The END of the David Lloyd

Today we had the car all loaded for a very early start as me and Joshua were going to head over to the Carpenters for our very first car boot sale. We were hoping to sell a load of old baby stuff that we no longer need and in the process pocket some money for our forthcoming holiday. However when the alarm went off at 6am it was raining quite hard so we aborted the plan and will try again next week.

 

So this morning we went and visited Auntie Lisa at her Laboratory art studio in Wat Tyler Park so that the boys could do some craft activities. They had loads of fun making owl frames, sand models, football boots, badges and so on. Even Holly got involved and did a little drawing with some stickers. 

 

Brandon painting his owl frame.

Big girl Holly making her sticker art.

Joshua working on some sand models.

Auntie Lisa getting Holly involved in some art activities at such a young age.

Looking good.

My boys enjoying there time at the art studio.

Holly seemed to find more enjoyment out of tipping all of the pencils out of the pot and then putting them back.

 

After lunch we made our very final family visit to the David Lloyd so that I could have a workout whilst the kids were in the play area, then we all went swimming followed by a little bit of badminton. We have been members for over 15 years and it is almost like a second home for the 3 kids. They are all so comfortable and familiar with the surroundings there and thoroughly enjoy spending time there. All 3 of them have learnt to swim at the David Lloyd as we have taken each one of them almost weekly ever since they were 8-10 weeks old. Needless to say it was a very hard decision to make for us to hand in our notice to cancel the membership 3 months ago.

 

Ultimately the cost of the David Lloyd family membership has just got so ridiculous and I have also since discovered Crossfit Rayleigh where I have started training. So in the end it was a simple financial decision as for me to join Rayleigh and then to take the kids swimming at the Sporting Village each week will probably save us somewhere around £100 a month.

 

Anyway we enjoyed our final day there and made the most of the facilities, but it was also somewhat sad to leave there for the very last time. I sneaked my underwater camera into the pool as I wanted to get a few shots of Holly in the pool to shown how she does he upright leg pedal swimming. I am not sure these pictures really show how effective she is, but I did also take a good little video clip.

 

Holly manoeuvres in the pool in an upright position kicking her legs like she is riding a bike.



Her buoyancy jacket gives her enough buoyancy to keep her head just above the water.



And she is off.........



Photo bombed by a diving Joshua.



Her little head is just about kept above water level as she swims upright around the pool.



Holly chasing a ball around the pool.



Our final visit to Basildon David Lloyd, not sure who will miss it more out of me or the kiddies.



The sad walk back to the car.

 

Chelsea Football Club Tournament

So after mine and Joshua's long day out at Leyton Orient and the Olympic Park, Brandon had the pleasure of going to the Chelsea training ground in Cobham for an U6's tournament. It was a bit last minute as I am not sure his coach really wanted to include him in the team which is such a shame. Given the approach his coach takes with the kids and the way they are being developed (or not as the case is) I would have considered not letting Brandon go to this tournament. However as it was such a great experience to go to Chelsea then I figured he should make the most of the opportunity.

 

However as a parent and a coach I found myself in a position where I gave Brandon some extremely bad advice for playing in today's game and the reason I did this is because his coach is clueless and is looking for one thing only - wins/goals. Mini soccer is supposed to be non competitive and the result/winning is not supposed to be the important. Instead coaches should focus on developing the kids equally in all positions and letting them have fun. Brandon's coach however seems to reward and prefer players who A) don't act as a team and never pass, B) shoot at every possible opportunity and C) upend every player with hard tackles even if you miss the ball. So as much as I disagree with the coaches philosophy, I advised Brandon to play exactly this way today as its the only chance he has of being noticed and getting time on the pitch. Such a shame really.

 

I am now scheduled to meet with the club chairman next weekend to discuss the U6's and what can be done to improve the situation at our club because to be honest I do not want Brandon playing under this coach for next season. So who knows, at the moment a lot of people are asking for me to take on the U6's as well, but I just don't see how I can run an U7's and an U6's team.

 

Brandon at Chelsea Football Club wearing his Chelsea foundation top.

Nanny would have been proud of the little guy today. She would have loved to have gone and watched.

Poor Holly getting dragged around yet another football tournament, but she looks happy.

Chaos as players go down everywhere leaving Brandon on the ball.

Brandon getting back to do some defending.

Nice action shot of Brandon on the ball.

Brandon and RJ on the attack.

Brandon fending off the opposition.

He is growing in confidence with his football and really starting to enjoy the games.

Getting stuck in there for a challenge.

A lunging slide tackle, straight from the books of FIFA15.

Cool dude Brandon with his Chelsea certificate.

Now he has the Forest Glade presentation day and more Chelsea training to look forward to next Saturday.

The Orbit - Olympic Park

After the Leyton Orient Pro Club Experience earlier today, me and Joshua had some time on our hands as Tina, Brandon and Holly were still at the Cobham Chelsea training ground. So we decided to jump off the train at Stratford and have a walk around the Olympic Park. It has certainly changed a lot since we were last there for the Anniversary Games. They had a large fun fair which I thought Joshua would jump at the chance of going on, however he said no as he wanted to go to the top of the Orbit.

 

So we got some tickets and then made our way up to the top of the UK's largest sculpture. I have to say it is much larger and much higher when you are there than what it looks like when you drive past. Joshua loved the view as we looked out over London and down at all the activities going on in the Olympic Park below us. On the second floor they even had a kids activity event going on with a "Wally" search plus some colouring activities and some "Wally" story telling. I think we must have spent a good hour at the top of the sculpture and even then I had to price Joshua away.

 

Then came the tiring bit. After spending all day on our feet at a football tournament we had to descend the 455 steps of the Orbit to get back to the bottom. So around, and around, and around we went.....

 

The Orbit sculpture in the Olympic Park.

 

View of the old Olympic Stadium. I think we will be spending a lot more time here as it will soon be the home ground of Westham United.

Joshua at the top of the sculpture.

View across London looking towards the Gerkin.

View looking out over Canary Wharf.

View looking down at the Olympic swimming pool.

We head down to level 1 where the Wally activities were going on.

Me and Joshua messing around with a funny mirror.

Wheres Wally?

Finally we made the 455 steps and got back down to the bottom of the sculpture.

No Joshua, we are not climbing back up.

A view looking back up the Orbit, much larger than you think when you get up close to it.

Me and Joshua had a great day out with the Leyton Orient and then the Orbit. But with some tired legs it was time to head back to Stratford and get our train back home to finish our adventure for the day.



Leyton Orient Pro Club Experience

We are now in full swing with the football tournament season and this weekend has been no exception to the rule. Joshua was over at Leyton Orient's ground for a Pro Club Experience and Brandon was at the Chelsea training ground for another tournament. The Leyton Orient event was our first 7-a-side tournament and as we could not get enough players available we decided to mix 5 of our Leopards and 5 of our Tigers together. We only managed to get one training session with this mixed team and they had no experience of 7-a-side so we went in to this tournament with low expectations.

 

To make things fare we called the mixed tame "The Forest Glade Wildcats" and they certainly didn't disappoint. The team really jelled together well and our fears that the Tigers and Leopards would not mix together were soon quashed. The newly formed Wildcats had a phonomenal tournament winning all 3 of their games (3-0, 3-0 and 2-1) to finish the tournament undefeated. All the parents and coaches were extremely proud.

 

The Pro Experience was great for the kids as they got to go in the Leyton Orient changing rooms, enter the pitch from the players tunnel, they had their names on the souvenir program book and then ultimately play on the Leyton Orient ground in front of the audience in the stands. Truly amazing experience for the kids.

 

Joshua arrives at the Matchroom Stadium all ready for his Pro Club Experience.

Inside the Leyton Orient changing room.

Getting prepared to make his big entrance through the player tunnel.

The Wildcats ready to run out on the pitch.

Joshua messing around with his team mates on a physio bench.

Joshua at the Leyton Orient ground.

That's a bigger pitch than the boys usually play on.

Team Wildcats, L-R: (back) Alfie, Alex, Owen, Ethan, Darcy, Joshua. (front) Ryan, Charlie, Evan and Jake.

The Wildcats celebrating after winning their 3rd match having fought back from being 1-0 down.

 

The event took place on the same day as Arsenal beat Aston Villa 4-0 to win the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, a record 12th win for the Gunners. However before Arsenal got the lift that trophy our Wildcats all got to have their picture taken with it.

 

Joshua with his winning medal and the FA Cup trophy.

Team Wildcats with their winning medals and a team trophy.

Joshua with his trophy and medal, a good days work.

 

Finally hear are a few pictures of Joshua that were taken by the event photographer. We ended up buying the picture with the FA Cup.

 

Josh demonstrating a good side foot pass.

Joshua making a run.

Joshua in open play.

Josh loved this picture of him with the FA Cup so we ended up buying it for him.