Today I spent the morning sitting in the sun watching and occasionally filming my boys playing football at an exposure camp. It was a reminder of how serious people can be about the game. My 11 yr old who is a grade up found himself playing against kids who were much older while his teammates and brother played against a younger selection. This meant he was basically drowned out. He looked good, but he often looked like he was struggling to keep up with the larger and faster kids. On the other hand, his brother shone. Just not enough. He was not named MVP. He did not get any special team or camp invites. Neither boy did though their teammates clearly did.
This is a good moment for everyone involved. It is a reminder that they need to work hard to get what they want. It is also a reminder that I cannot ensure success for my kids. It is not up to me to spend my life making their lives right. That is the argument of balance. There is also the argument of fun in that too. I really have enjoyed working with them for the last few days trying to get them ready to show out at this combine and be ready for the upcoming season.
I want to find a balance in all of this and part of that means sitting down with my partner and deciding how much longer I am going to coach. I don’t have a real answer there. What I do know is that I want to see the boys be successful, and it is up to them and not me to see that achieved.
Some Thoughts:
- Thinking about Mr. Nightmare’s page. I fell asleep listening to his Youtube videos this afternoon and find myself thinking about writing up a story to share with him. Maybe.
- Figuring out what to do for myself for my bday. I want a new macbook (used, of course) and a chair.