"...finding the time to play..."
With September comes another season of fall sports for us with Sports Beijing. We're entering our sixth year with the organization, such a long time since my "Expat Conundrum" post, when I wondered whether we were being ridiculous for driving so far for a then five-year-old's recreational soccer league. In no time at all, though, we went from resigning ourselves to the hassle to really looking forward to the time out of Changping.
Our Saturdays are consumed with soccer
and baseball.
Baseball times two, that is.
More after the jump
When we attended the sign-ups for the fall season, we offered Brigid the chance to play t-ball in addition to soccer. Previous years these two sports were in conflict, but right now they are not, and Myles' rec ball and t-ball are at the same time. She initially declined, saying that she thinks one sport is enough for her. However, when we showed up the first day for baseball (and maybe when she saw that there were several other girls in t-ball) she asked if she could try it, too. Her glove was already packed in the baseball bag, so she was ready to start.
I am not exaggerating when I say that Sports Beijing has made a huge difference in our quality of life in Beijing (I already wrote about this years ago in beijing kids and all of it is still true). Homeschooling aside, our living out in Changping does not afford us many opportunities to access such amazing, well-maintained sports facilities as there are at the international schools that host our activities. Sure, we do have a public soccer pitch in Changping (that we did not know existed at all during our first four years in Changping), and last year we were permitted to use the law school's improvised baseball space. However, neither of these compare to what we get to use with Sports Beijing.
Additionally, there's the people. Sports Beijing has been able to recruit some fantastic coaches, some of whom are also connected to the international schools, all of whom we would otherwise never get to meet. And both Myles and Brigid have connected with teammates that share their interests that are normal for Western kids but less common with their Changping friends, like Legos and Minecraft.
At this point this post probably comes across as a well-placed advertisement for our sports club. I don't intend that. I do know of people whose experiences with the organization have been less than stellar. However, for our family, it has been nothing short of a godsend. We are too aware that these activities could remain within the closed communities of the international schools, so we are really grateful that Sports Beijing is open to all Beijing families.
Five years ago I wondered if kids' recreational sports leagues were worth the effort on our part. Today, I don't know if we would have found better ways to spend all that time.
Our Saturdays are consumed with soccer
and baseball.
Baseball times two, that is.
More after the jump
When we attended the sign-ups for the fall season, we offered Brigid the chance to play t-ball in addition to soccer. Previous years these two sports were in conflict, but right now they are not, and Myles' rec ball and t-ball are at the same time. She initially declined, saying that she thinks one sport is enough for her. However, when we showed up the first day for baseball (and maybe when she saw that there were several other girls in t-ball) she asked if she could try it, too. Her glove was already packed in the baseball bag, so she was ready to start.
I am not exaggerating when I say that Sports Beijing has made a huge difference in our quality of life in Beijing (I already wrote about this years ago in beijing kids and all of it is still true). Homeschooling aside, our living out in Changping does not afford us many opportunities to access such amazing, well-maintained sports facilities as there are at the international schools that host our activities. Sure, we do have a public soccer pitch in Changping (that we did not know existed at all during our first four years in Changping), and last year we were permitted to use the law school's improvised baseball space. However, neither of these compare to what we get to use with Sports Beijing.
Additionally, there's the people. Sports Beijing has been able to recruit some fantastic coaches, some of whom are also connected to the international schools, all of whom we would otherwise never get to meet. And both Myles and Brigid have connected with teammates that share their interests that are normal for Western kids but less common with their Changping friends, like Legos and Minecraft.
At this point this post probably comes across as a well-placed advertisement for our sports club. I don't intend that. I do know of people whose experiences with the organization have been less than stellar. However, for our family, it has been nothing short of a godsend. We are too aware that these activities could remain within the closed communities of the international schools, so we are really grateful that Sports Beijing is open to all Beijing families.
Five years ago I wondered if kids' recreational sports leagues were worth the effort on our part. Today, I don't know if we would have found better ways to spend all that time.
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