Category Sports

Self-Care is More Than Bubble Baths and Water Bottles

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6 best doctor

I started writing this post prior to the COVID 19 crisis, but thought now was as good a time as any to share some ideas for self-care. I am probably not the poster child for making time for myself a priority, but it is something I am determined to move up on my list. A lot of us believe self-care consists only of bubble baths and keeping our water bottles with us at all times. These do help, but any doctor can tell you the 6 best prescriptions for procuring a positive outlook and sustained self-care are sunshine, water, rest, air, exercise, and diet.

 
Brighten Your Day!

If you can find just a few minutes of outdoor exposure, even on the cloudiest of days, you will still benefit from vitamin D. Sitting by the office window, isn’t the same, as most modern glass is designed to block UV rays. As we approach May, hopefully there will be brighter skies and ample opportunity to get outdoors. Allowing some solar powered stress relief will also motive your mojo to getting moving and amp up your ability to wind down at bedtime. (Don’t forget the sunscreen though. Sun burns definitely don’t decrease stress levels.)

woman in gray tank top lying on bed

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Rest Up!

Ah, rest, the most elusive of healers. Getting good zzzz’s is tough because our brains are over-stimulated from work, worry, and too much time staring at electronic devices. Setting a schedule is one of the best ways to ensure that sleep is secured. Even thought our schedules are out of their normal whack, it’s still a good idea to stick to your regular bed time. Regulating a routine for bed time is also great for getting your brain to shift to a lower gear. Taking time to get sun and exercise each day will also motivate your mind to mellow out and cutting off the caffeine before evening is always a calming choice.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Air is one option that actually isn’t too tough to take advantage of. A few focused breaths of breathing in the calm and letting out the crazy forces you to fixate on what you can and need to do and send the other stuff sailing with your exhalations. Daily meditation or mindfulness practices are super stress reducers. Simply setting your feet flat on the ground, placing your palms on your lap, closing your eyes, and slowly breathing in and out reduces your heart rate and allows your mind to mollify.

Let’s Get Physical Continue reading “Self-Care is More Than Bubble Baths and Water Bottles” →

I Miss Jack Buck

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Jack Buck 1

The iconic voice of St. Louis Cardinals’ announcer Jack Buck was as ingrained in my childhood as climbing trees, jumping rope, and crickets serenading the stars.

With limited access to televised games and no Sports Center, the only way we knew what the St. Louis Cardinals were doing was through the play-by-play of Jack Buck.

Whether we were in the milk barn, the car, or the kitchen, Mr. Buck brought us the sights and sounds of the game. He knew the players, the fields, the umpires. Jack’s words struck us with clarity as he announced each pitch, hit, steal, and out. We always knew what jersey the teams wore or who took a daring lead from any base.

One of the things that allowed me to connect with Jack Buck was that he never veered from the game.

Yes, he did the obligatory commercials and sponsor plugs, and he kept us entertained with his stories during rain delays and pitching changes, but he never took us far from the game at hand. Too often when we listen to the game today it takes an end of an inning to get the announcers to tell the score or acknowledge the players on the field in front of them.

Jack Buck was also a man of great passion and integrity. He promoted decency and dedication, education, and patriotism.

Before America could return to normalcy after the 9/11 attacks, it took teams returning to the baseball diamond for the world to feel like it had begun to spin again. Before the first pitch of the game at Busch Stadium on September 17, 2001, Jack Buck invited America to join in solidarity showing that we were a nation that was not afraid. We needed to continue to come together in competition and in solidarity for our nation. I was touched by Jack Buck’s words, but I was moved by his emotion. How could you not?

While 17 years have gone since his passing, his home-run calls and special conveyance of the game are missed (at least in my mind). Today the St. Louis Cardinals won the National League Central Division for the first time since 2015. It was exciting to see the players pose on the pitcher’s mound and watch the champagne showers in the locker room, but I couldn’t help but wonder what the call would have sounded like as the last out was made (a Cub’s out, no less) if Jack Buck had made the call.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. Please share your thoughts on the late, great Jack Buck. A lot of us miss him.

Our Only Loss – #BlogBattle

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woman in blue and white basketball jersey holding brown basketball

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

We had beaten them earlier in the season.

Yes, it was only by one point, but we had beaten them.

With the first whistle blown and the tip off tapped in our direction, the game felt like nothing but ours to win.

As the first few shots bounced out and dully rolled off the side of the rim, we struggled to ride the wave of adrenaline. If we just kept shooting, passing, rebounding, we were certain to make a basket sooner or later.

At the half, we were down. Hope told us we could do this. Continue reading “Our Only Loss – #BlogBattle” →

You Can’t Beat Those Guys – Wise Words Wednesday

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Cant beat em

“It’s hard to beat the person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

You seriously can’t beat someone who never gives up.

It’s that whole “never” thing.

If “never” happens, they “never” record a loss.

Babe Ruth learned a lot about losing things early in life as he faced poverty, being an orphan, and loneliness. In his adulthood, he was successful because he refused to give into the expectations of others. He sought only to follow his own dreams. Of course, he had weaknesses and made mistakes, but Babe Ruth has never been known as someone who caved easily. And that is why his legacy has never dimmed in the realm of baseball.

What about you?

Can you say you are undefeated?

Can you say that you have stuck to your guns?

Can you say that there is any one aspect where you stuck to your “never”? Continue reading “You Can’t Beat Those Guys – Wise Words Wednesday” →

Coach Frank Martin, will you have lunch with me? – Sincerely, Intentergy

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Dear Coach Martin,

Your are the coach with a thousand faces and hundreds of wins. Your players clearly respect and appreciate you. Fans of college basketball everywhere love watching your teams for their skill, but get the bonus of witnessing your animated and passionate coaching style. That energy and passion is what I want the chance to talk to you about!

College basketball is something that I love and always enjoy, but to have the chance to talk to you about the sport and how you work to make an impact on the lives of your players would be a total slam dunk for me. My site is written to help others add positive purpose to their lives. I know you have some terrific advice on how to put purpose that means something into every intention.

Your honesty, enthusiasm, and humor make you an ideal leader and that is something my readers and I would love to get to understand from your perspective.
How can we be leaders like you? How can we let our emotions guide us with intelligence as you do? Continue reading “Coach Frank Martin, will you have lunch with me? – Sincerely, Intentergy” →

Miniature Golf Moments – Not so Mini

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Miniature golf is an activity that is love by millions. The whimsical landscapes and creative challenges posed by the colorful pastime provide families with fun and memories that are anything but mini.

To beat the heat, I took my boys and one of their buddies early last Monday morning to play some put put. They were enthralled. From choosing their ball color to which putter they were going to use, just getting started was a thrill.

Lost Focus Golf

My son’s discarded ball and putter found a few holes away from where we were playing. He was too busy with the water hazards.

Each hole of the course offered fun distractions and attractions. While the two six year-olds were eager to compete at getting their balls in the hole first, the four year-old was way more interested in the features surrounding each putting area. I didn’t feel any need to rush. There wasn’t anyone behind us to let play on or anyone in front of us to distract. It was an ideal adventure.

As we made our way around the course, the boys wanted to understand the rules of the game and were fascinated by the aspects of how each hole was designed. They loved trying different techniques for success at each green and were really excited when one or the other made their shot. It was a wonderful experiment in sportsmanship. Continue reading “Miniature Golf Moments – Not so Mini” →

For Love of the Game (and yourself), Turn Off the Volume

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turn off the volume 1via Daily Prompt: Volume

When my dad watches baseball, basketball, or football, he turns off the volume. It drives my mom crazy. My husband finds it odd. My kids make up for the lack of noise.

Dad really enjoys watching sports. Other than John Wayne and Clint Eastwood movies, sports (and the weather) are all he watches. People will often ask him why there is no sound on the game. Dad’s usual reply has to do with the absurdity of the commentary announcers, but I know that Dad really just doesn’t need the volume to understand the game.

turn off the volume 2He loves the game for the strategy and the athleticism. He just wants to see how the players solve defensive problems or convert teamwork into points. He doesn’t want to hear about how the guy on defense bought his girlfriend a dog and it ate his playbook or who the announcers think is a better prospect for a trade. Dad simply wants to watch the game.

I think there is escape in turning off the volume too. When there are no play-by-play commentaries coming at the viewer, it is necessary to really pay attention to what is happening in the game and everything else is turned off. The focus is solely on the field or court and not on the craziness outside the game.

Continue reading “For Love of the Game (and yourself), Turn Off the Volume” →

Accident-Prone? – Is Clumsiness Genetic?

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Accident-Prone? – Is Clumsiness Genetic via Daily Prompt: Roots

Clumsiness 2

Friday night my four year old was screaming at the end of the hall. I ran to rescue him and found that his toe was stuck under the door. 😦

My daughter cried a short time later because she missed the last step coming downstairs and hurt her leg.

My six year old provided a presentation of the bruises he had gained during the week, as we put on his pj’s.

Hubby laughed and said, “I don’t think they got any of my genetics. They got all that clumsiness from you.”

My gracious reply was, “How do you explain their ability to forget everything they are supposed to be doing when the TV is on, the day ends in Y, or the sun is shining?” (Then I stuck out my tongue.) His response, “Maybe they did get one thing from me.”

png 1 Do genes impact one’s clumsiness? Do our parents pass down accident prone propensities? Continue reading “Accident-Prone? – Is Clumsiness Genetic?” →

With an Assist from Trisha

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With an Assist from Trisha

Assist from Tricia 1

This spring hubby, with help of his buddy J., stepped up to coach our son’s tee-ball team. I inherited the job of secretary, scheduler, and equipment manager.

In struggling through scheduling and what information I needed to share with parents, I also wrestled with what equipment to purchase. After asking around I finalized my list and ordered a good tee-ball tee, 24 tee-balls, a box of band-aids, t-shirts for the team, and three new batting helmets. (We already had one helmet.)

Four helmets seemed like a good start for coach pitch. Helmets are expensive, as far as six year-old baseball gear goes, but six year-old heads are priceless.

I worried. (I worry a lot.) What if we had three runners on, one up to bat, and one on deck? This was clearly going to happen. What was I going to do?  Continue reading “With an Assist from Trisha” →

Irksome

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Irksome via Daily Prompt: Irksome

Kids going places.jpg

I love my children. I love when my children play nicely together. I love when my children play outside. Getting my children to play nicely together or to play outside can be a challenge.

The challenge of getting my kids to play is irksome.

Isn’t play what kids are supposed to do? Aren’t they supposed to build forts and play “house” and tell silly jokes? Why is it to hard to get my 5 year-old to ride a bike? Just ride the bike, right?!?

Well, here’s the irksome part. Most of the time my kids don’t get along or want to play outside because they want me to be a part of what they are doing.

Going outside is only fun if Mom or Dad are there to help with the heavy lifting and the bike balancing. Building forts and playing “house” is only exciting if Dad or Mom offer their expertise in the field of sustainable blanket roofs and the perfect temperature for imaginary hot tea. It really irks my kids when I don’t help build their forts or drink their imaginary hot tea.

It is important for us to teach our kids to play. Most of the time they are ok with me leaving them to their play, once the ground rules or foundation have been set. Make sure you are taking time to set ground rules and build foundations with those you love today. Someday they may not be there to bother you.

Put your energy into being active in the lives of those you love. The irksome feelings will wear off and the joy will form memories. Those memories will make you forget what they were ever fighting about in the first place.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. I am sorry to my sisters for all the times I wouldn’t play the games you wanted to play when we were kids. I know I really irked you then. 🙂