The Few, the Proud

Sometimes, I wonder what came first with Clare, her athleticism or her character.  Or did the one influence the other?

I ask because I was watching a little college football yesterday—Northwestern in bad uniforms playing even worse—when a commercial came on for the Marines.  When recruiters descended on Morton West High School, Clare always liked the physical challenges they might throw at her.  Oh, you want me to do pushups?  How many?  What kept her from putting her name on the dotted line, I have no idea.  I think she liked her mother’s cooking too much to enlist.

Still, Clare goes about life the way an Army Ranger or Marine would—identify problem, devise solution, implement.  If unsuccessful, repeat.  Not all of Clare’s teammates in high school and college were that way, but there were enough to make me think a real link exists between athletics and the military.  Not every jock joins the military, but everyone in the armed forces seems to have been a jock early on in their lives.  I was an honors’ student all through high school and college.  Trust me, there were precious few military types in liberal arts’ classes.

What I really find interesting is that my daughter is a little left of center politically.  In the two presidential elections where she’s been eligible to vote (and liberal-arts’ Daddy insists that she does), Clare has gone Democrat.  Maybe this will change, or not.  The one constant will be that athlete’s competitiveness.  Clare believes in a level playing field for all.  And, if it is, look out for the girl with fire in her eyes.  How many, again?