"Goooo Daddy. Go!"

Maggie and Zed playing besties at Dad's lacrosse game - Birmingham Seaholm High School, Birmingham, MI

I played the entire game with a golf ball sized knot in my left calf.  That sucked.  Aside from that half crippling turn of events there was remarkably less rust on the pipes than I anticipated.  I ran, I whacked guys, and I had a good time.  I could hear the girl squealing from the end zone...the echo of, "Go Daddy," ricocheted off of the stadium seats, and I turned as often as I could and waved to a thrilled little girl.  That was part of the whole point of all of this. Tonight was the first night of the Champions Men's Lacrosse League in Birmingham, MI and as thrilled as I was to play, I was even more excited to know that my daughters were watching.


Daddy getting ready to launch a poke check that playin-it-cool Sparty is gonna remember.

I wanted my daughters to see a vibrant and alive father, not one who settles into his hammock and complains about cutting the grass.  It worked.  Zo was ecstatic and couldn't sleep the entire hour long ride home. There was just an endless stream of question in place of snores...

"Daddy, why don't you have a pink helmet?"

"Daddy, how come you're limping?"

"Daddy, did that player's shot hit you in the head?"

"Daddy, I liked your shorts."

Her Dad now plays in Birmingham, Michigan, at Seaholm High School, for Champions Lacrosse, and he didn't do a damn thing to get ready to play tonight...but he also couldn't stop smiling the whole ride home despite the knot in his calf and the burning in his lungs.  It helps when you've got yourself a cheering section who have come all the way from Canada just to watch.


Daddy forcing Sparty wide, and then playing catch up - Seaholm High School,  Birmingham, MI

I'm the only Canadian playing...the only one who's children aren't at home in bed...and the only one who is just as excited to stop at the Whole Foods and Trader Joe's stores before the game as he is to play.  Shrug...a guy grows up, but he's never too old to play.  The knot in my calf and kink in my back say something different however.  Just seeing the look on Zo's face was worth the efforts.  I'd have played with a prosthetic to hear that little voice, "Goooo, Daddy!! Go!"