Little Revis

Owen is deep in the middle of his flag football season.  This season, he is playing corner back and receiver and is doing a really great job and having a ball.  He's in his zone.

Usually during the games he's very composed and is focused on pumping up his teammates.  He's got positive energy and has his head in the game.

By the end of this past weekend, he's had four pick off interceptions with two or three of them being for touchdowns.

Owen is very focused and driven.  That's the good part.  The bad part is that he's very focused and driven.  And very hard on himself when he makes a mistake.  But, unfortunately, like me, he's a hothead and sometimes unable to control his emotions.  Especially when he gets mad or upset at something.

As was the case this weekend.  He missed a flag and dove for it instead of tracking it properly.  The other team got about a 50 yard run on his mistake which ultimately ended up in a touchdown for them.

Now remember I said that he is very focused.  No one can be harder on him than he would be on himself.  He knew he made a mistake.  He was already beating himself up.  And then his coach got onto him.

And unfortunately, like me, he's a hothead and is unable to control his emotions sometimes.  Especially when he's mad or upset.  He was already beating himself up over the mistake and as soon as his coach got onto him, the waterworks started.

He couldn't control them.  And couldn't stop them.  During the next three drives.

Very un-Owen like as far as football goes.

I happened to be on the players side of the field attempting to take pictures (attempting to I should say because I couldn't concentrate because of the drama going on on the field) and when he came off the field, I basically had to talk him off the ledge. 

After a few minutes of fast talking (you know...let that play go, focus on the next play and don't worry about what happened in the past...you can't do anything about what happened...Russ was just in the moment....it's all good...blah, blah, blah), he was called back onto the field again.

He went in and seemed a little more focused.  Not his usual self mind you but focused none the less.


Then the opposing quarterback threw a pass which he intercepted.

And ran it back for a pick6.

His BFF PJ also made a pick6 during the game and they were both really happy.

And then the opposing team coach complained about Owen's touchdown and said that he was celebrating.

So the referee called it back for celebrating.

As soon as Owen heard it was called back, the waterworks started again.

I've seen him celebrate and have bad behavior.  And we've corrected it.  This was completely and totally bogus because he wasn't celebrating.  He didn't roll across the line.  He didn't spike the ball in celebration.  He didn't dance.  He didn't jump into the crowd.

What he apparently did was jumped across the line even though I didn't see it nor did anyone else.  Because it wasn't apparent enough from the sidelines.

Seriously?  He's 8.  This is flag football.  Geez.  Some adults need to get perspective.

Then another one of our players got a TD and did the same thing as Owen.  But they didn't call it on her because she is a sweet girl.  Pssffttt.  Whatever.

Ridiculous.  But I guess Owen learned the hard way to just run it in and I guarantee you that he won't make that mistake again.  Better to learn it now then when it really counts.  At least it didn't cost us the game.  We still won. 

Of course, since he was all out of sorts, they had a double header and he had another game to play.  His focus was better (no more waterworks) and he got a pick off on the other team's extra point which he got down to the 50 yard line.

Ken's starting to call him Little Revis.  Or calling Revis Little Owen.  ;)

But I hope that he doesn't have another game line this past one.  It was weird.  I've never seen him so uncomposed during a football game.  Other things yes.  Never football.  But I'm glad that I was there to help talk him down.

I mean I've been there during tennis matches.  Where you just can't get your head together.  Sometimes I have wished that I could walk off the court crying but yet I'm an adult and can't.

And this is what kids sports is all about.  Teaching them how to handle and deal with the pressures of life that they face.  Yes there's pressure.  Yes sometimes you make mistakes.  And yes sometimes people other than just your mom yell at you for them.  And yes there are unfair things that happen to you.

But that's life and you just have to push on and make the best of it.

So go on little Revis.  I can't wait to see you play again this weekend!