Lucy

Lucy is an eager and competitive 4th grader. She's on the smaller side for her age and her blonde hair and slight build don't scream star athlete at first glance. From the start of the new calendar year, she joined the soccer players at recess, battling to defend one of two goals marked by a mismatched set of four, slowly disintegrating cones. Preferring to play goalie, Lucy mostly uses her hands and arms but will occasionally make a run forward and get some soccer touches on her feet. As the coach and referee, I was soon confident she could safely play with our group and have an outlet at recess.

Around the same time, I was joined on the field by another adult. Several teachers and aids are always present outside with me at school, but rarely do they make their way onto the soccer field where ridicule and blame could quickly follow being in the wrong place. I inquired to this new teacher/coach, "What do you help the school with?"

"Oh, I'm Lucy's aid!" She replied.

I was delighted and told her how well her pupil has been doing and asked if Lucy had been having fun at recess.

"It sure seems like it!" She affirmed. "When Lucy sets her mind to something, she'll see it through!"

"Yes." I agreed. "She's been determined to save many certain goals."

Understanding that students need para-educators for all manner of reasons, I'm still not sure exactly what Lucy's aid helps her with. They joined us for soccer several more times before the season changed and football was front of mind with an imminent  Super Bowl. We followed the trend and began playing 'Secret Football' in all of our guided recess games. A version of 'Quarter Football', Secret Football involves no throwing or hand offs, but focuses on getting a small object donated by a player over the other team's line in three 'downs' without getting tagged with 'Butterfly' fingers.

The school had a bag full of red and blue, Velcro flags in their equipment cart, it was only a matter of time before the more coordinated athletes would ask if we could play flag football, as opposed to tag, at recess. Not being a proponent of this version, because of the areas that players often have to reach for in order to down another player, I took some convincing from the students, but came around to the fact that they have the equipment and likely the experience.

The game started 4v3, with all boys, and I filled in on the team with less players. Another male student soon joined in, and it was 4v4 when I was able to step out to referee and expedite play time. As expected, when trying to down other players by grabbing a flag on their waist, there were several dives and collisions that took place between both teams. Since the field was the correct size, and they had direct attention from an adult, the subsequent minor injuries that ensued only involved a few seconds of wailing and pouting before changing into an opportunity to look tough and receive positive team support and motivation for the next play.

And then Lucy stepped in the square. She walked straight up to me and asked if she could play. Glancing at my watch to confirm 4th grade only had a few minutes left at recess, and expressing concern for her well-being, I got down on one knee and replied, "Sorry, Lucy, but this might not be the right game for you today. We only have about a minute left of recess, and this is a very intense game. Why don't you play soccer at the other end?" I stood up and glanced to her aid who shrugged mildly to Lucy but luckily didn't intervene.

Lucy averted her gaze from mine and considered my reply for several seconds before turning back in my direction. She had a steeled look in her eyes before saying, "No, Coach. I'm going to play." I was blown away by her conviction and immediately relented to encourage her to get a flag and join a team, but she was already on her way to pick up a flag from the bag and join whichever team she wanted. Her aid and I worriedly watched as she chose the offensive team, in possession of the "Secret' Football, and huddled at their end of the field to strategize for first of three plays. Little did they know they'd only have time for one as recess was about to end... 

As they scattered along their yard line and the offense team set up for the beginning of the play, I waited until someone on the offense side said, "Hike!" before blowing the play whistle. The teams clashed and flags started to fly when it became clear that Lucy had the football. Players who get pulled immediately stop and show their hands open to signify they don't have the ball. She was barely halfway to the other team's goal line and now had the attention of every player in the field. 

Defense scrambled to catch her and pull her flag, but fell behind Lucy's direct route, straight to the end zone. Expecting the typical jukes and fakes, the defense weren't expecting her to run straight into them. The last hope to keep her from scoring was the Safety. And then, when all hope seemed lost that he had her, and Lucy flag was in arm's reach at the back of their goal line, she steps right then spins her waist left, sending the defender sprawling in the wrong direction. Her flag flared at her waist as it whizzed by her opponent's outstretched fingers. TOUCHDOWN!! 

Lucy's four teammates and her exploded in cheering and laughter as I blew the whistle at the same time as the recess bell rang, signaling the time to go lineup. All eight players gathered their coats and flags and made sure whichever player had supplied the day's football got it back, especially if it was a coin.

I looked over to Lucy's para-educator with a large smile on my face and said, "I guess that went about as well as it could've!" She laughed and agreed. Lucy and her team stayed shoulder-to-shoulder as they shuffled into their lines and back to class, relishing in the win and newfound success. I learned a lesson from Lucy today, and am now partial to the version of football with flags...

-Coach Nerd