Tompkins Weekly

Four boys, four teams keep the Watts family moving



There was a lot of activity on the athletic fields above the schools Thursday afternoon.

The girls’ modified soccer team was playing Groton on the top level, and the girls’ varsity soccer team was winding up its practice on the lower one.
In the middle, on Sobus Field, the boys’ varsity soccer team was taking on Union Springs – Port Byron.

The cross country team wound their way among them all.

There were about 80 cars in the parking lot, parents picking up players or dropping them off or going to watch a game.

The two cars that never seem to leave belong to Tom and Cara Watts and their four boys.

Connor, an 11th-grader, is a defender for the varsity soccer team; Charlie, a 10th-grader, plays center midfield for the junior varsity; Carter, who is in seventh grade, plays right wing on the modified squad; and Christopher, who is 4 years old, “mostly picks grass between goals” for the Lansing Recreation Department’s kindergarten team, his mother said.

Cara is an assistant teacher at The Robin’s Nest PreSchool, and Tom is the assistant superintendent at The George Jr. Republic Union Free School District.

“Game Day” for them begins with a parental conference call when Cara returns home from work at 1 p.m.

“I ask ‘where am I supposed to be and who am I picking up?’” Tom said.

The schedule is kept on a calendar hung on the kitchen door.

“Every game is on it,” Cara said. “There’s no room for practices. And there are notes like ‘buy bagels,’ ‘team pictures’ and ‘team dinner’ and when we are signed up to do something. I guess there are a couple of doctor’s appointments on there, too.”

When they wrote it all down at the beginning of the year, it seemed daunting, Cara said.

“But we work it out every day,” she said. “We have a game every day for six weeks straight starting at the beginning of the school year. Monday through Friday and sometimes on Saturday. This weekend, I think that there is a varsity and a modified game on Saturday.”

Sometimes, the games are at the same time, Tom said.

“It’s easier when they are in the same direction or no one has an away game,” he said. “The other night, though, the varsity was away at Whitney Point and the modified team was here.”

That’s when the parents go from playing zone to man-to-man.
Tom works in Freeville and goes to games in Groton, Dryden, Marathon and Whitney Point. Cara covers “this side of the lake” from Lansing.

“We all go to the Trumansburg game,” Cara said. “That’s a night game, and they are fun.”

The end of soccer season only means the beginning of basketball.
Once again, Connor plays varsity, Charlie for the J.V. team and Carter for the modified squad.

And then there is “concert season.” The three older boys all play the cello, and Carter is in the chorus.

“We don’t go home during concert season,” Cara said. “It’s just like soccer – we go from one game to the next and then we can go home.”

And in the spring? Connor runs track, Charlie plays golf, and Carter is thinking track.

At home, there is a soccer goal in the front yard and mounds of equipment in the laundry room.

“My house smells so bad,” Cara said. “No amount of Febreze is enough. I beg them to leave their soccer bags in the garage. It’s the equipment that’s the worst – shin guards and soccer shoes.”

Mornings are a free-for-all, according to Tom.

“Where are my socks? What color are we wearing? Is it long sleeves or short? The bus is coming!” Tom reenacted.

It’s not as hectic as it seems, Cara said.

“They are getting better,” Cara said. “I said to them ‘look, so much is going on that you have to have responsibility for your own things.’”

The new phone app “Schedule Galaxy” helps a lot, Tom and Cara agreed.

“The parent liaisons do a great job,” Tom said. “Fundraisers, photos. Still, we’ve ordered the wrong things for the wrong team.”

“We tell them to take it to school and sort it out there,” Cara said.

All the chaos and driving and planning and time is worth it to the Watts.

“It’s a chance for them to do something,” Tom said. “To be part of a team, it’s the best experience for them. They can play whatever they want.”
“We were kind of happy when they decided they didn’t like hockey, though,” Cara said.

They are not alone – by halftime, there were nearly 120 cars in the parking lot.

In brief:

Adult Rec Programs

Lansing Parks and Recreation are hosting adult recreation programs this fall to include cardio step, strength and stretch, West Coast swing dancing and co-ed volleyball. For more information, please go to lansingrec.recdesk.com/Community/Home.

Trunk or Treat

The time is now to register your trunk for the Town of Lansing’s annual “Trunk or Treat Night” Oct. 31 in the Town Hall parking lot. The deadline for registration is Oct. 22. For more information, e-mail lovetageesey@gmail.com or pick up a registration form at the Town Hall.

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