Field Day

From the 1st to 8th grade, it’s tradition at our school for the students to have a Field Day at the end of the school year.  It’s basically an entire day of organized outdoor play geared to the age of the students.  There are games of kickball and wiffle ball, foot races, tug-of-war, and a host of other challenges.  Since he experienced his first Field Day in 2007, it’s been JT’s most favorite day of the school year.  

Each year, the approach of Field Day involves strategic planning on our part.  Gatorade is selected and placed in the fridge the night before.  On Field Day morning, the once-a-year Gatorade treat is packed in an icy cooler with bottles of cold water and a wet rag in a ziploc for cooling down.  Muscles are stretched for the footraces and target speeds are selected.  

Middle School Field Days are half days proceeded by a picnic.  JT eats light, so as not to be weighted down by a belly full of food.  It’s also a competition, with the kids divided into two teams and earning points via victory in the assorted activities.  This year, as he contemplated the fact that it was his last Field Day, our preparations involved two coolers and a lot of smack talk about the races.  He’s 14 years old but I could see the enthusiastic 7 year old who lives within this young man.

Turns out he is still my little boy.