I went a little early to pick up Liz. Sun was setting. We shot on the goal for about an hour. I took a little video of her shooting some behind the backs.
Author Archives: davekenn
National Fall Lax Fest
Liz and I coach Maggie’s 2026 lacrosse team. I am the head coach. I have an associate head coach, Audrey, who is great. And Liz is one of the assistants. It is a lot of fun coaching Maggie’s team, and Liz does a great job. And Maggie is fun, and she works hard, as do a bunch of her teammates. It is a good recipe for this team to be successful.
On Saturday, it was super cold. We had to leave the house early in the morning and drive more than an hour to arrive before 7AM. First game started before the sun came up. It was interesting.
Our team went 4-0. Maggie and her teammates played great through pool play. Maggie played defense and midfield. Our team had fun throughout the four games and in between, and competed hard. They earned the #1 seed and a spot in the championship game.
After the last game though, the coach of the other team was complaining about the scorekeeper not counting one of their goals. Liz keeps the stats for our team, and documents all goals scored, for both teams. And the scorekeeper had it correct. So, I signed the scoresheet, that we won 7-3. But then the scorekeeper came up to me and said the opposing coach requested to talk with me, and she ended up getting in Liz’s face saying that she kept the score wrong and didn’t count one of their goals. Liz handled herself very well (especially given that she wasn’t the scorekeeper, just kept stats which matched the scorekeeper). She showed the coach all of the scoring, how they were scored and who scored. The coach left the field with her team acting like they had been cheated, and she was very vocal about it. Liz was a little rattled, because adults should not behave the way that she did, especially not towards a conscientious teenager who is doing her best to help. But I talked with Liz on the way back to the tent and told her how well she handled herself.
A few minutes later, we learned that this team earned 2nd place and would play us in the championship. Great! In order to teach my teams sportsmanship and honoring the game and the opponents, I have instituted pregame rituals. I have each player on our team go to the opposite bench before the game and shake the hand of the opposing coach and wish her/him luck. And then when they get on the field, shake the hand of the player they are facing off against and wish them luck. I believe it sets the tone for friendly competition and sportsmanlike behavior.
But, after the opposing coach’s behavior in the last pool play game, I broke with our new tradition and just instructed the players to take the field. The opposing coach had not demonstrated very good adult behavior in the prior game, and I didn’t want it to effect us as we stepped onto the field.
In a short game, we got off to a quick lead and kept it. With a few minutes left, we were up 4-0, and I was able to make sure that everybody played in the championship. We came away with a 4-1 victory. And the girls got to enjoy championship t-shirts and medals.
We got to the field at 7AM, and weren’t done until 6PM. Average temperature on the day was 40 degrees. Hour and a half drive each way. I took the girls (Liz, Maggie, and Mackenzie – my all star team) out to Red Robin for dinner to celebrate before driving home. They earned it! And Maggie got desert!
It was a great day to be a coach. And a great day to be a dad.
Rumble in Richmond
Noah played in a lax tournament this weekend in Richmond. Marcia, Luke and Jack went with him for the weekend. Just mom and the boys. It was the first time Marcia got to see him play with this new team.
He had a rough day Saturday because he had to miss his last soccer game to go to the lacrosse tournament. And Marcia told me that a few of Noah’s soccer teammates were giving him grief for missing, as they lost the game 2-0, and if they had won, they would have won 1st place in the league. The coach had texted Marcia and me as well giving us some grief.
He played lacrosse well. I called him Saturday night, and he had two goals, and one of them was a behind the back. Sunday was an even better day of lax. He scored seven goals on Sunday. Including the game winner in the semi-final game to put them in the championship game.
I love watching my boy play, and was sorry to miss the tournament. But I am so glad that Marcia was there, and that he is enjoying being with the boys on his new team. One of the dads took lots of pictures. What a gift!
Last FH game …
Liz played her last competitive field hockey game. Possibly the last field hockey game of her life. She played hard. So did Eden. She was especially great at center back. But they were overmatched in playoffs. And lost to Bryn Mawr.
Eden posted this pic with her sister. Both girls were pretty emotional. As was Maggie, who started at SPSG 7 years ago with Liz. It has been a long fun road. And these girls have earned some great victories, and an IAAM Championship.
I am proud of my field hockey players. I coached them when they were small and through their time in the rec program. And have loved every minute of coaching them, cheering for them, driving them to and from events, and living through the ups and downs along with them.
Bobcat Ceremony
Last night, the boys had their Bobcat Ceremony for Cub Scouts. This is the first time they earn badges as a scout. To earn the badge they had to do some basics of scouting, such as reciting the Scout Oath and learning the Scout Law.
During the ceremony, I painted their face with different colors.
Blue is from the sky. The blue paw print of the Bobcat on their forehead is the spirit of the bobcat, and to remind the scout to do their best on the Cub Scout Trail.
Yellow is from the sun. The yellow marks under their eyes help the scout see the light of the Cub Scout Train, and symbolize the bright spirit of Cub Scouting.
White. The white on the scout’s nose is for purity and to help the scout know right from wrong as they go along the Cub Scout Trail.
Red. The red mark on the scout’s chin is for courage to always speak the truth.
Green. The green mark symbolizes the spirit of nature to guide the Cub Scout in living with harmony with the great outdoors.
The boys also painted a white stripe on my nose so that I can guide them.
I really enjoyed the initiation ceremony. And beyond initiation, the boys had already earned some badges as well.
I am enjoying the process. Kids earn badges or belt clips according to their individual accomplishments. They are encouraged to succeed by those around them. There is not internal negative competition brought on by the parents. There is just a supportive environment of people, somewhat like-minded, wanting to raise their kids right, and be part of a community of people putting effort into raising their kids right.
This is so different from the youth sports culture that my other kids have been immersed in. It is refreshing, and I am grateful for the leaders of the pack. These are good guys.
Scout’s Honor
Luke and Jack recently joined the Cub Scout Pack 306. I was in Pack 306 when I was a kid. I am really enjoying our new tradition together. We go every Wednesday to Den meetings. The boys like their den leaders, and they are being taught some valuable lessons.
There are so many institutions these days which are afraid to teach kids morality or a value system. Sports and school leave so many gaps. And I am really excited how Cub Scouts is providing some cool opportunities for them.
Their first camping trip with the Cub Scouts was at the state park near our house. The boys started by putting up the tent. They had this down pat. They got excited when their friends started showing up. Pretty soon, the party started and they went with their Dens on hikes. Jack is a Wolf. Luke is a Bear.
After their hike, they learned different things, like splitting wood properly, tying knots, plant identification, and fire safety. Then they cooked their own dinner on the fire. They learned how to clean their mess kit. And then each of their dens did a skit at the camp fire.
The three of us slept at night in our tent. And in the morning, we cooked and ate breakfast. Cleaned up the camp and went home.
Everybody pitches in. And the people are generally really nice. I am excited to be there having these experiences with my boys.
Brave little patient
Jack had to go to a clinic at Johns Hopkins last week for a test. It took 4 or 5 hours of him being hooked up to an IV and having blood routinely drawn. He does not like needles, but he was a champ. By the end of it, he helped the nurse pull the IV out of his arm.
Senior Day SPSG Field Hockey
Liz was celebrated yesterday, along with the other 4 seniors on her field hockey team. She was a team captain. And a leader on the field.
Marcia, Eden, and I accompanied Liz on the field before the game. And then Eden and Liz played. They played hard but lost. Marcia did a lot of the decorations for the team, including making special scrunchies for the team.
It was an emotional day for both girls. Eden made a poster for Liz, and also a gift basket. And gave a tribute speech to Liz at the party after the event. I am realizing more and more how real it is becoming for Eden that Liz is leaving next year for college. And how much Liz means to her.
It has been a great ride watching the two of my girls compete as teammates. Eden has always been good enough to play up with Liz, and so we have had several years worth of watching them as teammates. But this is the last ride for the sisters together on the same team.
I am grateful to SPSG for making this event special for Liz and her teammates. And grateful to her coach for recognizing her for her talent but even more importantly for her effort and leadership.
I filmed the coach’s tribute as well as each senior speech. I have clipped below the most important speech, Eden’s.
And included the entire tribute, including the coach’s praise of Liz.
I am so proud of my girls. They are growing up.
Baltimore Marathon 2019
I decided to run the half-marathon again. First time in 6 years. And Liz was willing to do it with me again as well. Neither of us trained. But, she is a young athlete. And so we ran “together” for a short while.
For the first mile, I tried to keep up with Liz. And she was trying to let me keep up. We were darting through traffic, and making our way. And the first mile was about 8 minutes. It killed me though, and I quickly fell behind her pace. The last I saw of her, she was crushing it, with her pony tail flying back and forth.
She impressed me so much. In the morning, as she was putting on her bib, she just looked like a determined athlete. And then stretching, it was clear that she has done this before.
For me, I just wanted to enjoy the day. I’m 42. Don’t feel like I have many of these left in me.
And it was hard. Really hard. I walked so many times. By mile 11, my back and both of my legs were burning. I could barely move, but told myself I would not give up. I would finish the race. Miles 12 and 13 were very slow, probably 13 and 17 minutes respectively. And I finished with a total pace of about 11 minutes. Liz crushed it and finished under 9 minutes, at 1:56:00 total time. Her PR. My worst at 2:26.
But I finished. And I am proud of myself. Mind over matter. I did what I set out to do. I am hurting but it is a good hurt. And I am glad to have shared this experience with my daughter one more time.
My little Rough Rider, #5
This weekend, the Roughriders team was playing in a tournament in Howard County. It was driving rain. It was the first time I have gotten to watch Noah with his new team. He started and was playing well. He scored the first goal of the game.
I stood by myself along the fence. And was within earshot of a few parents from the other team. They were talking about how good this Roughrider team is. And then they started talking about Noah. They were like he is the smallest guy out there and he is awesome. Look at his moves, he is dangerous. And then they started to yell to the defense to cover Noah, that he was the go to guy.
It was nice and refreshing to hear.
I know my son is good. But have been in so many jealous parent situations in team sports with Liz and Eden and Noah, that parent sidelines have been nasty and unfriendly for several years towards my kids. The nastiness usually comes from parents of their teammates. I have sat quietly for years, watching Noah do his thing, and filtering out the chatter. It was just refreshing to be anonymous this weekend listening to people compliment Noah.
Made my day. Thanks #5 for all of your effort and for being so special. It is a joy to watch you play.
Six With Sticks 