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Last Friday, close to 5000 spectators were in attendance to welcome athletes from 44 countries during the Opening Ceremonies at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympic Games. As the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) flag was raised, the Games were declared open by Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean. The Games run from March 12 to 21st.

"I can do it," she said. "I'm qualified. I played the game. I know the kids. I love the kids."

Those were the words Natalie Randolph spoke as she was introduced as Coolidge High School football coach this weekend in Washington, D.C.

While not the first female to coach high school level football, Randolph deserves to be congratulated for tossing her name in the hat this past January when the school was looking for a football coach.

I am in a bit of a rut this week. Call it for what it is: Olympic withdrawal.  Last week I spent a glorious week in Vancouver as a spectator at the Winter Olympics. The week before I left for the games I watched as much of the coverage as I could every night. I was very fortunate to be able to have tickets to some of my favorite events but one event will stick out as truly remarkable-it was the Women's Ice Hockey Gold Medal Game.

Our youngest child is an athlete. I suppose I need to come to terms with that. Whatever sport he gets a hint of, he wants to try. Although, if you ask him, he’s a baseball player and football player. More specifically, he’s a pitcher and an outfielder, a tight-end and a defensive end or tackle. He knows his place and position in those sports.

It has been lots of fun watching the U.S. Women's Hockey Team in action live this week, rink-side, in the first three games at the Vancouver Olympics. It has been especially enjoyable because I know so many of the players (and their moms) and have been following them for the past eight years.