I know. I know. I love writing massive posts which I end up breaking up into smaller posts to create a series. Maybe it is my writing background or maybe it is the sheer boredom of my working life. Who knows?
At any rate, this series will be less about improving a specific sport and more about taking a look at myself. Many people (ok, nobody) probably wonder how I got to be sooooo into lax, hockey and soccer. I often wonder that myself, hence this little journey.
The idea actually came about when I was reading one of my old posts a few days ago. When I opened my lacrosse gear, my brother made a snotty remark. "God, a couple of years ago it was soccer, then hockey, now lacrosse?! Would you just pick a sport?" Or something to that effect.
I brushed it off then, but as I peruse my blog subscription list (there are a ton) and look through my closet, I realize that he may be right. I do not know if there is a sport in the United States that I have not either played, followed, or both in my lifetime (other than track and cross country). Some sports have received more attention than others. Some were thrust upon me in my youth. Others are merely background noise for nap time. There are even sports I want to try and have not for various reasons.
In the 30 years I have been alive, I have followed all of the "big four" leagues as well as their NCAA equivalents. For the most part I have maintained my true loyalties though I do admit to fancying a second or third team from time to time. Many times this team rotates. This series will look at the teams I followed and the sports I played at a given period of time. I am sure that through the course of the series, a few readers may find some parallels to their own pasts; I invite you to share your stories as well.
Although my birth occurred in the late 1970s, this series will begin in the 1980s; breastfeeding and potty training are not exactly conducive to following sports. Throughout this journey, please keep in mind the household that I grew up in: My father was a mega nerd in high school. He never played sports and did not really care to follow them. My mother spent her high school years in a very small town. She was a cheerleader, but when your class size is that small every girl is a cheerleader. Unlike my dad, she liked sports fairly well. But she was not exactly a fan of any team or even sport. My older half-brother was a huge influence on me growing up. He stayed with us every other weekend and brought with him apparel adorned in his favorite teams. Many of my early influences came from him. Two of my cousins also helped shape my tastes in sports. Aside from that, it was all self-discovery (and maybe some peer pressure).
Continue to Part 2
Ps. I know that I said the next series will be determined via a poll. I still plan on doing that; this series is different because it is about self-reflection. For all of you crying about that decision, get your own blog! Seriously though, I do plan on using a poll to determine my next improvement series.
