I read, or maybe heard it, somewhere that sports is a microcosm of life but I'm pretty sure there's nothing "micro" about it. On the field, court, course, pitch, track, and even in the stands, you see the best and worst of others and sometimes display the best and worst of yourself.
S & Z have been playing in a fall soccer league. It's been a fun experience, for the most part, and educational for their father. I'm use to running leagues, having been a recreational director in a previous life, but being on the other side of the fence, at it were, is a whole new.....ballgame (sorry). All games started at least 30 minutes late, the facilities were unkept, the officiating was suspect, coaching was horrific and my kids were losing.....being dismantled! And this was after just two games. At the beginning of the third game, I felt the same terrible attitude rising within me and I decided to give the target of my frustration, our coaches, a little piece of my mind. Fortunately conviction rose at a rate marginally greater than the bile that was getting ready to come out of my mouth. I'm ashamed that it took that long but grateful it didn't take longer. I bit my tongue and decided to look at the positives, mainly that the boys were having a good time.
Two weeks later, following another loss, we loaded up the family and headed back toward the house. As we pulled onto the highway, we passed one of our coaches (in red in the photo above) walking beside the road. I stopped and asked him if he needed a ride. With a huge grin he jumped into the front seat lickety-split. We were shocked to learn he was walking home. The field is a 20-30 minute drive to town, at the minimum a 3 hour walk! Imagine my shame when we found out he walked to practices and games, when he didn't have a ride or money for a taxi, to volunteer coaching for my boys. Talk about a kick in a gut. This same man, who I wanted to fuss at about something so silly as a soccer game, was making this huge investment of time and energy into my children for no reason other than a love for kids and a love of the game. To say that my attitude has been adjusted and that I am so thankful I did not give full vent to my anger weeks earlier is an understatement. I learned a lesson from coach that day and its one I won't soon forget!
Two weeks later, following another loss, we loaded up the family and headed back toward the house. As we pulled onto the highway, we passed one of our coaches (in red in the photo above) walking beside the road. I stopped and asked him if he needed a ride. With a huge grin he jumped into the front seat lickety-split. We were shocked to learn he was walking home. The field is a 20-30 minute drive to town, at the minimum a 3 hour walk! Imagine my shame when we found out he walked to practices and games, when he didn't have a ride or money for a taxi, to volunteer coaching for my boys. Talk about a kick in a gut. This same man, who I wanted to fuss at about something so silly as a soccer game, was making this huge investment of time and energy into my children for no reason other than a love for kids and a love of the game. To say that my attitude has been adjusted and that I am so thankful I did not give full vent to my anger weeks earlier is an understatement. I learned a lesson from coach that day and its one I won't soon forget!
