Here he is the only one not wearing a helmet running the team on...
This week he was made Captain because in his last rugby game - a hard fought affair - where he threw himself into the fray on every occasion. In this game he played really hard and really well but the stand out performance was his ability to hold his naturally exuberant nature in check and not "lose" it.
Yesterday he played against kids who are in his school team - and once again he played hard.
At the end of yesterdays game he was voted Man of the Match by his team mates - the ultimate compliment. His coach came over to tell me and I could tell by the look on his face he was "bursting" with pride.
I have been pondering that look ever since - and thinking back to the emails we receive every Sunday afternoon after the game ( accompanied by photos taken by the coaches wife of the whole game) - where he refers to the boys as "men". No bagging the referee or the other team if we lose - or being superior if we win - just a focus on what they did right and what they need to work on.
It certainly isn't an "every child wins a prize' team. In this team you have to earn respect and kudos - but along the way every time you execute a skill that you have been working on - it gets mentioned. Every boy gets a handshake hello and a hug goodbye.
What some of you won't know about my boy is that he has shortened tendons in his legs and walks on tip toes - we are trying to avoid having him have the operation to correct it as it means 12 months in a wheelchair or on crutches. It isn't a handicap - it just makes packing a scrum in the front or second row a little harder - and running makes him really really tired.
I was so proud of him yesterday - but even more proud he has found his way into a great team. Every kid deserves to be part of a team like this for at least one season in their lifetime.
Until Next Time
Angela
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