Last Updated on December 17, 2025 by The Smetz Files
2025 was an exciting year for me as a sports mom and mom blogger.
There’s an old adage, something along the lines of, ‘ the days are long, but the years are short.’ If you’re raising kids, you’ve likely heard this before.
I find as my kids get older this is especially true.
I’m beyond the newborn haze of surviving seemingly unending days. Thankfully, I survived the toddler years and navigated the elementary years. Now that I have middle schoolers and teens, the old sentiment remains true.
It seems like we’re up early and out late more often than not. We’re hustling from school to clubs, orthodontist appointments, practices, and weekend tournaments.
So, yeah the days can feel incredibly long.
Buutttt, I feel like I blinked and 2025 is nearly in our rear view. How can that be?!
Here’s the 2025 Smetz Files Year in Review.
The Year of Volleyball
2025 held some surprises and perhaps the most lasting one was both kids picked up playing volleyball. 2025 became the year of volleyball when our daughter decided to give it try in the spring.
On the recommendation of a basketball teammate, she made the leap to volleyball in April. She fell in love instantly!
We cheered her on as she learned how to serve and move her feet to get in position. Our family squeezed in weeknight matches and early Saturday matches between softball tournaments.
She had took a volleyball everywhere in search of someone to play pepper with. In fact, she loved it so much, she wanted to play the summer session, so naturally we did!
As little sis begged for someone to pepper with, she convinced her older brother to get in some bumps in the yard. Seeing how much fun she was having he decided to try out for the middle volleyball team this fall.
His team was fun to watch and we learned more about the nuance of the game with each match.
Now we’re looking for volleyball club opportunities to squeeze in some work between our baseball and softball season. Never a dull moment with these two active kids!
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The Year of the Grand Slam
When we weren’t on a volleyball court we were playing our first love, baseball or softball!
This year was pivotal for both kids development and they worked to sharpen their skills and play some new positions.
We spent a lot of time at the batting cages and in the garage hitting into the net.
Much to our excitement, both kids capitalized on opportunities and hit grand slams this summer.
G’s came while his team played in the Mecca of baseball, Dreams Park, in Cooperstown! It was an incredible memory to solidify the week.
As an added bonus, when she realized it was going out, S took off and ran to get the ball for us. So, we have a great souvenir to commemorate his grand slam hit in Cooperstown!
Not to be outdone
Over Labor Day weekend, S was invited to play in an All Star tournament in South Carolina. We spent the weekend at the beach between seven softball games.
On Championship day, she went 3 for 3 and decided to cap off the day with a grand slam! It’s been a lot of fun seeing her grow as a hitter.
She may be a newbie, with only one year of travel ball, but she’s grown up on the diamond with her Dad and brother. S knows her way around the game.
I got these custom ornaments as a memento of their grand slams. Order yours at Sportz Moms! Use code Smetz20 for an extra 20% off!
The Year of Travel
Naturally we spent a lot of time on the road with both kids active in sports and after school clubs and activities.
This year we traveled more than usual. When we knew G’s team was going to play in Cooperstown, we decided to extend our trip.
To maximize our time in the Northeast, we extended the trip to two weeks and got to see family in Connecticut, spent a few days in Cape Cod (THE premier summer baseball league!), and wrapped up our epic road trip with tickets to see the Yankees.
Since we didn’t get enough sports travel this summer, S had three out of state softball tournaments this fall!
With weekend sports commitments demanding a lot of our time and attention we don’t get to travel as much as we’d like. No complaints, one day there won’t be a tournament to plan for.
But, we did celebrate our 20th anniversary this year, so we intentionally planned a trip to recenter and recalibrate…just the two of us!
Somewhere in between it all, we squeezed in some quality family time at the beach and even did some yard work at home! Sports families, please applaud!
The Year They Surpassed Me
This will come as no surprise to my friends and family who have loved ‘little ol me’ for years, but I am now officially the shortest in our family!
Yes, it was a foreseeable event, I guess I just didn’t expect it so soon.
They may have outgrown my height, but they will never outgrow my heart. Or my ability to keep them in check and remind them small can be mighty!
Finally, I hope I have many years of cheering them on from the sidelines ahead of me. Regardless of where they take us, I will forever be their biggest fan.
Wishing you health, happiness, and prosperity in the year ahead!
Thanks for reading my simple musings of a small town sports mom! I’d love if you shared my writing with a friend.
From the sidelines to the beach, back home and everywhere in between, here’s what I’m buying to keep our family stocked and ready to play ball!
