Billy is kicking butt and taking names

The taekwondo season officially started in September with the Kicks for Cancer event and Tournament of Champions meet.  Then we had a quite weekend trip to Chicago for tournament, Olympic Sparring camp in Orlando and the South Dakota Invitational in Sioux Falls. We have been busy!!

This is Billy's last year as a cadet (age 12-14) and he's (finally) growing! (we bought him new pants in September that are already too short).  Everyone is noticing his voice has changed and he's getting a little surly around the edges (wears headphones all the time, hates to shower, drinking a gallon of chocolate milk a day ...you know ... the typical teenage boy stuff)  He's now 99 lbs and just cleared 5 ft tall. You go Billy!

This is all great news because next year he'll compete in juniors (15-17) and he needs all the momentum he can get!  (you compete in the age group that you'll be in by 12/31 of that year. Sort of a drag for Billy since he's a mid December birthday)

His fighting continues to be strategic and intentional and could use a bit more aggression. His pomsea (forms) is precise and controlled.  He consistently takes a place and is good about learning from his mistakes and losses. He loves his teammates and they have a ton of fun.

We'll let the photos and videos speak for themselves....

We love you Billy, continue to do what you love!! We love you!!

Tournament of Champions 1
Golden Point - 1st person to score within 1 minute wins - Billy lost in the last 2 seconds
Sioux Falls Pomsea 
Sioux Falls Sparring 1
Sioux Falls Sparring 2
Chicago Pomsea

Chilling and doing homework in Orlando

Tournament of Champions silver 

Ashley and Billy both take 2nd in Chicago

No one else showed up for awards so ... why NOT stand on the 1st place block?!

Getting some kicks in with Coach Moreno in Orlando

Peak Orlando Camp

The 3 stooges lunch in Orlando

Reliving his childhood, Carrabarra for dinner the night before Sea World

Peak camp is tiring

Sea World!!  Another reliving of childhood

Luckily it was warm enough to get wet

Drenched

Sharks head

Very loud and assertive sea lions

He was so bummed that he couldn't ride the mini Shamu ride over and over and over and over like he did when he was 5

Inside the aquarium

Isaac and Billy were roomies for South Dakota

Gold in pomsea in SD

The team for SD

3rd in sporting SD - these were tough matches

Gold and Bronze in SD

Relaxing post SC fights and pre-reunion dinner

Reunion!! Ian, Grace and Billy - They had an amazing time hanging out, playing cards and video games post Billys tournament in SD

Brock is just plain awesome - he'll be a black belt one day

Yep, Billy went as a box for Halloween. He made it himself....

Football 2018 in Review

Starting in February Jimmy began one on one trying at The Base Sports Performance Center.

Monday-Friday 2 hours a day strength and condition and speed and agility, intense football focused work out, he never missed a day for 4 months. He started the summer football camp circuit at 6.2 and 215lbs.

There were several camps including the Team USA, Sound Mind and Sound Body, 2 Gophers, the Badgers, and Bemidji State rounded off the camps. They were all fun, focused and all about recruiting. Jimmy's take away from the camps was that he must have been doing pretty good if each coach he worked with wanted to follow Jimmy on Twitter .

Team summer practice was run mostly by the Captains/ Seniors with the coach only being able to attend a certain number of days, and of course Jimmy was the first one there and the last one to leave, every single day. The team then ended the summer preseason with a trip to South Dakota for a weekend football camp. Hopkins has never done well in these camps and historically finishes in last place. There are usually 5 or 6 teams that go through a series of drills, skills and games. This year Hopkins came in first! Jimmy and the team were beyond excited.

Two a days began the second week of August. Jimmy was practicing on both sides of the ball. On offense he was in the tight end spot and slot receiver and on defense left end and outside linebacker. Needless to say he was having a ball. Then in the last week of practice he got his finger caught in a kids shoulder pad and broke his finger. He was in a cast for two weeks and was cleared to play with a cast. Once we got through that same set back he was good to go and go he did.

The games were all somewhat the same meaning...the team that made the least mistakes won. Jimmy has several catches for big yards and first downs and blocked for just about everyone.

He was very focussed and involved in each game. He led the team onto the field, he ran to the crowd to get them into the game and stood first in line at each and every game, home and away and sang the Star Spangled Banner, every time.

The best part for us as parents is that he still has to come home from the game win or loose and explain the entire game to us, he can't go to bed with the debriefing, it is awesome.  He continues to be extremely passionate about football but at least we can get him out of the car when they lose (vs in 4th grade when he'd cry in the car for hours).

Melanie (girlfriend) would come to many of the games and cheer on Jimmy - they are pretty cute.

So what's next, College visits. So far the University of South Dakota (SDSU) invited Jimmy out for a game day experience. We toured the new stadium, practice facilities and were on the field before the game. The school had all his films and stats and even had him take a picture in a JackRabbits jersey that just happened to be the same number he wore at Hopkins, coincidence, I think not! We have heard back from St. Thomas, St Johns and are waiting a a few others. He's sent his info to Drake, Baylor, Davidson and the University of Dayton. He's looking for a school where he can play football, study political science and jazz. This spring will be busy. Currently he is focussing on weight training and studying for the ACT.
We are proud of him and his accomplishments this Junior year!  He's definitely got goals and is focused. He's got the world by the tail right now;)
More to come....

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