More Than a Win
"Sport strips away personality, letting the white bone of character shine through. Sport gives players an opportunity to know and test themselves." ~Rita Mae Brown
We are in that treacherous time in our house where Baseball, Softball and Football season collide. On any given night I can have somewhere to be to cheer on all three children at the same time on different fields. Recently, I was blessed to only have one game to attend and I took the Baseball and Softball players with me. It was game three of the varsity season and our oldest was dressed and ready to play. The game before had been a disappointment with our team losing and our teen not getting any playing time. After sweating in the Florida heat for a week during practice, he was upset and angry and disappointed to leave the field with his uniform unscathed.
We built up our dejected teenager and sent him back to the field with an assurance that he would play this game. His glasses were replaced with contacts and my mother's heart hoped that there wouldn't be another night of picking up the pieces. Our son did play, a lot. His contacts allowed him to see the ball so much better and he made some incredible plays out there, especially for a freshman.
The thing that meant the most was not a play so much as what happened after it. Our team kicked the ball and the opposing team returned it. Around about the 20th yard line, our son tackled the receiver and caused a fumble. His hustle and drive to stop that runner caught even me off guard. My first thought was pride and my second thought was for the mom of the kid who was now under our child on the field. He was knocked hard by our giant of a teen. In an instant, our son stood up and reached a hand down to the player he had tackled. Gripping hands, he lifted his opponent up off the ground, patted him on the shoulders and trotted off the field. Off to the Gatorade, off to the bench without a thought of his actions.
Winning isn't everything. The most important thing about being on the playing field is learning who you really are. Being on the field helps you know what you are made of. On this night, the unconscious action to pick up a man when he was down, even if his jersey wasn't the same color allowed me a beautiful insight into the young man we are raising.
The way I see it, that is a win of a whole new caliber.
We are in that treacherous time in our house where Baseball, Softball and Football season collide. On any given night I can have somewhere to be to cheer on all three children at the same time on different fields. Recently, I was blessed to only have one game to attend and I took the Baseball and Softball players with me. It was game three of the varsity season and our oldest was dressed and ready to play. The game before had been a disappointment with our team losing and our teen not getting any playing time. After sweating in the Florida heat for a week during practice, he was upset and angry and disappointed to leave the field with his uniform unscathed.
We built up our dejected teenager and sent him back to the field with an assurance that he would play this game. His glasses were replaced with contacts and my mother's heart hoped that there wouldn't be another night of picking up the pieces. Our son did play, a lot. His contacts allowed him to see the ball so much better and he made some incredible plays out there, especially for a freshman.
The thing that meant the most was not a play so much as what happened after it. Our team kicked the ball and the opposing team returned it. Around about the 20th yard line, our son tackled the receiver and caused a fumble. His hustle and drive to stop that runner caught even me off guard. My first thought was pride and my second thought was for the mom of the kid who was now under our child on the field. He was knocked hard by our giant of a teen. In an instant, our son stood up and reached a hand down to the player he had tackled. Gripping hands, he lifted his opponent up off the ground, patted him on the shoulders and trotted off the field. Off to the Gatorade, off to the bench without a thought of his actions.
Winning isn't everything. The most important thing about being on the playing field is learning who you really are. Being on the field helps you know what you are made of. On this night, the unconscious action to pick up a man when he was down, even if his jersey wasn't the same color allowed me a beautiful insight into the young man we are raising.
The way I see it, that is a win of a whole new caliber.
Posted by Pam at 9/24/2009 5:17 AM 
Categories: children sports
Tags: children sports winning sportsmanship
Categories: children sports
Tags: children sports winning sportsmanship
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