Whoever said that did NOT grow up in our house!

Growing up with three, quite a bit older, brothers and a sports-loving Dad, I spent a lot of time down at the park watching one, or another, of them play football (the real version), cricket or rugby union...

All four of them played in local teams, in one or more of the above sports and I spent a lot of my time being introduced as G*'s daughter, or C*'s sister
(not exactly on the scale of Jamie-Lynn, but you know - lol!).

Dad was great, he would join in and attend everything he could and was a qualified football referee.
He took his sport seriously...yes, very seriously ...everything had to be 'by the book'.

Even today, he swears he was right (when giving my, goalkeeping, middle brother a yellow card) to ask:
"Name son?"...
When my brother replied "Aww come on Dad" the look he got was enough to convince him a red card for 'dissent' wouldn't be totally out of the question!

He wouldn't take any nonsense from ANYbody on the pitch and he would defend or object to refereeing decisions, in professional matches, with an authority that I couldn't help but admire - he knew his stuff!

Then there were the "Lads v Dads" cricket matches at their Grammar School (high school).
It was an annual event, light-hearted competition - all about accidental 'slip-ups' in the kids' favour, you know the type of thing?....You DO?

You could cut the atmosphere, at home, with a knife, the year Dad sent a fast and furious bowl at my eldest brother and the umpire gave him 'out' first ball!

I guess it's not surprising that, when I got older I would take up sports too...and of course, he was also there for me.
I became a reasonable 'Goal Shooter' for the school netball teams, but eventually, at high school we all moved on.

Field hockey, cross country running and basketball would all become my extra-curricula activities...

I can remember running through muddy fields, in snow, during lunchtime recess, then passing out (literally) in the heat of the school showers when I got back!

I LOVED basketball...but I hated playing it with the girls!
No-one wanted to take any chances, it was SO frustrating!

I'd been brought up to 'play to win' and they just wanted to prance around in their gym-skirts (hoping the boys, peering out from the changing room windows, were looking at THEM!)

I, by chance(ish), would end up getting the best of both worlds!! - lol

When my 'house' boys team were short a player, it seemed right to volunteer - they didn't object to the idea and the P.E. teacher agreed to give me a chance.

I LOVED it! - it was fast and tough and to my total satisfaction, it didn't take long for the boys to realise I did NOT want to be molly-coddled!

Ahh - good times, I look back at it all with a HUGE smile on my face!

....and what about now?

Dad is an armchair sportsman - still as enthusiastic and vocal...(Mum, thankfully has her own t.v.)

My brothers all follow sports avidly, be it on the football terraces, the squash court, or on t.v.

...and me?

Well, I don't participate anymore...in fact, remembering this stuff, is like seeing it through a different person's eyes....it has been SO long since I played anything!
BUT,
I'm a 'Soccer Mom' and 'Baseball Mom' to my own boys....and of course Grandad pays close attention to their results!

We tease Dad mercilessly about this stuff.
He certainly wasn't one of those over-bearing Dad's who thought he was going to raise a sporting pro.

It was all about the fun, the exercise and having a 'fighting' and competitive spirit...
Oh yeah, and WINNING..............Thanks Dad!

SOUNDTRACK: "Play the Game" - Queen