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Strollerderby
Cheerleading used to be about pretty girls shaking pom-poms and clapping their hands while looking adorable in short skirts. It was basically something for the popular girls to do while the boys engaged in rough stuff on the field.
That kind of cheerleading may still exist, but for many girls, cheerleading has become a highly competitive endeavor. Traveling around the country and pitting their considerable skills against those of other cheer squads, what was once an extra-curricular activity has become a full-fledged sport.
And those skills? If you think cheerleading isn’t a real sport, then you haven’t witnessed what these modern cheerleaders are doing. Building giant human pyramids, tossing each other high into the air and performing gymnastic moves that would impress Mary Lou Retton. These girls are athletes. Continue reading »
The good news, I suppose, is that there are already 5,000 girls who play organized football — varsity football! — in U.S. schools. The bad news is that they’re almost all in Florida (the rest are in Alaska), meaning girls football is not very widespread.
Also? They’re playing flag football, which I suppose is both good and bad news. The good news there being that these girls might be able to avoid rampant concussions suffered by male football players at all levels. The bad news is that flag football is kind of football lite.
But who cares, right? Another sport for girls to play. Another reason to rethink assumptions about how girls would like to spend their time and energy. Continue reading »
The varsity football team at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, D.C. has a rarity for a coach: a 5’5″ woman with dreadlocks–and six seasons of play in the pros under her belt. But just the fact that she’s a woman (who played for the D.C. Divas in the Independent Women’s Football League) isn’t all that makes Natalie Randolph rare, and it’s not what got her hired. What’s different about Coach Randolph is that she’s as tough on her players off the field as she is on. That’s what Calvin Coolidge High was looking for, and anyone who’s had a touch coach or other teacher touch their lives knows, that’s what makes a difference.
Last year, a few fellow parents with players on my son’s hockey team began to complain. The coach was too tough on the team, they said. Too harsh on players. His expectations, for player behavior and personal responsibility, were just too high for the kids to meet. But his demands–and his no-nonsense way of letting the kids know if they weren’t meeting them–were exactly what my son needed. Who wants a coach who doesn’t get that it’s not just about the game?
If you need any evidence that the Super Bowl is a just a leetle overhyped, get this: Schools in Indianapolis will be on a two hour delay on Monday morning, the day after the Indianapolis Colts play the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl.
School officials cited the fact that the game can go past 11 pm, and bus drivers have to report for work at 5:30. Since just about everybody will likely be watching the game or at a party celebrating it, they don’t want sleep deprived drivers shuttling kids or students showing up late. Even better? Continue reading »
In case you missed the gazillion and one ads for large screen TVs these past few weeks, word has it there’s big doings Sunday night on TV. And if the first thought that came into your mind was Puppy Bowl than stop reading now.
Because Puppy Bowl is an obvious one for keeping the kids IN the room. The Super Bowl, well, that seems to vary by family.
Babysitter finders Sitter City say you NEED to find a sitter this weekend, and although we’re pretty well aware of what’s in it for them, we were intrigued by their reasoning: Continue reading »
Even today, many decades later, I still get e-mails about the big Thanksgiving Day high school football game between my alma mater and whichever school it was that was supposedly our fierce rival. I’m not sure what they were our rival for or why students at my school (at the time, one of the worst in The City), thought rooting for a football team was important, but there it was and there it is still.
The first amendment of the constitution is pretty important around our house. Even my five- and seven-year-olds understand that the government shouldn’t push any particular belief set on its citizenry. Not everyone gets that, however. “If it’s offensive to anyone, let them go watch another football game,” said Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, Mayor Ronnie Cobb. “Nobody’s forced to come there and nobody’s forced to read the signs.” Mayor Cobb was referring to banners held by cheerleaders at the start of high school football games that included bible verses encouraging players to “commit to the Lord”.
Continue reading »
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