Longer ago than I care to remember, there was a television program, perhaps an early Bravo number, featuring a Palm Beach man who was, in season, a "walker", an unpaid, not for benefits, escort for women who are single, available or who's husbands just want to stay home. I saw that as a perfect Plan B for my life.
I'd probably screw up a bit at first, but I like to dress up, know what fork to use, and can banter with the best. Finding the mentor would probably prove tough. Now, at the height of my powers, I'm too long in the tooth, and my taste for the nightlife fading.
What I remember most of all from the program is that a good walker needs a great bag. My genuine, necessary for PB, great bag arrived, albeit years too late, over the weekend.
Several weeks ago the blogging world fell quiet as frequent visitor, the irrepressible Jane Schott, The Empress of the Eye vacationed in St. Barth's. While there she picked up a lot of great photos and several really cool reusable shopping bags, which she promptly gave away to lucky readers of her regular peak at life on the other side of the tracks. I was one of the lucky ones.
Only the French would think the problem through enough to include the necessary interior straps to hold wine bottles.
Many thanks Jane, and those that do not yet follow this dear woman, do so now.
II. The Observation
Locked in a car with nothing but time and a Sunday paper I tend to find things to speculate about. Hopefully, Preppy Player and many of the women who play lacrosse, have played, did play, or have daughters who did likewise can help me to understand something, please.
In Sunday's Kansas City Star were 2 articles. Front page led with the story of a high school lad whose death resulted from repeated head injuries incurred playing the game he loved. The second highlighting how lacrosse, especially for younger grades and girls has finally become widespread in KC. The boys game was described as being about power and contact while the girls was more about strategy and finesse. The story then adds:
"Boys wear protective equipment mainly on their upper body — gloves, helmets, mouth guards, light shoulder and arm pads — and wear shorts and cleats on their lower extremities. They look like warriors who are only half-dressed.
Girls dress differently. Their game stresses finesse and is much less physical. They wear no helmets or pads, but do wear distinctive, bug-eye goggles and mouth guards. They look like warriors, too. But because of the goggles, warriors in an insect war.
However well the girls finesse lacrosse, it's still a fast moving fight to the finish. Why no helmets, why no pads? Should girls coaches rethink the helmet rule? Just wondering.
Toad
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9 comments:
Truman Capote was a walker, I think you'd be great! The increasing distaste for nightlife is a problem though.
The bag is great precisely because of the bottle straps. The Brookside Cosentino's should take a lesson.
Lacrosse does seem more widespread than back in my day. The boys across the street are out playing catch most days. Sometimes I find a ball in the yard. I throw it back in their yard even though I always think Alex might enjoy it.
That is odd, softball players are required to wear facemasks on their batting helmets, but not baseball players. You would think the eqipment would be more not less.
I am on the board of directors of my community's youth lacrosse program, so I have some understanding of this. The men's game and the women's game are actually very different games, each with it's own set of rules. There is no checking in the women's game, very different than the men's game. Face-offs are different. The sticks are different. Girls do wear eye protection, which is granted a recent change. I can assure you that US Lacrosse, the governing body of the sport is extremely safety conscious. Check out there website at www.lacrosse.org for more info.
Sorry have to disagree with Anon.
There is checking in girl's and women's lacrosse, although with different rules than the boys/men.
The head on the stick is slightly different than the boy's sticks excepting the long sticks used by defense in the boy's game.
I firmly believe that helmets should be added to girl's lacrosse and according to a recent piece in The New York times it is being considered.
I am at all the top girl's tournaments in the country, my one daughter plays on a high school level in NJ and my other played in College. I have seen many injuries and gashs to the head.
And there are A LOT of concussions too. Mostly from errant balls, accidental stick checks.
It is a fast game, with a hard fast ball.
So, Toad. I believe your instincts are correct- let's give the girls some helmets!
I don't have a dog in this hunt, but I have spent enough time watching girls field hockey to know that things can go wrong very quickly.
I think I was struck by the juxtaposition of the 2 stories. One with a helmet died of his injuries the other wasn't going to get pads or a helmet.
I am willing to suspend disbelief for a second and offer two thoughts.
1. I (bold, caps) believe all involved are working in the best interests of the kids.
2. When I was pup, hockey goalies didn't wear masks, until a grizzled old pro (Jacques Plante?)put one on. Wasn't long before every goalie wore one. Maybe it's the parents responsibility to put their girls in hats.
Fire away
I was referring to the body checking that occurs in the men's game not stick checking as does occur in the women's game (my mistake for not being clear). Body and stick contact are an integral part of the men's game, whereas contact to the head or body is illegal in women's lacrosse. My point was merely that the games are very different in many regards and girls lacrosse generally has very good safety record in comparison to other sports. That is not to say that it is injury free (I am not aware of too many sports that are). The girls rules do permit soft headgear. The main protector for concussion prevention is actually the mouthguard, not the helmet. The main purpose of the helmet is to prevent skull fractures. As I indicated in my prior post, US Lacrosse continues to study issues of safety in lacrosse, but to date has concluded that the use of the hard helmet used in the boys game could ultimately be a greater danger than a help because of the significant difference in the rules of play for the two games.
Toad I know you would be great as a gent escorting women in need of a companion, for well, many needs.
I was one of the fortunate to receive this beautiful bag I was so excited to open the package!!
Lastly the girls should have just as much protection as the boys in the game!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Come and enter my New Giveaway from Serena & Lily! You will love it!
I played girls' lacrosse back in high school. When I started (mid-90's) we didn't even wear goggles. I suppose my daughter will think I played back in the stone age, just like the football players with no helmets!
I too played Varsity Lacrosse in HS (the first women's team actually). As some commenters have noted, the major difference between men's & women's lacrosse is that women's is non-contact. From the style of stick work to the actual equipment the game is very different for m vs. w.
If women wore helmets, it would be like baseball players wearing helmets in the field. Odd, right?
I wonder if they still wear wool kilts. That's what we played in.
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