By Cory Armstrong-Hoss / Herald Forum
Our 9-year-old daughter CeCe is excited, wide-eyed and bouncy. If not for gravity, she’d float up, fueled by a new pixie-dust dream, bounding off our walls and ceilings.
She’s thinking of trying volleyball.
There’s an arc to her dreams, a big, sweeping rise of possibility that captures her mind and words. Then, she tries them on:
Hip hop dance. Gymnastics. Being vegetarian. Staring a dog-walking business. Roller-skating. Caring for a hamster. Bike riding. Piano lessons. Pink streaks in her auburn hair.
Most don’t fit.
Most are too tight and scratchy — like a pea coat in June — trapping her long arms and wild spirit.
But still, she tries things on.
In CeCe’s own words, we present an abridged version of her athletic history:
Dance: (Multiple sessions, ages 3-8) “One thing that I know now: I’m not as flexible as the other girls. I can’t do the splits or cartwheels. I’m not that kind of person that wants to be straight-faced and leaping, in front of big crowds, on your tip toes. I don’t want to be perfect.
“There was a lot to follow. You can’t just make up your own dance.”
Soccer (Three seasons, first and second grade, with Dad as coach): “I think it was fun to interact with the other girls. But I got hit with the ball in the stomach so many times. And you had to be out there on rainy days. Once we got to that season where you had to take off your earrings and there was a ref, and there was a lot of rules. … I just don’t think it was something I was going to stick with.”
Gymnastics (Multiple sessions, ages 4 to 6) “I didn’t really fit. I wasn’t really flexible, and the other girls were very flexible.”
Softball (One season, second grade; again, Dad as coach) “The pants! It was really hot, and you had to wear the pants all the time. I think it was fun, but … you sweat a lot. You had to wear a helmet that was fuzzy on the inside and my glove was fuzzy on the inside. So hot!
“And, there was a lot of decision making. Do I swing? Is it a ball or a strike? You don’t know. Nobody knows!”
Swim team (July 2023 to present, third grade) “The pool is too cold for my liking. And like dance, you don’t get a lot of free time; you just swim laps.
“And the meets: they’re very crowded and overwhelming at times. It’s fun to be there with your friends, but … you can’t re-do your race. If you mess up, everyone will see it, and you get disqualified for tiny things. In my first meet I got disqualified in the backstroke because my legs were separated one time. And, the beeping is confusing.
“But, I do like to dive for stuff after practice, down deep in the water, and play with my friends.”
Horse-riding (September 2023 to present, third grade) “This is a sport that I will always stick to and always love. It’s really, really fun. The horse I train on, June, is sassy, sweet and sensitive, and loves going fast.
“I know my horse teacher, Susan, is very supportive. She lets you do things at your own pace. It doesn’t matter how young you are, she treats you like anybody. I think she’s like the best person ever, one of my favorite people. It’s the funnest ever.”
“Volleyball (2 months in third grade P.E. classes; signed up for one-week summer camp) “It’s a group sport. It’s fun. I think being tall like me would definitely be an advantage. So far, it’s really fun. Mom played, and I’d be open to it. I’ll give it a try for a little while.”
Keep trying things on, kiddo.
But no, for the thousandth time; we are not buying you a horse.
Cory Armstrong-Hoss lives in Everett with his wife and three kids. His kids have played a number of different sports. He’s a lifelong athlete, and he’s served as a coach, ref, and youth sports administrator.
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