JENNY'S FORWARD PASS

"The Coast Salish peoples had longhouses 600 feet in length. That's about two football fields long. For those of you not from the US, that's about two football fields long."

--Seattle walking-tour guide

Dylan dashes upfield in a match against San Diego State in early 2025

Ever since she was a kid, Jenny enjoyed watching gridiron football. Just as this enthusiasm was influenced by her father, Jenny passed along her fascination with the sport to her kids. Yes, growing up in the United States, Dylan and Tyler would have, in all likelihood, grown up to be football fans. But, Jenny fostered this passion by taking the initiative to sign up the boys for flag football when they were barely old enough to read. She encouraged them to coach, which they did at local elementary schools. And, just as some might have an annual Christmas or Halloween party, Jenny would organize a Super Bowl party for her boys. Jenny saw so much good in football for Dylan and Tyler. The social development, physical fitness, earning money through teaching (coaching in this case), a way to de-stress, strategic thinking...

Jenny greets the boys after a hard-fought win against Santa Rita in October 2016

Dylan would go on to play football for his high school his senior year, during the fall of 2022. Being able to watch him, even if he was on the sidelines, was by far the greatest gift given to me during that worst year of my life. During that fall, in addition to mourning the passing of my wife, my dad had just passed away, I was raising a puppy, I needed to adjust to raising two boys on my own, I had the stress of trying to survive my eighth round of layoffs during my 23 year career at work and supported my kids through the college application process. Those Friday nights--whether Mountain View High played home or away--gave me my only respite from it all.

Tyler is the part-time general manager of my fantasy NFL football team. He is always so dedicated to everything he is doing. And, most of what he is doing is outside of his life with me (as it should be). So, I need to treasure every second I can get with him. Football has been giving the two of us a chance to talk, smile, scream, cuss, bond and just take a break from life.

Swarmed by Hornets in a February 2025 match against Sacramento State, Dylan plows forward

Contrary to popular belief, "football" got its name not because there is kicking involved. But, because it is a game played on foot, as opposed to a game played on horseback. In the nineteenth century, English schools began formalizing the different games of football: There was soccer, rugby and American football. Jenny also introduced the first of these two to the boys. She signed them up for AYSO, where they started playing as kindergarteners. A few years later, she signed them up for a local youth rugby club. Though they would play in organized soccer for another five years, the sport didn't stick with the boys. However, rugby did stick with Dylan.

In a battle between ranked teams in early 2025, Dylan escapes a tackle against Santa Clara University. Notice in he's wearing a bracelet on his right wrist. It was a resort's pool admission bracelet from December 2021. It was his last vacation with Jenny and he wears it to commemorate her.

Dylan now plays rugby for UCSB, where he got his first start last year at flanker. This season, which is just getting started, he's starts at lock. I honestly don't know what that really means. But, I looked it up and it seems that it's a power position. In the last post I finished with a teaser where I said that Dylan came up north on his birthday. This allowed me to see both him and Tyler, though separately, on that special day. Well, it's because his team was visiting St. Mary's. Although they got edged out by the Gaels, who are ranked eighth nationally, the UCSB squad did beat USC earlier this season. The Gauchos finished last season ranked 21st in Division 1, a historic performance. Jenny would have been so proud!