Coming to you live from one of my favorite locations. The Centurion Lounge Denver Airport. Thanks Bryan! Little did I know this little metal Amex would come in so handy. This is not only my favorite lounge because of how big it is. I have also been here twice in the last two weeks! Why? Might you ask, Well is it because of business? Nope, it's because of youth sports. My favorite job. The one that takes my money and returns my investment into time with the kids doing their thing. Why did I pick this picture? It's simple, as I get older I am starting to realize that I want to be here. For the wins and the losses but most importantly just being here. What I am starting to realize is that I have been so consumed with what school she will go to that I have missed a couple of the important learning and teaching moments. Here they are.
Enjoy the pool! I always had this strict no-pool policy when coaching and lived by it. Always felt like kids could get hurt or more importantly be tired out from all the activities. Truth is so what. That memory in the pool will be almost truly remembered so much more than the win or the loss. Remember there is a lesson in this. Have fun but also understand your limits as well as your consequences.
In this pic, Sav and her good friend snuck into the neighboring hotel with me. They had a much better breakfast offering so we figured why not go for it! We laughed so hard about these breakfast shenanigans that I am writing about what I have missed all these years in search of athletic perfection. You see where I am going with this is that you may think it all matters. Winning matters so that you get to play more games. It matters that you get more reps. It matters because you eventually get to play the better teams. Here is the kicker. The fact your kid is on the best team is not as important as the fact that your kid is becoming the best player on the team. We always had a saying with Joey and it went something like don't be the best 12-year-old be the best 18-year-old. Now that we are close to 18 and he is climbing the ladder it has changed. It is no longer about being the best 18-year-old but being the best 30-year-old.
Joey came back this year and the journey to his offers was intense. We all are waiting for the "OFFER" but I have news for us. The nerves and anxiousness do not go away once the offer comes. You see it almost gets more intense. Now he has multiple offers and we have to choose. Sure you may think these are good problems to have and by most accounts you are right. However, choosing is also a roller coaster. Which coach will treat your kid well? Which school will be the right fit? You see if he only had 1 it would be simple, that's not what I want but it may be simple. What I have learned most concerning Joey is that it truly did not matter what teams he was on or what tournaments he played in until he was about 15 or 16. What did matter was who he played for and who he played with in regard to his development. Who was going to make him better and not just win the game.
I am ear to ear watching all of my childhood friends posting about their sons and daughters playing travel ball. I hope to be an awesome sounding board for them with regards to opinions and stories but at the end of the day what really matters is that your kid is haveing a blast. If they smile we smile.
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