Tuesday Night Lights--- Alecia

I love football! But never as much as when it's my own kids playing. Even if they're playing in freezing cold, pounding rain, wind blown weather. After all, it's FOOTBALL! (Imagine me saying that in a deep, manly voice. Possibly with a grunt afterwards.)




Alecia at quarterback. About five seconds after this shot was taken, she went down as someone grabbed her flag in a tackle-football-ish move, pushing her right into another player's knee. She earned her first football induced bloody nose, and I'm not talking just a little bit. I told her that shedding that much blood propelled her into big league status. After my congratulations, and her subsequent eye-roll, she jumped right back into the game, and played with all she had.




One night, another team didn't have enough players show up to play one cold, rainy night, so Alecia switched teams and helped them out. I could tell that the other coach had so much fun with his players! They didn't get in a huddle, they got in a CUDDLE.


When Alecia played soccer, she was on a team with about eight blond ponytailed girls. I had to look for the correct color of shin guards to quickly find her on the field.


In football, though, she's the only blond ponytail on any team! Makes it so much easier to quickly spot her.


It's only NOT tackle football part of the time...


Alecia in a huddle with her team.


Alecia is always the first to line up for every play. Even if she has to push a ref or two out of the way.


Right before Alecia's last game, she told me, "I was born to play this game!!"

This is Alecia with her football buddy, Mason. (Do you like the bunny ears she's giving him?)



After the very last game, they got their medals. One of Alecia’s coaches handed them out, and it went something like this:

“Um.... So-and-so. Here’s your medal for being the number one ummm... _____(blocker, runner, playing around-er, sweet kid, hiker, etc).” [Places medal around kid’s neck.]

Then it was Alecia’s turn. “Alecia. Here’s your medal for being the number one Butt Picker.”

You read that right. Number. One. Butt. Picker. Great award for the only girl in the league, huh?

Now, if you don’t have boys who play football, an explanation is in order. Butt Picker is a football play. (And, yes, get a bunch of boys together and they give plays names like this. Not just Alecia’s team. This is a well-known play.) The center hikes the ball, the quarterback acts like he grabs the ball from the center’s hands, but doesn’t. He takes off running like he does, then the butt picker grabs the ball from the center’s hands, and takes off the other direction.

Alecia rocks at this play. She ran 90% of the length of the field using this play during the last game.

After she received her illustrious award, she ran to me, so very excited. “Mom, I’m the number one Butt Picker! I mean, I knew I was good, but apparently I’m NUMBER ONE at it!”

Yeah... Number one butt picker. I’ve never been more proud.