By Lauri Hennessey

The first sport one of our kids played was in 2001. It was my oldest in youth soccer. Since then, between soccer (three times), football, baseball, softball, basketball (three times), volleyball and tennis, in the past 17 years, I figure we have watched more than 1,000 games. And my husband and I both coached sports along the way. So that’s a lot of orange slices. A lot of parent meetings. A lot of coffees in commuter mugs and sports photos.

And now it feels like it is all winding down.

Our youngest is on the VHS football team, and Friday was the home opener (as well as the opening of our beautiful new field). I looked around at many families who I have sat beside for years now and found myself wondering, “What will I do when this is over?”

So as I begin this last year before the “empty nest” and get ready to hang up our sports-parent cleats, I find myself mulling over lessons learned along the way

• You have to fight the instinct to mother your kids in sports. This one is incredibly hard. I have vivid memories of my kids not getting the playing time I expected and how utterly hard that was. But then I remember: It is really just sports. It is supposed to be fun. Most of the kids on Vashon don’t go on to play college sports, let alone professionally. But the vast majority are just doing this to have fun and make friends. That means you have to back off and just watch them play.

• Not all kids love sports competition. Our oldest often jokes about how much sports drove our family over the years and that it left her out of the mix. She found her sweet spot in musical theater. Sports can be a bit overwhelming and drive a family around their schedule. If your kids don’t enjoy it, make an effort to find something else to do with them. I found time with my “non-sports” daughter doing musicals together. And I am so glad I did.

• Sports can give kids amazing life lessons. Our middle child has asthma. She also chose to play basketball all the way through 12th grade. This created plenty of times when she battled colds or struggled to breathe during basketball season (cursedly during cold season, as it happens). But facing physical challenges made her stronger. And yep, it was hard for me to watch from the sidelines when she struggled to breathe.

• Praise the coaches and refs. Coaches have an incredibly hard job. And they are usually volunteering. Reffing is another tough job. And all of our sports organizations on the island are run by volunteer boards. I have coached and volunteered with Vashon Island Junior Basketball and Vashon Youth Baseball and Softball. My husband has been involved with Vashon Island Soccer Club. In fact, he loved coaching so much, when my son “grew past him,” Bob decided to keep at it. He is now coaching fifth grade girls in soccer and having the time of his life. I had forgotten how much time it takes — the games, the practices, the planning. If your child plays a sport, thank the coach.

It’s funny. I wrote a newspaper column 18 years ago about taking our oldest to kindergarten. I called it “the first good-bye” and observed that I was sure this kindergarten drop-off was the first of many more good-byes to come. I was sure it would all fly by. And you know, I was right. I blinked, and she graduated from high school. We have gone through it twice now (and one college graduation already). We have one more high school graduation ahead of us this spring. I am sure it will be here in a heartbeat. And I do feel like I blinked.

As I sat watching the Pirates the other night, I noticed one of the lights was off on the field. I found out from my friends that it is an osprey nest and the birds had returned before the game, so they left the light off during the game. And I realized something: Of course there would be an osprey nest next to the new field. Why? Because it is so utterly symbolic of our island’s ties to nature? Sure, but there is more. It reminds us of how parents watch over their young as they slowly grow up on this island, including playing sports. And finally, in the end, the nest reminds us birds will fly away.

The last home game of the football season will be Senior Night, when the parents come out and wish the kids well for one last time. It’s a beloved tradition on the island and a way for parents to hang up their cleats after the years of carpooling and orange slices. We went through it with our daughter, and I remember thinking, “Wow, this is tough. At least we get to do it once more.” Then I blinked.

I will be there on parents night. And I will be appreciating every beautiful moment while I can. I hope you are doing that too, whatever sport your child is going out to play.

— Lauri Hennessey is the vice president of engagement for Woodland Park Zoo and a former Beachcomber columnist. She is also a football mom.