From ballerina to rugby star

It was with surprise and, if I’m honest, perhaps some dismay, that I learned Miss Five was keen to join her brothers in playing rugby this year. She had never shown any interest before and, having signed her up to ballet at the age of three, I thought I had my little ballerina in the making.

Rugby is their dad’s domain and, after returning from practice one evening, I got the full report from Master Eight as to his siblings’ progress.

Miss Five scoring her first try!

Apparently Miss Five was better than Master Five and she scored a try at practice.

I found this hard to believe as I hadn’t even seen her pick up a ball, being the type to prefer consuming chips and fizz on the side line.

And at their first game last Saturday this judgment was looking to ring true. She wasn’t quite ‘picking daisies’ but she spent a good part of the first half prancing around smiling and waving for the camera and chatting to her fellow pig-tailed team mate at the back of the pack, than focusing on the game.

But after consuming the oranges at half time – the highlight after the lollies at the end of the game – she threw a curve ball.

Well actually she wasn’t throwing any ball. She got hold of it, tucked it under her arm and ran for it. She ran nearly the length of the field, fending off the boys along the way, before scoring a try at the end.

Alright, she did go outside the line but, in true fair nursery grade-style, she was awarded the try.

Miss Five was proud as punch.

So was I.

That was it for her – she’d done her dash and went back to skipping and hopping around the field.

I should mention here, just to be even, that her brother, now in his second season and therefore a ‘veteran’ of the team, scored the first two tries for their side, and their older brother, in his first non-ripper rugby year, did some exceptional tackles (and a few head-highs).

Anyone who’s been a spectator at a junior rugby game will know these are a great source of entertainment with tiny tots taking off in wrong directions and continuing to make a dash toward the wrong try line, despite their parents’ anguished, yet amused cries of “Other way!”

There comes a time when you ask yourself if it’s more important to try in vain to get that perfect cute shot and miss the moment or put away your camera and live in the actual moment. I eventually put away my iphone but couldn’t resist pulling it out again when Miss Five came running past with the ball. After-all I already had plenty of the boys from previous seasons and this was her first.

That evening I looked at a photo of my three-year-old ballet princess in her tutu and then at her five-year-old self staunching it out on the rugby field and I saw my dreams slipping away.

But I have to admit to feeling admiration for her participating in a sport that I was too timid to try, and proud enough to share her picture on Facebook and with you.