I've said before that I am not a particularly active or athletic person. In school I was always one of the last ones picked for any sort of game, and I was fine with that. Playing a sport usually meant getting hit with something hard or else falling on my face. I'm a lousy runner, my hand-eye coordination is poor, and I can't throw worth beans. So you can see why I've always avoided sports, especially team sports. As far as I'm concerned, they're just an opportunity to embarrass myself in front of a large group of people.
Last night we went to our church team's first softball game of the season. Jon and Luke signed up to play, so I felt that as a good wife and mom I should be there to cheer them on. Besides, I don't mind watching - spectators are usually safe - and there are always other people there to chat with during the game.
The church league plays seven-inning games, doubleheaders, and it was fairly chilly, so I figured I'd probably head home after the first game. I was sitting in my camp chair, visiting with a friend, when I saw one of our players twist his ankle and almost go down. He managed to stay on his feet - barely - but quickly left the game to sit with ice on his ankle for a while, and he finally left. However, within the next inning or two of John's injury, one of our girls went down and went down hard. Joanna took a ball to the foot that knocked her off balance, and when she fell she badly twisted her knee. She had to be carried off the field and spent the rest of the time lying on the side with ice on her knee and ankle, and half a dozen jackets and blankets piled on her. (She should have gone home but she was really ticked she couldn't play and insisted on watching until it was over.) A couple other players were either hit or twisted an ankle through the course of the evening, although John and Joanna were the only serious injuries. And after all that pain, we lost both games.
Now, you may wonder why I'm telling you all this, so here's the point: sports are dangerous. I mean, how much safer can you get than a church softball league? And yet two people went down over nothing more important than a round ball and a big stick. It's not worth it, people. If I'm going to exercise, it is NOT going to involve flying balls or swinging bats or anything else that can hit me, trip me, or otherwise cause me harm. My own body gets me in enough trouble, thank you very much, I don't need any help. I always knew being athletic would get you in trouble, and now I have proof. Me, I sat on the sidelines and walked away perfectly intact. Score one for the couch potatoes!
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