and everything went to hell, he dropped sports. I still see him sneak karate moves out in the backyard to de-stress (he made it to brown/black belt... almost, but not quite.) If he asked for karate classes again, I'd sign him up in a heartbeat.
    He's still quite serious about biking and I have to say that I have spent huge amounts of $ @ Dick's for his bike (our local store has a great bike guy.)

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  18. Enjoy those sports days with your kids to the max. Soon they are over.

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  19. I make sure they have plenty of support and know that what they are doing is good for them and fun.

    kayswederski@yahoo.com

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  20. We hydrate before he is in the game

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  21. i try to be a good sportsman on and off the field.
    lyndsey dot hauck at gmail dot com

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  22. I let them know what's important to them is also important to me...we don't downplay their sports in relation to other activities they are involved in. dguillen at kc dot rr dot com

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  23. http://twitter.com/#!/guillenwins/status/115801484393852928
    dguillen at kc dot rr dot com

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  24. I support the kids by trying to be at every game, cheering them on whether they win or lose and helping with fundraisers.

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  25. Tweet: http://twitter.com/njhhb/statuses/115808135414943744

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  26. I inspire your my granddaughter to be the best athlete she can be by encouraging her daily to just get out there and do her best.
    helenkeeler@comcast.net

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  27. tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/helen1949/status/115915150988541952
    helenkeeler@comcast.net

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  28. I practice with them so they are prepared to do their best and are confident in their abilities when the big game comes.

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  29. by playing catch with my son everyday!

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  30. I encourage and set an example by practicing with the children.
    traymona(at)aol.com

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  31. I encourage my son by offering as much support and time as possible!

    Thanks,

    selinda_mccumbers at yahoo.com

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  32. we try to give lots of encouragement

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  33. Tweet! http://twitter.com/#!/mssluna02/status/116907054362411008

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  34. Always good sleep at night and good food worked for my son.

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

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  35. Tweeted here too

    http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/117604876904701952

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

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  36. I inspire my son by teaching him to do his best and have fun. If you can't have fun there is no reason to be out there.

    gina@walczakphotography.com

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  37. relax and have fun
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

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  38. http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/117883615882391552
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

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  39. I drive them around. All day every day, it feels like!

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  40. I have daughters only, but now with grandsons, I too might need to become a sports grandmother of sorts. Could I bear it? I get so anxious about the possibility of accidents and I also get caught up in the adrenalin of the competition. Like you Elizabeth, I prefer books.

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  41. I gritted my teeth on the sidelines of a double header volleyball night last evening -- grumbling that the coach wasn't substituting correctly, didn't have the right player line up, yadda yadda yadda. Being a sports mom brings out my competitive nature, shines a light on my ego and displaced goals/desires. It's one of the challenging highlights of parenting. Go Team Elizabeth!

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  42. I remind them that winning is not the goal. Fun is the goal. I also encourage them to do more active things as individuals or with friends rather than to participate in competitive activities.
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

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  43. I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/119449981458456576
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

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  44. Just cheer them on and to do their best.
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

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  45. I believe in good food, lots sleep and a big cheering gallery.

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  46. Blog http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2011/09/welcome-to-go-to-guide-for-moms-of.html

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  47. I encourage them in whatever sport they want to try. I'm always there to cheer them on and hug them when they are down.
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  48. Tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/chipdip2010/status/119606377797795841
    chipdip2010(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  49. I TEACH THEM TO NEVER GIVE UP & THAT THEY ARE WELL LOVED, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE OR WHAT CHOICES THEY MAKE (SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN GAMES) kytah00@yahoo.com

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  50. 2ND ENTRY TWEET @ http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/119608096208326656 kytah00@yahoo.com

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  51. By becoming a team player and teaching them to do their best
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  52. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/119616446476206080
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

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  53. i try to put a positive spin on anything and know how to talk to them honestly about their performance without discouraging them

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  54. tweeted

    https://twitter.com/#!/erunuevo/status/119702097603203072

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  55. My son loves to play baseball, soccer, and hockey and I encourage him no matter what. I love tht he is "all boy".
    kyonac1@gmail.com

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  56. Offering lots of encouragement and teaching them to be good winners and good losers.

    the imagine tree at aol dot com

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  57. I make sure I go to all the games and cheer my son on from the sidelines! I also make sure he stays well-hydrated, well-rested and eats well.

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  58. No kids, but I believe that it should be fun to do sports.
    Thanks for the contest.

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  59. http://twitter.com/#!/slehan/status/119916546465345536

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