Lochlan 13th: Five Sports & Silly 67

Lets rolls the dice on sports. While he jumped into 6th grade at the tail end of 11, he also started to spread his wings when came to sports. During his 12th year, Lochlan really put himself out there exploring and embracing some really great sports. While baseball has been his staple for the longest time, he kicked off sixth grade in Cross Country and then he moved into Track & Field during the Spring of his 12th year. He was hooked! Now there was some apprehension, because at the end of cross country, he did proclaim he loved the sport and didn’t want to waste his time with track. Well, I kept reminding him how much he loves to sprint around the track at school, and he jumped into Track & Field whole heartedly. He finished the season making it the league championships. What about baseball you might ask, well we tried the travel ball route for a season and well, the league we chose didn’t really fulfill all the promises they made in their sales pitch in the Winter.

Looking into sports crystal ball, Lochlan got to play rugby several times at Kennolyn during the 2024 summer, and he returned to the sport for a second summer at the Kennolyn. He is hooked. Before he left for summer camp, he did a one week waterpolo camp and fell in love with it right away. Now we have cross country, track and field, waterpolo and rugby in his wheel house of interests. As summer evolved with Summer Camp and a trip to the South. The options we dizzying. While driving through North Carolina and Virginia. I was chatting with him about what his vision was for 7th grade. He wasn’t sure at first what to do, but instead wanted to start school first and then decide.

Fast forward to the kick off to 7th grade, Lochlan was ecstatic about seeing his friends again, and a few days into school we got the news, Lochlan was planning on trying out for the basketball at his middle school. The main reason, several friends planned on trying out. While cross country was his go to this new season in 7th grade, his friends talked him into trying out for Basketball. Lochlan was just as surprised and elated as we were, to see him make the team after three days of tryouts. He also decided right before trying out, to join a local waterpolo team. While basketball had its peaks and valleys, waterpolo is where he found his starting point for sports this new school year.

Waterpolo is a big challenge for 12 to 13 year old, but he had a really great coach that focuses more on teaching the kids how to play, and less on pressuring the kids to win. Winning is great and all, but learning to appreciate and love a sport is how you get kids to stay in the sport. At one of his first tournaments at Independence High, I was reminded of the two amazing coaches who molded me in my early years of swimming. From the age of 7 till I was 13, these two coaches led with kindness and molded all of the swimmers to focus on crafting their skills, not only in the pool but outside of the pool. My hope is this new coach for waterpolo is one of those greats. Lochlan has had a rough road lately in sports, adolescent sports are hyper competitive today but as of today, both Lochlan and his sister Allen have really fought to find a sport that’s grounding and positive. Funny the both found them in the water.

Lochlan had a great first year in middle school. Both him and his sister had a great report card and they both are off to a great start in seventh grade. He’s grasped better studying habits last year and is working hard to keep to these habits. Like many parents who struggle with media and gaming today, controlling your kids urges to skip the homework and jump into a game or watching social media is the new crystal meth.Once you’ve tried it, it’s truly hard to kick. The last two years of elementary school we learned the lesson on controlling these two beasts that are rotting kids brains. We are lucky I am home with them after school, I cannot imaging the struggles working parents have to go through.

Lochlan with his collection of Miles Ritchie artwork. Including her portrait.

Both Lochlan and Allen started last year volunteering with Second Harvest. While their older sister had Girl Scouts for the past 12+ years to help drive the community involvement. I am choosing to have the kids veer away from the organized group options like Scouts, Boy Team Charity & NCL based on my experience with our oldest and how it’s all run. Instead, I am working educating the kids about community involvement and giving back with volunteering. While our oldest was still in Scouts leading into college application process. Filling out those applications, she learned she actually took the basics she learned in scouts and molded them into her personal endeavors. I am hoping the twins will follow the same path.

Like his older sister, Lochlan has knack for Math, but he can be hard on himself in the learning process. His studying skills with math is very similar to his older sister. He’s also taken an interest in history class. I still wish elementary schools had a middle school structure in the later years to prepare them. His interest in history has grown a lot the last year and a half. As summer ended last year, Lochlan shifted gear returning to summer rec swimming with his sister, and probably continue for the foreseeable future. He’s improved so much over the last three years, it shows even now when he swims in the pool during his waterpolo matches. I’ve given him some pointers and we are still working on his underwater stroke for freestyle. I am amazed how technique isn’t taught too much these days in swimming. For now, he’s right where he belongs in technique.

Looking ahead into this 13th year around the sun. Lochlan has so much he wants to work on in sports. I am doing my best to keep him grounded as the year progresses. I kept to my laurels and made sure those younger years were filled with a kids lifestyle. 13 is where all of that changes. The clock has officially started ticking down for getting your child ready/into college (depends on how you look at it) or the adult chapter of life. I could easily say, where did those first 13 years go, but that’s a lie. I remember those years. A lot highs and a few lows to keep me real as a parent. But in it all, watching Lochlan and his sister grow over the past decade plus, has been an adventure in itself. So many people said we were crazy to have twins. Yes, it’s a challenge, but in the end, being there, being present, being aware, and holding their hands when they needed, made it all worth it. I believe that’s true for any kid. Those are hard lessons for any parent to learn.

Lochlan is a really compassionate kid, and while he loves sports. His ability to always bring out his heart in each sport. Whether it’s lifting up teammates as they slowly watch a loss coming their way. Or help turn shit talk in the dugout into positively cheering on a teammate who needs it. Clem and I have the proud parent moment, when we get to hear or see when he does make the right choices. Don’t get me wrong, we all have tempers, and Lochlan, like everyone else, does have a boiling point. Deep down, he truly wants to have a great time, even when this chips are down for him and his team. Lastly, I love how much Lochlan really enjoys team sports. I’ve been very vocal to the twins these past few years, making sure they’re in a sport they love doing. Being a team player vs. an individual is a important topic for me. As much as I loved swimming, I thrived on the individual side of the sport. When it came to relays, my experience shifts. I’ve always been honest with the kids about how sports changes us, sometimes for the good and sometimes they create new struggles. All in all, he’s slowly finding his perfect pattern. We as parents just need to keep checking in and having honest conversations on where they are at.

Sports aside, we love watching Lochlan be goofy and his use of modern day slang and TikTok references. Am I happy they know all this stuff, not really but it’s pretty hilarious to watch he and his friends & sisters goof off. Do I look like I have a huge question mark on my head, when they speaking. YES! But that my problem, and not there’s. I am sure all our parents went through this back when we were young. Heck, they’re still going through it. I think their grandmother is still confused about “67”. I know I am still confused.