Hopscotch of today doesn't even resemble the one I remember and we played with a taw. Notice the girl 2nd from the left. I think she has a taw in her hand. I've drawn the hopscotch I remember and also found the "taws" we used to use. Sometimes we would use the heels from out dad's shoes. Sounds weird, but we did. Anyway, this is the group I traveled to Magna with to compete. 
Left to right: Cathy Cannon, Marsha Milne, Vivian Lundberg and Me. I remember to this day waiting for the 2 VFW ladies to pick me up at 6:00 in the morning and drive me all the way to Magna to stay in a motel over night, maybe 2 nights, I can't remember but I do remember being scared to death. My first time away from home and LOOK WHAT I'M WEARING......sleeveless shirt and shorts!!!!! I'm sure that was way more traumatic than being away from home the first time. I don't remember caring whether I w
on "state" or not but I do remember well getting to this point. We would go on a Saturday morning over to the VFW Building there across from Elk's field and we would play until we were eliminated. I just kept winning.....not only would we have to throw the taw accurately but I think we played "kick out" and not "pick up" and it took major skill. I remember repeating "I think I can, I think I can," the whole time and had a pretty good feeling when I won. Did this competitive experience make an impact on my life?.....not really. I just know I don't like that feeling of "I gotta win"....but when you do win, it feels good and I've known all along that I'm a competitive person and I like to win. Competition is good in that it helps us achieve. Would hopscotch have been fun without the competition? I enjoyed playing it but the competition just put a new dimension to it.....is Scrabble fun to play by oneself? Not really. I guess competition gets bad when it totally engulfs us and turns us into "win at all cost" kind of people. I have to admit I used to like to watch soccer games when the kids were little because I knew there was a chance that the game could end in a tie and all the little kids could go away winners and I also remember that I didn't like the feeling back in pee wee baseball when the cocky teams would win but....one of the best feelings in the whole world was when we beat the Gulls....(now there was a cocky team). I have to admit that last night when BYU and Utah were playing, I didn't really care who won and I enjoyed watching the game a lot more than if I would have cared. Not sure where this blog is going but I've just been thinking a lot about "competition" lately and what it does for us in our lives either good or bad. I just think I like cooperation more than competition and I definitely like to see good sportsmanship.
These are the trophies I got for winning.....one for my 4th grade year and one for the 6th grade year. At least I gave other girls a chance. I do remember feeling bad for the girls I beat out....Charlene Gregerson one year and Laurel Steed the other year. Can't even remember who beat me, probably those two but it was a good experience and I hope I was a good sport. When it's all said and done Marvin J. Ashton said it best...."Victories in life come in our ability to work around and over obstacles that cross our path. We grow stronger as we climb our own mountains." I've always felt that "doing your best" is more important than "being the best"....and I will admit that I have prayed in competitive sports.....but never for the win....only that each player will do his best. I have to admit as I look back on life, I enjoyed those competitive years and we had some pretty fun times winning. Hopefully we all learned some life lessons along the way. It's always haunted me that those "pit of the stomach" feelings I would get in those silly little childhood games were the same ones I would get when Scott was so sick and trying to survive.....we win some and lose some along the way. It's the trying that matters.
Left to right: Cathy Cannon, Marsha Milne, Vivian Lundberg and Me. I remember to this day waiting for the 2 VFW ladies to pick me up at 6:00 in the morning and drive me all the way to Magna to stay in a motel over night, maybe 2 nights, I can't remember but I do remember being scared to death. My first time away from home and LOOK WHAT I'M WEARING......sleeveless shirt and shorts!!!!! I'm sure that was way more traumatic than being away from home the first time. I don't remember caring whether I w
on "state" or not but I do remember well getting to this point. We would go on a Saturday morning over to the VFW Building there across from Elk's field and we would play until we were eliminated. I just kept winning.....not only would we have to throw the taw accurately but I think we played "kick out" and not "pick up" and it took major skill. I remember repeating "I think I can, I think I can," the whole time and had a pretty good feeling when I won. Did this competitive experience make an impact on my life?.....not really. I just know I don't like that feeling of "I gotta win"....but when you do win, it feels good and I've known all along that I'm a competitive person and I like to win. Competition is good in that it helps us achieve. Would hopscotch have been fun without the competition? I enjoyed playing it but the competition just put a new dimension to it.....is Scrabble fun to play by oneself? Not really. I guess competition gets bad when it totally engulfs us and turns us into "win at all cost" kind of people. I have to admit I used to like to watch soccer games when the kids were little because I knew there was a chance that the game could end in a tie and all the little kids could go away winners and I also remember that I didn't like the feeling back in pee wee baseball when the cocky teams would win but....one of the best feelings in the whole world was when we beat the Gulls....(now there was a cocky team). I have to admit that last night when BYU and Utah were playing, I didn't really care who won and I enjoyed watching the game a lot more than if I would have cared. Not sure where this blog is going but I've just been thinking a lot about "competition" lately and what it does for us in our lives either good or bad. I just think I like cooperation more than competition and I definitely like to see good sportsmanship.
These are the trophies I got for winning.....one for my 4th grade year and one for the 6th grade year. At least I gave other girls a chance. I do remember feeling bad for the girls I beat out....Charlene Gregerson one year and Laurel Steed the other year. Can't even remember who beat me, probably those two but it was a good experience and I hope I was a good sport. When it's all said and done Marvin J. Ashton said it best...."Victories in life come in our ability to work around and over obstacles that cross our path. We grow stronger as we climb our own mountains." I've always felt that "doing your best" is more important than "being the best"....and I will admit that I have prayed in competitive sports.....but never for the win....only that each player will do his best. I have to admit as I look back on life, I enjoyed those competitive years and we had some pretty fun times winning. Hopefully we all learned some life lessons along the way. It's always haunted me that those "pit of the stomach" feelings I would get in those silly little childhood games were the same ones I would get when Scott was so sick and trying to survive.....we win some and lose some along the way. It's the trying that matters.
8 comments:
Not only are you a stellar hopscotch diva but also very profound. I am as proud of you now as I was back then! (Yes, I bragged to my friends that my sister was the hopscotch champion.)
I can't believe all the new things I learn about you on your blog! So much fun. I didn't know you were a hopscotch champ! Wow! You never stop amazing me.
That is amazing. Hopscotch is a lost sport. I LOVE to see all of your past pictures on your blog. My scanner is awful and they always turn out hazy.
I hadn't heard about that one. Thanks for posting it.
I'm proud of you mom. You've done a lot of cool things in life and I enjoy hearing and reading about them.
Let's talk competition...I used to play mom in scrabble on a regular basis (oh yes, it's all coming out now) and for the most part, she won. Soon the apprentice became the master and I would beat her every now and then...oh wow - this did not sit well. I soon learned it was just easier on everyone to let mom win. Love you, mom.
What...ev...er....
track meets...hate'm!
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