Starting to retire

ac12 · Mar 6, 2023

After hobbling off the lacrosse field last week, with my legs and feet HURTING, I decided that I'm too old for shooting high school sports, like I used to.
Maybe ONE game, but NOT TWO (JV + Varsity), and generally LESS shooting.

I talked with the teacher, and for this season I am changing what I do.
I will still go to the games to help and advise the students, but I won't shoot FOR them. IOW, I will not be their "safety net," like I used to be.

terri · Mar 8, 2023

Happens to us all, at one point or another! Sounds like you had fun for many years, doing this. I think it's great that you'll still be involved with the students and staff, just not at the expense of your feet!

smoke665 · Mar 8, 2023

I feel your pain. My brain and body have an ongoing battle. The brain still thinks it's 21, but the body isn't buying it.

ac12 · Mar 8, 2023

smoke665 said:
I feel your pain. My brain and body have an ongoing battle. The brain still thinks it's 21, but the body isn't buying it.

A few years ago I realized that about staying out of trouble.
My head knew what to do to avoid the athletes headed towards me, but my body did not move like it used to. I had a few too many close calls. So, I pushed my safety zone out another 10 yards, and that worked, for a while. But now, when my legs and feet hurt, I move even SLOWER, so I have to be even more careful, or just stop shooting some games.

Well, I proved to myself that I can still shoot high school sports. So that question was satisfied, and I've had fun.

Now I'm planning my gradual exit. And switch from shooting to teaching.
I started my YouTube channel, to teach the students how to shoot sports, just in time.

smoke665 · Mar 8, 2023

@ac12 age is a tremendous waste of experience. For many years my "other hobby" was as a Volunteer Fire & 1st Responder. Over the years it brought me great satisfaction. Unfortunately at 65 I had to make the painful decision to come off active calls, because even though I thought I was still in good shape, I couldn't put others in danger if I wasn't. I still serve as an advisory member, but it's not the same.

ac12 · Mar 8, 2023

smoke665 said:
@ac12 age is a tremendous waste of experience. For many years my "other hobby" was as a Volunteer Fire & 1st Responder. Over the years it brought me great satisfaction. Unfortunately at 65 I had to make the painful decision to come off active calls, because even though I thought I was still in good shape, I couldn't put others in danger if I wasn't. I still serve as an advisory member, but it's not the same.

Yes, that is one reason I decided to make the YouTube videos.
If I could not be in class to teach, the students could watch the videos.
Although as you know, nothing can beat hands on training, because the student has feedback.

What surprised me is how fast the deterioration was. I thought it would be slower.
Shooting 2017-2019, was easy. And I shot MANY games. Sequential games were easy.
Then things went downhill starting with the 2020-21 year. Slow at first, or maybe I was ignoring the signs.

I will miss the fun of shooting.