Flag Football?… Not what I’d expected, but I know enough about football in general to know that Oliver would enjoy a sport where he could run non stop and then occasionally (even though it’s against the rules) tackle someone! He bought in quickly last year. He enjoyed his best friends being on his team and his cool neighbor being his Head Coach (even if said neighbor only had the second best lawn on the street).

Clearly though, I couldn’t just watch from the sideline… I had to coach him. (Which is so completely different from Jax who flourishes on his own and does leaps and bounds better in football without me as his coach).

I soon discovered that football wasn’t just something Oliver would do for fun. It was quickly becoming an identity. One that was also becoming something of a slight obsession. He carries a football around the house and even after two hours of practice he asks if his friends can come over and practice (mind you it’s pitch black outside on a school night).

I can’t help but see how these games are like a practice run for the hurdles and setbacks of life. This football season has so far been a lesson in adjusting expectations. For him and for us. We watched him run for passes he couldn’t reach, have his flag grabbed at crucial moments, and be run over by kids who were bigger and more experienced than he was.

Oliver though, at least to his mom and dad, even in a loss has outshined our own expectations. While his smile is big and he enjoys goofing around with his teammates more than anything, when the whistle blows something happens to him. He changes into a lion, Barry Sanders to be specific. He had exceptional agility, balance, and acceleration.

Oliver, like Sanders has such a low center of gravity (probably because he’s six years old) allowing him to make rapid cuts and change directions on a dime. He uses unbelievably quick jukes (or as he calls it “a Boop” to evade tacklers, making defenders miss with ease. “The BOOP” as it’s been called (he literally couldn’t say the word “Juke” and started calling it a BOOP) has absolutely left multiple broken ankles on fields across the shoreline this summer. His ability to stop and start abruptly, combined with his burst of speed, have made him one of the most elusive runners in K-1 Flag Football history.

All joking aside, while I’m sure the other coaches can agree he can use a bit more work on his listening skills… his love for his coaches, teammates and the game itself is growing by the day and the fun his dad is having coaching him is too!