With his rookie season behind him, Eric preps for a new season with a new team, and some teammates from last year. We can’t wait to get this party started.
Are you ready for some football?
Reply
Category Archives: EPFootball
There’s always next year (but this year was still awesome).
There’s always next year for a state championship, but it was this year that Eric impressed his coaches with a very good rookie season. The team took it on the nose last weekend with a 0-27 loss to Edgewood, which ended the season for the East Providence Junior Townies (JPRed). But Eric showed promise all season long, with decent kickoff returns, tackles, a reception, and a 45-yard touch down run during a game in Connecticut. My favorite play has to be the tackle he made on the first play of his very first football game. The photo of that play is somewhere “further down” in this blog, and it’s a moment that I will remember – and cherish – until the end of my days. The photo below is of Eric (#22) blocking would-be tacklers in this final game played in Cranston. It was fitting that it was this stadium where he made that first tackle, and it was here that he wrapped up the 2012 season some eight weeks later.
“Touch Down!”
Pretty in Pink? Eric scored his first touch down today!! He made a few good tackles, too. Not bad considering he did it while wearing pink socks (Breast Cancer Awareness Month).
A Pair of 62’s
I shot these two during a rain-soaked game today. Adam, on left, plays for the Townies. Manchester was sporting the Patriots “vintage” uniforms.
Christy’s competitive soccer game in Middletown was rained out.
The ups and downs of football
The game was a few weeks ago, but we’ll remember this one as being lousy all around. Above – Eric (#22), playing Safety, gets burned as Edgewood hauls in a pass for another touchdown. The Townies suffered too many injuries in that game. Many parents were pointing to one Edgewood player who appeared “big for his age.” He may have been involved in all four injuries that put our boys out of action (all resulted in hospital visits).
The following week, last week, the boys regrouped and played much better. It was a loss, but you could see their confidence coming back. New coaches also brought something new to their game.
Eric prepares to haul one in on a boot play. It was his best game yet, but the Warwick Patriots outlasted them in the end.
Eric returns a kickoff against the Warwick Patriots. Personally, I was happy to see this first-year player have the wherewithal to make the catch, and then look for blockers.
First Junior PeeWee Home Game
Just out of view are the field crews getting the field ready for the team’s first home football game. Other than that, there’s not much action at 6:30 in the morning. Yawn.
Next week? Christy has a soccer double header. Man, I love this time of year.
First Play of the First Game
The Townies lost the opening coin toss, so the Edgewood Eagles would receive the ball. The Townies kickoff unit took the field, and with them was Eric (#22) playing in his first game ever. What happened next is something I never expected. The photos tell the rest.
I couldn’t be more proud…
Eric’s first year of playing football began with two and a half hours of conditioning last night, from 5:30 to 8pm. There were probably 200 kids out on that field, a pretty exciting start to the football season. They were back at it again tonight, and there’s more tomorrow night, and again on Saturday. The coaches are working these kids HARD. Eric is eating it up so far, holding his own, but the real defining moment is yet to come – how will he handle getting knocked off his feet for the first time? Come to think of it, how will his PARENTS handle him getting knocked off his feet for the first time? Easy – I’ll close my eyes.
Above: Eric goes after a target for the very first time, and it was sloppy. But the coach shared a few encouraging words with him, and his next hit on a tackle dummy – held by one of his teammates – was squared up and solid, earning him a high five from the coach. Eric’s legs just kept pumping while his teammate was pushed back for a 10-yard loss.
I think it’s obvious this will be the first of many blog posts about football. Yeah, I’m proud.
Long Days and Nights 