Crouch, touch, pause…engage!

Yes, we finally entered a new phase in our lives, as well as in parenthood, the phase know as extramural activities. When H started with Gr.0, we decided to introduce him to as much as possible, but not to force him and allow him to decide which activities he wanted to partake in. Therefore, when the rugby season started, we took him to rugby practise, which is not as hard-core as training for the Super 14 season, but enough to teach him the basic skills and further develop his muscle tone etc, etc.

As parents, we were pretty excited by all of this, but on the other hand, H did not take to this so gladly as we hoped for….for e.g. : Everyone on the field would be running and diving for the ball, going into the scrum with vigour, trying to get to that damm ball, everybody except H, who would be standing happily at the back, observing all the commotion and not bother at the least to try and get that ball….

Ok, yes, I understand the fact that he is only 5 (turning 6) and that this is the first time that he truly got involved in rugby, but still, as a parent you stop to wonder if maybe, just maybe, you might have done something wrong to contribute to the fact that he is not really interested in all of this.

We actually went as far as buying him a brand new red rugby ball to awaken “the hunger and the passion for the game”. We play outside on the lawn, pass the ball and scrum like no other man has done before. And after many trials and tribulations, tears shed on the rugby field, pep-talks from the coaches, and mommy and daddy boosting that little ego…we finally realised, H is not a “pack-man”, he does not like to be in the middle of that scrum, being squashed and squeezed…nope…my littlest is a kicker!!!!!

And I have to admit; he’s got a mean-ass kicking-foot. So yes, let the other boys scrum and tackle away, let them get all muddy, bloody and snotty….my boy will be the one behind the lines, waiting, making sure that when he gets the ball, to kick it as hard as possible and send it flying through the poles, to ensure victory, not only for him in a personal way, but for his team as well.

So kick away my littlest, kick away!