Water Polo JOs Summary

Last hurrah JOs for Connor - 18s.
Benny playing 14s.
Stanford, CA

Left Avery at home cuz she's working (lifeguard at La Costa) for the summer.

Connor - 18s
Came in ranked 21, championship level. Finished 18th, platinum (top) division.
Day 1, 2nd game. vs. Vanguard Red (basically the Mater Dei team from OC)
Seeded #4 in the tournament.
Playing them tough, up a couple in the first half.  Then Vanguard starts coming back. We up 9-6, then 9-7, then 9-8 and then a 5m on us, they tie it 9-9. Can't buy a goal on our side.
Less than a minute left, we all timeout, setup a play, teams event.
We draw a 5m !!! Graham takes it, scores!  We WIN. Huge upset. Vanguard stunned.

Day 2, first game, now we're playing #5 in the country - Lamorinda, at Avery Aquatic Center.  So very cool, great way to finish out career getting to play there.
Hanging in there, down by a couple most of first half, then tied 5-5 at half. Lamo is a bit stunned.
With about 3 mins left in 4th, Murphy scores!! Tied up 7-7.  That's how it ends.
Shootout.  Lamo is missing a few, and we made 1 more then them.
Dustin is up - HELICOPTER!! Are you kidding me. Blocked.
Then Bennett goalie saves our bacon yet again - block - for the win!!
Upset #5 in the tournament.

Could not sustain the level after those 2 emotional wins. Lost next 2 that day at Avery Stadium.
Day 3 lose to Big Valley and beat ORWP.  One more on the last day to finish out.

Day 4 - one last game, for 17th. Super early, 7am game, very slow start, being nostalgic. We are down by 3 or 4 early, then come back, not quite tied. Lost 8-9.

Not as emotional as I thought it would be. Dad held it together. A few tears here and there, team pics, goodbyes, and we're off. Back up to hotel to quickly grab Ben and on to his last game for the tourney.

CHS Senior Assassins

Before we get going, this is only a (badly named) game that the seniors at Carlsbad High School play during the school year.  They choose partners, pay $20 each, and get each other "out" during the year by squirting water on their targets.
Each team of 2 is assigned another team of 2, and the team is out if both players get "wet" (out). If the team "B" is eliminated, then the attackers "A" that got that team out are now targeting the team "C" that team "B" was targeting.  So A now targets C.

Some basic rules

• If you wear a "floatie" (like small children wear on their arms to keep them afloat in a swimming pool) then you are "safe" - can't get out. Floatie is typically not inflated, just has to be somewhere on the body (usually arm or leg)
• You are always safe at home (inside the garage or house) and at school (inside the gates, not including the parking lot).  You are also safe at work, school functions, school sports including practices, and places of warship.
• The organizers periodically declare "purge" days where floaties are not valid. On these days, your targets can get you out anywhere outside a safe zone.

Connor partnered with Bennett Kienast.

Avery partnered with Michaela Kasper.

Below are some funny stories and happenings throughout the season.

• Ben is VERY into this game. He is the big kids' consultant, protector, security sweeper, etc. Tries to help on purge day mornings when they're leaving the house by doing a security sweep outside. Typically has homemade light saber (PVC pipe + pool noodle) in one hand and a flash light and/or nerf gun in the other.
• Connor "almost" got out one morning leaving the house early for polo weights. Ben didn't have time to sweep outside, called out for Connor to wait, but he was in too much of a hurry. His attacker (Jordy) was waiting for him across the street and started running to Connor at his car. Connor sprinted back into the house, luckily the front door was still open from Ben going out there. Jordy squirted at him, and said he got him. Connor did have some drops on him, but claims he was already inside the door boundary when they got him. It WAS wet inside the house, so think he was right. The "committee" determined that he was NOT out. After all that went down, we heard from neighbor Tom that he saw two kids laying down behind a car by the mailbox across from our house. He was leaving for the gym and wondered what they were doing, but just passed them by. Ben and Dan thought they saw an unknown car across the street in the morning, but checked out there a little bit. Turns out the boys were just on the other side of the car.
• Lillian Koch (CHSTV, not attacking our kids) was seen literally laying under a car, waiting for her target, who came out to the car and got squirted from underneath. Cagey.
• Avery was driving home one purge day and called Ben to start scouting around the house. Ben was looking around, and in the foyer, was surprised to find someone right outside the front door, hiding behind the post. He went to get Jamie to look, who comes down, looks out the window, and says "Oh hi Lillian".  Busted. They left.
• Purge day standard protocol became to pull the car halfway into the garage so the kids could get in the car while still in safe zone (garage). Then they only have to deal with getting from their car parked at school through the gate onto campus.
• We were shopping at Home Depot for Christmas trees and the kids saw a target that was on the "hit list" (determined by the committee, a player that has not had a kill in a long time that can be targeted by anyone).  Poor guy was dead. Shopping for trees with his brother and Grandpa. Avery went to the car and got a water bottle and walked up casually and poured some on him. Ben was the videographer (you have to submit to instagram a picture or video with proof of the kill)
• Avery's partner Michaela lives over by CHS. Her brother's buddy comes by every morning to walk to school. He typically waits for Caden outside by the side of the house.  One morning he came over and found some senior attackers waiting in "his spot" by the trash cans. Tells Caden, who tells Michaela. Busted. Safe for today.
• Connor was eliminated around Feb/March when going from school to his car. He said he was kind of trapped. Frixos got him - Avery says that's lame.  Bennett was already out, so their team was eliminated.
• Avery's target (Andrew) was wearing red flannel pajamas on a day when the committee declared anything pink to be safe. Avery got him wet, but after lots of controversy, they declared that his PJs were close enough - he was safe.
• Senior spaghetti night at school. Avery "goes to the bathroom" with Kira's keys and sneaks out to get in her car. Raquel is targeting Avery and Michaela and just stood by M the rest of the night. They and many other players were at the school gate waiting for someone to leave. Peyton pretended to be after Tara (but Isaiah really was), but then Miley hugs Peyton really strongly, tells Tara to run!  As she's getting in the car, John comes to get the door for her, Isaiah comes sprinting over (he's after Tara) and blows through the door, knocking John to the ground. He ends up chasing Tara around the parking lot, did NOT end up getting her out that night. Meanwhile other kids are having to tend to John, he likely has a concussion from the Isaiah crushing.
• (Down to 6 teams) Peyton thought she was going to stay safe by crawling in a duffle bag and having friends wheel her out from campus. They were on to her, poured water all over the bag, soaking Peyton inside, she's out. Her partner Brooklynn was already out, so their team was eliminated.
• (Down to 5 teams) Michaela is out, so Avery is solo on their team. ASB banquet at Carlsbad senior center and there are a few players that are there. It is a well known event, so other players know about it and are likely going to be waiting outside.  Towards the end of the banquet, rumors are that the girl(s) targeting Avery are waiting outside. (Inside the banquet building is safe.) Jamie has YaYa Suburu for the time being and is a good getaway car since no kids recognize it. Jamie pulls up to a side of the building, we coordinate over the phone, Christine is outside keeping watch, and after pictures we GO. Avery leaves the banquet room through a back door, sprints outside and dives into the car waiting with the back door open. (ends up diving onto the seat where her picture frame award is, breaking the glass on the frame and scraping her leg).  Oh well, she's safe.
• With only a couple weeks left before school is out, the "committee" finally agrees to just call it over, and let the kids enjoy their last couple weeks. Think there were 5 teams left. Split it all evenly to the teams, and up to the teams to do whatever with the money (most I think split it to both players regardless of their status). Each player ended up with around $300 or so.  GREAT JOB AVERY - COMPLETION

Other funny kills and fails

• John Mayberry was eliminated outside his own house, and they used the hose at his house.
• Mia Spano was eliminated by Nash Johnson right after he asked her to homecoming.
• Raquel was trying to get someone out at their church and apparently got the Priest wet instead.

Ben at Legoland

Kind of a birthday celebration, Ben has been talking about going to LL for a while now.  We know a number of Avery and Connor's friends that worked there this summer, so Ben has a renewed interest (some of them allow a friend to use their card for free admission)

So Dan and Ben went to Legoland on Sunday (Sep 03, 2017). Mostly focused on the water park, which Dan had not been to.

Got there at 930am (sweep drop off right at the front from Jamie), rush to the next level, where they make you wait at a chain link blockade until 10am, when the "rest of the park" opens.  Rushed to the water park and scored a couple lounge chairs under huge shade umbrella.

Kind of crappy weather, overcast, but still muggy hot, so was nice to be in the water.

Talked Ben into riding the water "log ride" roller coaster, that only goes up, around 180° and down to get extremely wet.  Proud of him for going, I could tell he did not want to do it - famously described as "dicey".  Sucked it up for Daddy.

Fireman trucks - dominated our group with just Ben and Dad.  Back to water park, and to the lazy river. Joked that we are probably setting record for # of laps around the river.

Other activities:

• wave pool
• drive your own boats
• mini town
• blast pods above water spinning around center
• back to lazy river
• driving cars
• Apple Fries (Ben's choice)
• trading lego characters with various workers (they are required to trade with you, regardless of the relative values of each side of the trade)

Left at 715pm - LONG DAY.

Dan's Epic Fun and Sun Labor Day Weekend

Epic lineup for Dan this weekend.  Sep 01 - 04, 2017

Friday

• South Ponto beach at lunch. Sunny, beautiful warm water, clear, fun sized waves. 
• Back to South Ponto beach in the mid afternoon (after Rodney cleared whole company to take off, get an early start to the long weekend.
• Concert - Fitz and the Tantrums and One Republic.  Sleep Train amphitheater.

Saturday

• Long session at the Oceanside condo complex where Julie Swail and family stay each summer.
• Volleyball match: University of Texas (Lexi Sun) @ USD.  Avery, Ben, Dan

Sunday

• All day at Legoland with Ben. Mostly water park, but did the full park.  Dan's first time at water park. Big fan of the lazy river.  930am to 730pm

Monday

• 6 games of beach volleyball at Don Bobertz house. 
• Back to Ocean Beach to see Julie, Greg, and the kids. Kind of gray and crappy weather, kids went in the ocean, rest of us in the jacuzzi / pool.

Connor Civil War Reenactment

Connor went to another reenactment this Labor Day weekend.  Battles on Sat and Sun (Sep 2 & 3, 2017).  Central Park in Huntington Beach - we have seen him do that one in the past.

Purchased his rifle. "63 Springfield" (1863) by way of the captain of his division, who purchased somewhere else.  Saved up money, and combined that with birthday money to buy the rifle for $450. Bayonet attached.

Connor was on "picket" duty (watch / patrol) around their camp on Saturday night. His shift was 12 midnight to 2am.  He and a buddy encountered a homeless man. Their protocol is to shoot a cap (cap only, no gun powder) from their rifle to signal others.  Within 30 seconds they had about 11 of them surrounding the "suspect", each with a rifle (no bullets of course), with bayonet.  If I was the homeless guy, I would get the hell out of there.  He thought the same. They ended up talking to the police about it, who were already there dealing with other homeless.

Successful event.

Connor, Zack Chacone, Bennett Keineast (first timer).
(Gus is now gone at college (Fordham in New York), sad to miss him at these events)

Palm Desert Robe

Thanksgiving 2016, condo on Yucca court.
Jamie and the kids go down to the jacuzzi.  All but Connor have their robes.

Ben is all geared up.
Summarized by Jamie:

Nothing says desert like robe, crocks, and a turkey baster

His "desert uni" - wears swim trunks all day, so he's ready at any time to head to the pool.
From PJs when he wakes up, straight into trunks for the day.

Connor is a Catch

Taylor: Keiryn and I decided if things don't work out for us with finding husbands, then we can just have Connor as our go-to, even though he's kind of like a brother.

Christy: at least I'll like my in-laws.