Landon Football

Landon is number 2 and is a left tackle and a defensive lineman (did I get that right?)




Landon is playing his first year of tackle football. This has been anticipated (and practiced) since toddler-hood. Of course Rustin had NOOOO part to play in that line of thinking...

Dallin is missing this season with his cast. His coaches said they were totally looking forward to having bookends on the line. Bummer...


Rustin and I were both really surprised at the intensity of the practices this year--2 1/2 hours to 3 hours every day. They work until they are dripping with sweat and they run until they can barely put one foot in front of the other. Then they do it just one more time. I have seen Landon reach down in himself and do that one more push up when I could see that he was almost past his breaking point.

I guess this is why people play sports. This is where character development starts. I can see that really working hard is an important skill to develop. I kills me to watch though. The linemen always have to stay and work for an extra twenty minutes when they are already about to tears. ("The line is the engine of the team...") I know in the long run it will pay off whether they win or not.

Landon has Osgood-Schlatter disease in his knees. It basically occurs in a rapidly growing kid and it involves a painful bony growth at the very top of the shin bone. We were told he wouldn't get better if he didn't rest the leg but he really really wanted to play. So we have been doing some exercises given to us by the physical therapist (and a lot of ibuprofen) and quite a few prayers and he seems to be doing better now than he was at the beginning of the season. They have their first big game tomorrow so we'll have to write about that later.

Benson puts on the pads and jersey every chance he gets. He steals it out from its hiding spot under Landon's bed.


He said to me in the car "Mom, I'm going to be the guy that runs." He has obviously been listening to his dad and brothers talk about positions. He already labels himself as a runner--which he seems to be. He is made out of a different mold from the other boys. We can't wait to see how he grows. One of the joys of being parents.