Sports

When I was a kid, churches didn't have sports teams.  To be honest, they didn't have to.  In that time period we had the YMCA.  Back then it was truly a Christian organization.  I went to the 'Y' several times a week after school to participate in athletic activities.  My Dad would pick me up on his way home from work or, I'd walk home.

Once-a-year, they'd sponsor a 'Father/Son Banquet'.  This was one of the few things that my Dad and I did together.  We'd have a good meal and sing some fun songs together.  There would always be funny stories and a speaker. Awards would be presented.

Then the 'Y' would be open for the fathers and sons to use.  My Dad and I would usually swim together.  It was fun.

Because my Dad was not a hunter or fisherman, I never learned about those things from him.  Growing up, my friends didn't do these things either.

My brother-in-law, Lib, took me fishing a few times along the Beaver River.  I remember him teaching me how to take a catfish off the hook without getting hurt.  But I never owned a fishing rod of my own.

My Dad's encouragement was toward work;  so that's what I did.  He taught me how to care for our doctor's lawn when I was eleven.  I did so until I left home at the age of seventeen.  By then, I had added several more lawns to my job-list and was earning my own spending money.

Lib tried to get me involved in sports.  He saw my potential and often had me throw the baseball with him in the backyard.  He thought I had the ability to pitch and encouraged me to try out for the baseball team.  That never happened.

I did go out for the track team one spring.  The coach didn't know what to do with me, so he sent me to the pole-vaulting area.  The only coach was another student who had shown some ability at vaulting.  By the end of the season, I cleared 10'.  No one was impressed.

However, I did play lots of backyard sports!  I grew up on 'Brighton Heights'. There were lots of neighbor kids to play with along with school friends who lived fairly close.  We met after school at the Phillip's house. They had a big yard and allowed us to play in it.  Sometimes there were two of us and other times there were ten.

We played basketball, baseball and football.  The Phillips' yard also had a tennis court.  On warm Saturday nights we'd often get a big turn-out for a game of "kick-the-can".  My favorite place to hide was the lilac bush! This was a highlight until my Mom ruined the fun by calling me inside!

I tried out for basketball when I hit high school - along with sixty-seven other boys!  The coach was overwhelmed!  He set up ten stations where we had to perform tasks.  One of the stations was jumping rope.  I didn't know how to jump rope - I was cut from the team.

I did have a moment of glory before I was cut - sort of...

The coach had us line-up at opposite ends of the court.  I was pushed to the front of our line.  Opposite me was the star of the team, Rick Messick.  The coach put the ball center-court and told us we were to race our opponent to the ball.  He whistled and I took off!  Amazingly, I got there first and grabbed the ball!

A split-second later, Rick arrived and wrestled me to the ground until he ripped the ball from my hands.  I was utterly shocked.  The coach praised Rick for his aggressive play and we each went to the ends of our lines.

I did especially grow up loving to play softball.  I didn't play on organized teams until later in life, but I loved this game and was fairly good at it. Somehow, I had learned the skill of place-hitting.  Consequently, I could often get on base by placing the ball down the first or third-base line!  It was a love that flourished at Family Camp every summer.

When I got to college, I participated in intramural sports as fully as I could:  soccer and flag football.  I got to know several of the players on the tennis team and often competed with them, but I never had the courage to try-out for the team!

I'll soon be adding some stories about the sports experiences that I learned as I led my first churches.  I always found men who were eager and willing to teach me about the sports they loved.  So, stay tuned for some stories about coon-hunting, fishing, deer hunting, raquetball, and trapping!  Some amazing men let me tag along on their adventures which created some memorable moments for me!  :-)