First time for everything new

New school, new school year, and brand new sports... this has been the latest buzz word for Brendan and Trevor the past few weeks. Brendan put on compression tights and tiny running shorts and joined the cross country team. He came home with huge bloody burst blisters the first day of practice. They ran 5 miles--the furthest Brendan has ever run. I was proud of him for going out again the next day and the next in the rain and wind for more punishment. He even got up at 4:45 am with me and ran two Guam Running Club road races. For a sport he is only doing to get in shape for wrestling, he has gone the extra mile.
Guam High's course is through the jungle, through the mud and almost all uphill. It is a tough course and all the island schools dread running races on it.
Since Brendan was new at the racing game, he found out the hard way that everyone sprints into the finish and you can't coast in or you get passed. It almost looks like he wants to grab the kid passing him (above).

He is tired but he isn't hurling his lunch like the kid to the left.

They call Brendan "white lightening." You think he needs to get rid of his farmer tan and get some color?
Here he is talking to Trevor in the tan shirt to his right who is passing out the completion sticks to every competitor.

For Trevor, FOOTBALL is his new sport.

As a senior he came out to play football for the very first time! (They don't play American Football in Europe so he didn't have an opportunity to play) Since he didn't have enough practices under his belt (we got here too late in the summer), Trevor had to be the water boy or "hydration specialist" the first game.

He took this "job" very serious and ignored all the girls that were standing around taking his photo. (I did get him to turn around once during the last few seconds of the game during a time out) The next day he had several Facebook requests from girls hoping he would add them to his accepted Friend list. Sometimes it is nice being the New Guy.

First look all decked out in pads. You are looking at the new Guam High middle line backer, and various other position they decided to rotate him into.
This was big game against their main rivals GW (George Washington). GW was the island champion last year. because the home stadium doesn't have lights, we play during the day in the brutal sun. It was 100 degrees out there with the 100% humidity. Can you say sweat?

Trevor is the player furthest to the right. He is the only one with his socks all the way up.
Here he is coming to help with a tackle. This game he helped recover a fumble in the 4th quarter, resulting in a win against GW.

Guam High School has a great team this year. We were all proud Trevor made the team and wasn't cut during tryouts. He worked hard, even doing workouts after the team went home. One of the coaches praised him for all his hard work and for giving 110% on the field. He also said to Trevor "Guess you are more than a pretty face." He has also been blessed this year to have an assistant football coach to teach him football while using wrestling terms that Trevor understands. This has made all the difference in the world. " Ma, Ma Mama says... mama says" (WaterBoy movie) the alligator is so angry because GHS has sharp teeth and dominates this year.

My NEW sport? Racing to pick up three kids from three sports after school and see all their matches and games. I am also competing in laundry olympics. It is rainy season right now and everything comes home covered in red mud that is horrific to clean. A lot of Shout , Oxyclean and elbow grease.