Thursday, December 13, 2012

The road less travelled is sometimes the road to take.

The youth sports road is rugged and long requiring many turns, stops, hesitations, accelerations.  You innocently enter the first chosen path quickly turned high speed freeway somewhere at mile marker 1, 2, 3, or 4th grade.  Once you are on and up to speed, exiting, or even slowing down, becomes near impossible.  The chaotic traffic around you pushes you to maintain momentum.  You could go in the left lane and brush bumpers with the ultra aggressive high impact foot to the floor 5 sport 3 practice pavement scorchers. Or you could hang in the right lane and chill with the softer, gentler, participation ribbon battery scooters seemingly taking a safer and less complicated path.  Both bring great risk.  In the Daytona 5 hundert go go go go lane you experience the fear of the big one; a major wreck causing bodily damage or internal engine issues dropping you completely out of the race.  In the to grandmothers house we go don't touch my piece of rare china lane you can experience many loving and touchy feely moments but you quickly grow anxious that you may never reach your full potential.  

Then all the obstacles in your path.  Do you trust the directions you have been given? Youth sports has no gps.   One finger pointer opines you are on the right path as long as you follow them.  Another is quick to say you need to make a serious change of direction and follow them.   Sometimes multiple direction givers are talking at the same time without any concern with what each other is saying. As long as you follow them. 

So many questions.  What about your bags?  Are you adequately prepared for any tornado like conditions that you could face? Heck, you may even create tornado like conditions based on your approach or actions.  Are you going to be happy with your destination once you arrive, if you ever do?  Are you doing too much?  Too little?  Just right?  Just wrong?  Goodness, it is only sports.  I mean sports car (gotta keep the theme).

Then the conspiracies.  Imagine going to visit Mickey Moose and being told by others that if you do not follow a specific path you will not have any chance of getting there.  Or getting in.  Did you know Mickey will ask you what highways you took to get there and if you took a wrong turn or unacceptable road he will not allow you in the park?  Never mind you showed up with a full stack of Mickey bills.  If you don't follow everyone else you have no chance. 

The sad thing is with all the unknowns, obastacles, inconsistancies, and misinformations that are out there you can have the answer right in front of you and not even realize it.  Or you may realize it but not trust it. 

So what is the answer?  I am not telling.  Okay I will tell you part of it because it is lonely up here.  First of all  when your young precious baby begins to participate in thier first sport remember you are on a long long journey.  A 15 year plus journey.  Not an afternoon park ride.  Not a weekend getaway, Not a spring break fantasy trip.  Not even a summer home retreat.  A long long journey.  So don't set yourself up expecting Kwik Shop results.  Set your youth sports super self up for expecting consistent enjoyment with consistent improvement heading towards a... okay ... being the best damn player on the floor or else.  

Secondly,  if your little field tripper is not being challenged every moment.  And I mean challenged.  Then they will never reach their potential.  I don't care if they are the fastest slot car on the track right now somebody will make a faster one while you are relaxing and enjoying the scenery. 

Thirdly.  Oh I guess you better check if they enjoy it.  But wait.  Give me a young mind and I bet a strong parent could convince them that even though the cliff drop seems like 100 feet down once they jump it will shorten quickly.  In other words.  Don't give me that crap that they don't enjoy it.  Show me a child that doesnt enjoy something and I will bet close behind is a parent that is a bad salesman.   Hey kid if you don't like the view in the back seat learn how to drive. 

Fourfly.  If your little cruiser expects to stay on cruise control the entire trip your trip is in trouble.  Your cruiser better like to step on the gas.  Cause if they don't, they will be rund over.  Nothing, and I mean nothing replaces hard work.  If you have one that is allergic to it or fights it regardless of how far you would like to drive your trip will soon find a major pot hole and somebody is falling out the floor board. 

Is there a fifthly?  Oh yes.   If you are going to board a plane you better leave the pilot alone.  Do you really want the head honcho looking in the rear view window going 350?  Not me.  And remember,  don't teach your flight crew to jump off the plane half way there.  At least wait until the landing gear are down and the wheels touch land.   Trust your instincts.  If you think you are about to board a plane with an incompetent crew,  turn around.  You may save alot of people some grief.

Sixthly.  If you don't know.  Find out. 

Like any trip pick a destination, invistigate the numerous paths, take directions from competetent direction givers, prepare your youngster for the lengthy trip,  make sure you are properly packed,  expect that not everything will be perfect while expecting perfection,  enjoy the journey and sell it to everyone else cause they will believe.  Then once in awhile, get out of the way and let the doctor get it done.   Finally, when it is good, go all in but don't turn blind cause things can change.  










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