3 things my grandparents taught me about soccer

One big reason I became the athlete that I did and the sports guy I did because of a woman.

My Grandma taught me so much about sports. My Grandma is a Tomboy to this day! She loves to play & watch sports whether it be watching Football, Golf, Olympics, Basketball, Soccer or whatever…she loves it. I can be watching a close game on TV late night, when most older people are in bed, and I look at the clock and say to myself “I bet Grandma is watching this game” and sometimes I’ll call her and she’ll answer “Are you watching this game?” 🙂

How to build passion for sports

As I write this article now I can say that my Grandma built sports passion into me. My Grandma had 4 brothers and they all loved baseball & basketball (Wisconsin & Chicago – that’s part of my family heritage). It’s funny because I can still remember my grandma teaching me in her backyard on the patio how to dribble the basketball…  She said I need to keep the ball low while I dribble or the defender can steal it from me. I also remember watching the Chicago Cubs in the living room and I think the reason she was a fan was she grew up watching them with her brother Tom.

Remember the #s…& the important things too

I knew all the players in all the sports and my Grandma would tell me all the time, “Jeremie if you could remember your school work like you do your players names & numbers you would make straight A’s.” And I knew she was right but sports was more fun & I’m good at what’s fun for me; I just had to learn that the school had to come first for the sports to come at all.

I just had to learn that the school had to come first for the sports to come at all.Click To Tweet

Place your bets

So I really got into watching all the sports and loved playing football, soccer & basketball.. Now, my Grandma still watches the same amount of sports maybe more because she has to know who to bet on each weekend.. Yes, my grandma gambles on football games with her friends and some family [no names mentioned!]. 🙂  Her sport of choice to play is golf and always has been since I can remember.

That’s what makes her happy like soccer makes me happy!  When she talks about her game she gets extra excited with a big smile on her face and a proud stance (unless she plays a bad tournament and she has that shrugged shoulder with the snap of the fingers that she didn’t play well but then reminds us with a smile that she is older than all the others she plays with – haha!).

About My Grandpa

My Grandpa I must say also gave me passion for sports with him being a Wisconsin Badger alumni (and he always adds that they are some of the smartest athletes and the best University). My Grandpa is more the outdoors fishing & hunting guy and his exercises of choice is riding bike & swimming as he swims several miles per day to this day!

Go Wisconsin Badgers

When I was in High School my Grandpa would give me knowledge on which College Programs would be good for soccer & education.   He also taught me discipline in that you have to do your exercises for health; I can always remember him doing floor exercises or coming in from the city pool or a long bike ride in the morning and then have some good oatmeal & fruit already out. It’s cool because now my wife and I do that and our kids see it so it’s great to keep that small ritual in the family…plus I think of my grandparents in the mornings.

Grandparents are a family’s example

Grandparents are a family’s example. Their support can really shape lives & their presence at games are extra exciting. I love that my grandparents are supportive in my soccer life & actually understand what I’ve done and what I do now with soccer! The 3 things my grandparents taught me as necessary to a good life & success are Good Attitude, Good Choices and Self Belief. They’ve always got my back & they are honest in giving their opinion about what I need to keep doing to be successful. 🙂

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa. I love you.