The Adventures Of Team Bibb: May 2019

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Venice - The Dog

The day after we came back from Venice, Alyssa had the itch to get a dog. One of the surprises of Venice was how many people we saw out walking their dogs. The girls have been asking for years for a dog, so I finally caved. We went to McKinney Trade Days and brought home our new puppy Goldendoodle, and we named her Venice.

When Your Coach Is Talking

Two things that drive good coaches crazy are athletes that don't pay attention to instruction and athletes who don't try to properly execute what was being taught. They both go hand in hand. Always pay attention and be focused on your coach so that your coach can teach you how to perform better, and not behave better.

When your coach is talking, you:

- Look them in the eyes the whole time
- You give him/her ALL of your attention
- You don't pay attention to anybody else when he/she is talking
- If your friends are distracting you, move away from them; your learning is your responsibility
- Listen with the intent on learning so that you know what he/she expects and so that you can execute what they are asking you to do
- When they are talking, they are giving you instruction and directions - follow them the first time
- If you don't understand, raise your hand and ask for clarification

The only way coaches know if you don't know or understand is when you ask or when you mess up - so don't get upset if you mess up and they correct you - especially if you don't ask for help

- Say yessir/ma’am, no sir/ma’am
- Say thank you
- Every day, every practice, every time

That is my expectation of you as your parent and you as my child.

(via: http://acoachsdiary.blogspot.com/2019/04/when-your-coach-is-talking.html)

Our Last Day in Venice - Turin and Juventus Game

Our last day in Italy was spent in Turin. The main reason for us booking our trip to Italy was to see Ronaldo play soccer at home, and we were able to get Champions League tickets for their home game in Turin against Atletico Madrid.

Our day started early as we had to catch the 3 hour train ride from Venice to Turin. When we got to Turin, we had to then catch a taxi from the train station to the airport so that we could pick up our car rental. The Juventus game started at 9:00 PM and the last train from Turin back to Venice was at 10:00 PM, so the only way that we could make it back to Venice the next morning for our 6:00 AM flight back home was to drive, at mid-night, across Italy from Turin to Venice in a car rental!
When we got our car, we went straight to the Allianz Stadium where Juventus plays.

There were food trucks and vendors lined up all around the stadium, and directly outside of the stadium was a very nice shopping mall. We just hung out there all day and watched as it continued to get more and more crowded as the game approached. We ate at a place called American Graffiti Diner (only Alyssa would want to eat at an American Diner in Italy) and napped in the car.

We had GREAT seats, literally on the first row almost at mid-field. And the game was a great game. It was the second leg of their Champion's League match against Atletico Madrid. Atletico beat Juventus in the first leg 2-0, so Juventus needed to win 3-0 to advance. Ronaldo came up big with a hat trick, scoring 3 goals. The atmosphere was crazy, and it was a surreal experience seeing one of the GOATs of soccer playing so well in a Champion's League match.

To my daughter, who plays sports,

I love that you play sports. I love watching you play. I love watching you practice. I love when you ask us about different things involving sports including, ‘Who is the best player right now,’ or ‘Why are they passing so much,’ or ‘Who is your favorite player ever,’ among many other questions. I love seeing how you interact with your teammates. I love seeing your confidence on the court and field, and I really love seeing you carry that confidence away from the game and into school and everyday life. I love how competitive you are. I love when you cry when you lose because it shows that you care. I love how hard that you go at everything that you do, and I love that the work you put in to get better for sports has taught you that if you want to be good at anything, you have to be willing to put in the work.

I love that I get to share my passion for sports with you. My parents loved sports and gave me that same love, and I am happy to pass that down to you. Outside of family, sports has played the biggest role in my life. The games, the practices, watching it on TV, traveling around the world – sports has given me so much, and I am glad that you are starting to see just a small part of what sports can do for you.

Remember that sports are fun and they are a competition, and you always have to find the right balance. That means you have to come with energy and enthusiasm and positivity and a willingness to work hard. Enjoying it and having fun is what keeps you going and is what keeps you coming back. Always remember to enjoy the process. But always remember to work hard! Working hard is what keeps you good against the competition. There are always other kids working and practicing just like you, so you have to stay ready for that.

As fun as sports are, they are hard as well. I have cried a lot of tears over sports. I have lost a lot. I have missed more shots than I have taken. I have turned the ball over, I have been embarrassed, and I have been beaten. I have been turned down and turned away. But I also have bounced back every time. That is the key – bouncing back. Learning from your mistakes and learning from your losses. Not being afraid to mess up because the mistakes really don’t matter. What really matters are the lessons. If you learn something new every day from sports then you will continue to get better.

I encourage you to always find enjoyment in the process, even when it is not fun. Find ways to push yourself a little harder, and then find ways to relax and recover. Enjoy getting better. Enjoy working hard. Enjoy winning. Cry when you lose then enjoy learning the lessons that come from it and enjoy coming back better. Love your coaches. Love your teammates. Respect your coaches and respect your teammates. They both will help you become the best that you can be. Listen to your coaches when they speak. Give them eye contact. Do what they ask the first time, then help others do the same. Say thank you after every practice and mean it. They are spending time away from their own daughters helping you, so show them and tell them how much you appreciate it.

Help others, serve others, but don’t back down from anyone. You might not be the biggest, tallest, and fastest, but you can be the toughest and the hardest worker. If you are the toughest and never quit, you will always be okay.

Respect the referees. Respect your opponents. Respect the game and respect the work that it takes to become good and then great.

Find a way to bring value to every team that you are on. It might be scoring. It might be passing. It might be the hustle person that gets the ball back when your team loses it. It might be the towel waiver from the bench! Whatever your role is, bring value to the team. This will help you in life.

Most importantly, keep God first. God has a plan for you. If you do right by God, you will do right by people and you will be blessed. Be loyal and kind in all things and you do.

Good luck on YOUR journey. Daddy loves you, and daddy is always here for you.

Love, Daddy

Our 3rd Day in Venice - Food Tour and St. Mark's Square

Our 3rd day in Venice, we signed up for a food tour for the morning. We made the walk across around the city to our meetup spot, taking pictures and taking in the scenery. We stopped by a small diner-type place to get breakfast. Their bacon was a thicker, more flavorful cut than what I am used to. The area was cool because it was close to the bus stop where people catch rides to and from the mainland, so there was a lot of energy auto busses and auto-taxis.

We met up with the tour group in the middle of Venice, close to the Rialto Bridge, so we were able to take pictures on the bridge and around the area. It is a different view in the morning than it is at night.

Our first stop during the tour was at an older bar where Casanova used to frequent.

We went to a few more bars and restaurants and ate all kinds of Venetian food and wine. Our guide did a great job of pointing out the touristy stuff while showing us how the locals live. We love doing stuff off the touristy path, so this tour was great for us.