Coaching with Ben Seewald

Ben Seewald is looking forward to coaching alongside Steve Conley, former defensive end and linebacker for the University of Arkansas and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Do you remember when Ben helped run a football camp with Steve? In this video he and Jessa meet with some of the coaches to prepare for an upcoming game.

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Ben Seewald's Football Camp

"Ben likes to play quarterback. That's his favorite position. It's fun to see him in his element."
-Jessa Seewald

Did you tune in to last night's episode? If not, be sure to read our written recap.

Ben Seewald's football camp turns out to be a smashing success. With help from Jessa, the Duggar siblings, and a handful of guys who have played college and professional ball (listed below), he is able to welcome nearly 70 kids. The final event of the day is a flag football tournament, with the "coaches" stepping in as quarterbacks (video below).

• Jeb Huckeba, defensive end, Seattle Seahawks

• Cortez McCraney, defensive tackle, Mississippi State and Baltimore Ravens

• Terry Spencer, offensive line and defensive line, University of Arkansas

• Reggie Jones, wide receiver, Kansas City Chiefs

• Spencer Brown, quarterback, University of Arkansas

• Steve Conley, defensive end and linebacker, University of Arkansas and Pittsburgh Steelers

Photo/video courtesy TLC

Recap: Duggars Take Flight

On tonight's new episode of 19 Kids and Counting...

• Joseph is heading to ALERT (Air Land Emergency Resource Team) Academy in Big Sandy, Texas, where he will do basic training in search and rescue, survival skills, and disaster relief for nine weeks.
• Jim Bob and Michelle throw their third oldest son an 18th birthday/going-away party. This is the first time the Duggars, who usually send their kids out in pairs, have sent one of their children away for this long. "We are so grateful for Joseph's maturity," says Jim Bob.
• Before Joseph leaves for boot camp, Michelle gives him a buzz cut. "Joseph with a buzz cut is still just as handsome," says Jill.
• Jim Bob and Josh's trainer, former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steve Conley, drops by the house for a surprise pantry check. Aside from a box of fat-free popcorn and some caramel coffee mix, Jim Bob appears to be doing well. "I think I ate all the evidence," he jokes.
• But when the Duggar dad steps on the scale, Steve is no longer smiling. Jim Bob has jumped from 203 to 207. Josh, on the other hand, has lost one pound and now weighs in at 209. It's time for intense fat burning.
• "I think Steve is punishing me during this workout because I put on some weight," says Jim Bob.
• "I'm happy about the weight-loss challenge," says Michelle. "I think this is an encouragement to be healthier."
• "Josh has been doing pretty good on his diet and exercise," says Anna. "He's really motivated."
• When it is time for Joseph to leave for ALERT, the whole family comes out to the runway to send him off. The 18-year-old is traveling in style: John-David, who has his student's pilot license, is flying his younger brother to Texas, accompanied by his instructor and Jim Bob.
• "I have been wanting to get my pilot's license for as long as I can remember," says John-David.
• "I really believe that this nine weeks is going to take Joseph from being a little boy to being a man," says Jim Bob. When they land in Texas, he gives Joseph a firm handshake, tells his son he loves him, and says goodbye.

Recap: Pushups, Planting, Coffee, and Caricatures

19 Kids and Counting "Pushups and Planting"...

• To lose weight, Jim Bob and Josh start working out with former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steve Conley, who also happens to be a friend of a friend.
• "He scares me somewhat," says Josh. "I didn't have any kind of form, no physical fitness whatsoever. It's very embarrassing. My body has no idea what I'm trying to do."
• Steve's first order of business is to outlaw tater tot casserole, fried chicken, and sweet tea. Then he tells Jim Bob and Josh to "take that silly stuff off and go put some workout clothes on."
• Back at the house, Michelle--a big believer in hands-on learning--and the kids plant a garden as part of a homeschool lesson.
• To entertain themselves on a windy day, the little ones design kites out of black garbage bags, something that Josh and John-David did when they were kids.
• "Whatever the big ones enjoy doing, the little ones will pick it up and learn how to do it," says Michelle.
• When one of their client's water breaks, Jill and Jana head out to deliver her baby. Parents Alden and Heather couldn't be happier with their birthing team, and their new baby girl!

19 Kids and Counting "Coffee and Caricatures"...

• Jessa and Jinger prepare to volunteer at Mama Carmen's Espresso Cafe. The money they raise will be used to purchase school uniforms for an orphanage in Guatemala. The girls invite all their friends and family members to come and support the cause and enlist their younger siblings to create a donations jar.
• They arrive at the coffee shop at 5:30 a.m. to learn how to use the cash register and make a variety of different drinks (coffee, espresso, lattes, smoothies, tea, cappuccino, etc).
• Being somewhere at 5:30 a.m. is no small feat for members of this super-sized family. If you are a fan of the Duggars, you know they are not morning people. "I believe if God wanted us to see the sunrise, He would have scheduled it later on in the day," says Jessa.
• Jinger, the family's biggest coffee fan, consumes two large cups of coffee and an unknown amount of espresso while working at Mama Carmen's.
• "For a while there she was drinking like 3 cups a day," says Jessa. Jinger says she needs coffee to maintain her bubbly personality but is currently trying to bring it down to two cups a day.
• Jessa is pickier when it comes to coffee. "We're working on her, though," says Jinger.
• Cousin Amy is the first customer of the day. She orders a chocolate chip tea and then returns a few hours later with Grandma Duggar. "I need my second coffee fix," says Amy.
• While behind the counter, Jessa and Jinger fill the coffee shop's largest order yet. Can you guess who it is for? That's right, Jim Bob and Michelle bring the entire family in to order drinks, a process that takes 10 minutes.
• "Of course we just don't want them interacting with too many guys," jokes Jim Bob, who is confident in his daughters' abilities.
• "Nobody ever complained, so we don't know if we messed up or not," says Jessa. "I think we got all the orders right. I'm sure we made mistakes, but they were gracious."
• How much money do the girls end up raising? $1,010.41
• "When you're giving to other people, you can't help but be blessed yourself," says Jessa.
• Meanwhile, Jackson and Johannah are raising money of their own. Inspired by the artists they saw in Japan, the two Duggars are drawing caricatures to earn money for a baby gift for Josh and Anna. Each picture costs $1, and they raise a total of $10.

Season 7 Highlights

Coming up in season 7 of 19 Kids and Counting...

Jim Reveals the Gender of Grand-Duggar #3
Find out how Jim the sound guy unveiled the gender of Josh and Anna's third child, a boy due on June 7th.

"We didn't know the results," Josh told People Magazine. "But we gave them [from the doctor] to the sound guy, Jim, and he planned out this very unique reveal. It caught us off guard in a time and place we least expected."

The Biggest Loser, Duggar Style
Jim Bob (47) and Josh (25) recently embarked on a competition to see who could lose the most weight. The competition ended on April 1st. Who do you think will be the crowned the winner?

"I got back from Asia and looked at myself on camera and realized something had to change," Josh, who then weighed 238 lbs., told People.

Jim Bob knew he needed to slim down when he could no longer keep up with Michelle-who joined Weight Watchers a few years back, lost 40 lbs, and now exercises on the elliptical almost every morning. At 220 lbs., Jim Bob admitted that he "wasn't feeling that great."

What's their secret? Healthier choices and exercise. "I have learned not to grab that bag of potato chips or all that stuff full of sugar," Josh told People.

The initial workout plan, created by Joseph (18), was followed by personal training sessions with former NFL Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Steve Conley.

In addition to staying healthy, Josh hopes to be a positive example to his kids. "My daughter [Mackynzie] didn't tell me I was fat," he told People. "But now she thinks I have strong muscles. I know I need to set an example of being healthy for my children."