Bits & Pieces

By Kim J. Harmon

 

Whenever I have brought up the subject of sports parents in this column, I suppose I have always been pretty negative.

But I have to admit, most parents deserve a fair amount of praise and thanks … and I hope their kids are giving it to them. I’m talking about the sheer effort (never mind the expense) of driving to all those games, to all those out-of-state tournaments, and trying to do that not for just one kid, but two or three.

I know parents who have to figure out impossible schedules and, yet, never fail to be at their son or daughter’s games. I know parents who have had three kids playing in three different out-of-state tournaments all on the same weekend and somehow fit most of that in.

I have seen these parents in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Arkansas and all corners of the state of Connecticut and sometimes I think, God, how in the world do they do it? Myself, this month I had to survive Hell Week with my daughter and son, who were performing in the Cheshire Community Theater’s production of The Admirable Crichton (I was drafted to be the Stage Manager, which is plenty unnerving in its own right), and while there were three performances last weekend all three of my kids still had to fit in playoff basketball games on Saturday at the Waterbury YMCA.

Sure, compared to what some parents in Newtown endure that was nothing. But I’m still tired … oh so tired.

Oh yeah, parents definitely don’t get enough credit sometimes.

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One thing I have come to realize, if I am going to cover a night game somewhere I am going to have to have a cheeseburger, hot dog, French fries or, at the very least, a handful of Blow Pops© to help me make it through.

But you have to help. There are several contests slated in May at Blue & Gold Stadium and volunteers are needed to help run the Snack Shack (as well as volunteers to work the crowd selling raffle tickets, pavers, magnets, car window sports cling stickers, umbrellas, stadium seats and banners.

There will be girls’ lacrosse games on May 2, 4, 11 and 16 and boys’ lacrosse games on May 5, 9 and 22 and all contests will start at 7 pm. There is also youth soccer action planned for May 28, the Relay for Life on June 10 starting at 5 pm, the Blue & Gold spring football game on June 16 at 7 pm, and the boys’ lacrosse alumni game on June 17 at 10 am.

And don’t forget potential South-West Conference and CIAC state tournament action.

If history is any indication, I’m going to be hungry (and, I suppose, so are a lot of other people).

Please help.