Six With Sticks

by Six Kennedy kids and their parents

Category Archives: Elizabeth


by Leave a comment

Exhibition Game at US Lacrosse

I was able to arrange, and Maggie and Liz to take part in, an exhibition game at US Lacrosse, Tierney Field. The exhibition game was against the Los Angeles Wave. It was set up for success, because my counterpart from the Wave, Stephen Fossatti, is such a sportsman, and set up a great event.

We decided to have a tailgate together with the families from the Wave and from the Redshirts. While the parents tailgated, the players got to use the US team’s locker room to dress for the event. When they walked onto the field, each team saw their names and logos up on the US Lacrosse scoreboard. And they greeted each other on the field as friendly competitors.

It was a competitive match. The Redshirts were ahead 6-4 at the half, and the Wave pulled ahead to a 13-8 victory. After the game, the Redshirts shared some gifts with the Wave. Marcia had made each of them custom Terp scrunchies as keepsakes. And Liz put on a stickwork demo and taught the California girls how to throw fakes. While she was doing this, Maggie toured the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame Museum with her teammates.

These events are special, and are totally worth the effort.


by Leave a comment

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.


by Leave a comment

Last FH game …

Screen Shot 2019-10-31 at 10.13.12 AM

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.


by Leave a comment

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.


by Leave a comment

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.


by Leave a comment

Senior Day for Liz

Today is Liz’s Senior Day. It is the last home game for Liz playing field hockey for St Pauls School for Girls. It also marks the last time Liz and Eden will play field hockey (or any sport) together. Although they are the oldest of our 6 kids, based on ages, sex, and sports played by our kids, this is likely the last time any of our kids will play on the same sports team from here on out. It is crazy that it has come this fast.

Recently, the girls were both featured together to promote a game. They have both been playing varsity sports since they were freshmen. And, Liz, as a senior, has been a standout performer this year.  And Eden has been a starter.

Their team has not performed as well as in years’ past, as it is not as deep with talent and with effort. But it has been a true joy and a pleasure as a parent to watch the two of them compete. And then see how they interact on the rides home. Liz is so supportive of her younger sister. And picks her up. And Eden looks up to Liz. And also helps her in ways in which she needs help.

I am not looking forward to the end of this road. The road has been long, but now on the last mile, I realize I was racing too much, rather than rolling down the windows and enjoying the cool breeze and the sun shining on my face. Good luck today, girls. And, Liz, thanks for the ride.


by 1 Comment

Visit with dad

46518951_2067846086602370_2934312753159995392_o

Eden, Elizabeth and I visited dad on Tuesday after school.  They had a short day for the Thanksgiving break.  Dad was having a good day.  When we got there, he was in his wheelchair, so we wheeled him around the floor, and took him outside.  It was pretty cold, but he enjoyed getting out in the fresh air.  I don’t think anyone else ever takes him outside but me.  Eden was particularly great with her grandfather.  Both girls are pretty special, and love their grandfather.  Several times, he told them how beautiful they are.

It was a good visit.


by Leave a comment

Gobble, gobble, go!

I don’t have pics of Maggie or Jack, because we didn’t attend the event.

Maggie, Luke, and Jack all competed in Gobble Gobble Go at their school.  Maggie completed 16 laps.  Luke completed 8 laps.  Jack completed 13 laps.  Jack beat most of the 5th graders, and was tops in his grade, 1st grade.  Maggie might have been tops in her grade, 5th grade.

It is Thanksgiving morning, and we have been talking about the Turkey Trot.  I just threw the clothes in the dryer, as it is 23 degrees out.  I am not running this year.  Liz, Noah and Maggie all want to run.  It is almost time to wake them up, so we will see.