Tuesday 31 July 2012

Tackling: The Big Issue

First blood, and a proper rugby player expression too.  
Josh's rugby team has started tackling.  This means they are allowed (in fact, encouraged) to try to hurt each other in order to get the ball.

Tacking goes against much of what we're trying to teach our boys: don't use your body to hurt others, keep your hands to yourself, don't hurt your sisters etc etc.

I know it's the right forum, they're heavily coached through it and by golly they're keen for it but I'm a bit wary of the whole thing.

Last Saturday I was at the gym comp with Sarah so I missed his game.  I got a text from Mike, telling me he was tackling, and when I rang Mike he told me proudly that Joshie had a gash on his forehead and had a blood nose. I was not to worry, he was ok and had 'only bled for a couple of minutes'.

Hurray!  Only bled for a couple of minutes! My precious son's face.

Joshie got on the phone and said he'd got in the way of someone's rugby shoe.  He and Mike were totally excited.  On the other hand, I am working my way up to not covering my eyes with my hands for the whole game.

One of his team mates decided tripping was a good way to fell the opposition and got sent off for his trouble.  Poor little guy, he was only trying to help.  And it is more efficient, but also against the rules, worse luck.

There were tears from both sides.  Josh made a kid cry in the first 5 minutes.  Mike was shouting encouragement from the sidelines before he realised the poor kid from the opposing team had been taken off in hysterics from the shock of bodily contact.

Tackling is not for everyone.  It's not for me.  But Joshie is keen as mustard.  Thank goodness the season is nearly over and I can forget about it until March when they begin tackling in earnest.