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The year 2005 was the fourth year
for Upward sports at Cool Spring Church, but it was the first year for Upward
Flag Football. In fact, Upward Flag Football was just beginning
nationally, and very few churches had participated in this sport.
Optimistically, it was planned to have both boy's and girl's leagues, although
generally there are very few, if any, girl's football leagues of any type in
existence.
Registration for Upward Flag Football was taking place
during in summer of 2005 in anticipation of the Fall season. I happened to
talk with one of the leaders for the Flag Football league one evening, and
inquired how the registration for the girl's teams was going.
"Unfortunately," he said, "it looked like there wouldn't be enough girl players
to make up even one all-girl team." I was disappointed at this news, but
not totally surprised, knowing that football is such a male dominated sport.
Of course, God had other plans. The 2005 Fall
Upward Flag Football season was a great success, with 28 teams of 1st through
5th graders, including four all-girl teams of 3rd through 5th grade.
There were also six cheerleading squads. The girls played with great
enthusiasm and teamwork, as illustrated by the photos on this page. They
ran, passed, faked, reversed, reverse-faked, and more. What was feared to
be a non-existent season for girl's Flag Football ended up being an excellent
experience for all involved - players, coaches, and parents.
The October 22nd Upward Parent Connection newsletter
Weekly Devotional was written anonymously about a father's observation about his
daughter playing Upward Flag Football. This letter beautifully captures
what Upward is all about, and is reproduced below:
What an Improvement!
Just over a month a half ago I
watched my daughter's flat football team meet for their first practice.
As you can expect, their first practice met with some challenges ... actually
a lot of challenges. Some of the players had played football with their
dads or brothers but most had not. Many had experience in Upward soccer,
basketball, and even cheerleading, but flag football was a new game. The
coach shared his heart with them first thing. With ball in had, he gave
his first marching orders to the team, "Girls," he said, "we are a team.
On the other side of this white line is the football field and when we go on
the field we go on as a team." Then, for the first time these girls ran
on the field, and they have been a team ever since.
The girls learned how to run with the ball, how to
catch the ball, and the proper way to grab and pull that ever elusive yellow
flag. I am still amazed that my little girl is learning the finer points
of football and never once has the motive been "win at all cost." She is
learning her Bible verses. She is learning that parents and kids can
have fun at youth events. She is learning that "every child is a
winner." She is already making plans to coach or help with refereeing
when she is too old for the league. "After all," she explained, "I know
this game so I think I could help."
I am very thankful to Upward sports for giving me and
my daughter the opportunity to participate. Now I am sharing with her that the
Christian life is also a team effort. As one team, as one body in Christ
we can reach and have a positive influence on this community. I look at
my daughter and her football skills and I think, what an improvement. I
look at my little girl and see her growing in Christ each day and think, what
an improvement. After all in Christ we are complete and improved.
Thank you Upward leadership for your Christian example.
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