Meet a FlipGive Sports Parent: How Elizabeth and family are keeping their heads on during COVID-19

At FlipGive, we love reading all kinds of stories about how Sports Parents are experiencing different aspects of their lives such as parenting, work, hobbies, relationships and more. This is the reason why we came up with "Meet a FlipGive Sport Parent", a series that will feature Sports Parents that inspire us. Today we'll start with one of our own, Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth G, or EG as she's known around the office, is the VP of Marketing & Customer Experience at FlipGive. Always determined to brighten up your day, she does a killer job to ensure that FlipGivers have the best possible experience using the tool to raise money through their seasons and beyond.  Outside of work, she is a born-again traveler, serial chips & salsa eater and a lover of running. She ran her first marathon in Erie PA last September and qualified for Boston 2020. Like many events, Boston was postponed so she is gearing up for the new race date of September 14, 2020.

Do you have kids in sports? What is a day in your life as a sport parent?

My two boys are very active across a number of sports. My youngest balances competitive hockey (he plays AA with the GTHL) and competes with an incredible running club. My older one swims with a club and plays flag football.

What are your favorite at-home activities to do with the family? 

Given our commitment to the #stayathome directions, we’ve had to explore home-activities. And, we’ve rediscovered our love for group meal prep.  I’ve always loved to cook and my kids (and husband) are starting to enjoy it too. Each weekend, we experiment, trying at least one new recipe. Currently obsessed with Ottolenghi and Tiieghan Gerard (@halfbakedharvest). Dance parties have also resurfaced as a fan-favorite - they help keep spirits up during the post supper clean up. And, we’re big serial show buffs. We prefer shorter stints in front of the TV so series work better than epically long movies. We just finished The Outsider on HBO.

What is your go-to source of relaxation/entertainment to disconnect? 

We’re still allowed to get out in Toronto (no lockdown as of yet) and I’m a runner so I rely on mileage to keep my head on. I’ll toggle between podcasts and quiet, head-clearing runs (without earphones) when I need the solitude.  I'm really enjoying the New York Times’ Daily podcast, Front Burner, an excellent Canadian news podcast hosted by a very bright journalist named Jayme Poission and, How I Built This on NPR.

The bright side of being with your family around the clock?

At the risk of stating the obvious, this situation is extraordinarily challenging to deal with. The fear, the uncertainty, the rote nature of each day - it’s wearing on us a little.  The bright side is that we’re all developing a greater appreciation for the things that truly matter. Peeling everything back, I think we’re all so much more aware of the importance of health, family, and community. And, I think this will have a monumental influence on my boys’ value set, in a really positive way.

What is the best part of being a sports parent?

I know we can be heard moaning about the early mornings, the time commitment and the cost that comes with being a sports parent.  But, truthfully, there’s nothing like it. I believe so strongly in the value that sports bring to each person and, ultimately to our communities. My boys’ characters have been shaped by their incredible coaches and teammates. Sports teams are like an extended family. Nelson Mandela is credited with saying “Sport has the power to change the world and, has the power to inspire.” I couldn’t agree more and we can’t wait to get back to the game.

  

Did you love this story? Stay tuned, we have more stories to come from our Sports Parents at FlipGive.