At my house, they play water
polo. My son and middle daughter also swim competitively, but the sport that
matters is water polo. I’m pretty sure that neither of my daughters could tell
you who won the last Super Bowl, much less who played. Actually, I don’t know
that my son could tell you… but that’s fine. He is an awesome water polo coach.
Just ask any player on his 12 and Under Boys team.
polo. My son and middle daughter also swim competitively, but the sport that
matters is water polo. I’m pretty sure that neither of my daughters could tell
you who won the last Super Bowl, much less who played. Actually, I don’t know
that my son could tell you… but that’s fine. He is an awesome water polo coach.
Just ask any player on his 12 and Under Boys team.
This weekend is huge for us –
it’s the Junior Olympics Qualifier tournament. The winners of this tournament will
go to National Junior Olympics later this summer. Needless to say, everyone at
my house is a little keyed up this week. Probably no one more so than I. They
have invested months of practice time in preparation for this tournament.
(Trust me, I know, because I drove them to all of those practices.) That
investment of time and effort has yielded tremendous benefits for them – they
are both outstanding water polo players. I know that they can hold their own
against any team they meet this weekend.
it’s the Junior Olympics Qualifier tournament. The winners of this tournament will
go to National Junior Olympics later this summer. Needless to say, everyone at
my house is a little keyed up this week. Probably no one more so than I. They
have invested months of practice time in preparation for this tournament.
(Trust me, I know, because I drove them to all of those practices.) That
investment of time and effort has yielded tremendous benefits for them – they
are both outstanding water polo players. I know that they can hold their own
against any team they meet this weekend.
Still, Orange County is the
epicenter of water polo nationwide. This weekend, they will be facing some of the toughest
competition the Junior Olympics has to offer. So there is a possibility that one or
more of them won’t qualify for the national tournament. (Won’t that make for some awkward
dinner conversations?)
epicenter of water polo nationwide. This weekend, they will be facing some of the toughest
competition the Junior Olympics has to offer. So there is a possibility that one or
more of them won’t qualify for the national tournament. (Won’t that make for some awkward
dinner conversations?)
This is one time that I wish I
could chuck the concept of right action, and just cheer for them to win with
every fiber of my being. Certainly, there is a lesson for them in losing, but
couldn’t they learn it some other time? After
the hours of practice they’ve logged, the parties and outings they’ve missed,
they would be so disappointed if they didn’t qualify for the National Junior
Olympic tournament.
could chuck the concept of right action, and just cheer for them to win with
every fiber of my being. Certainly, there is a lesson for them in losing, but
couldn’t they learn it some other time? After
the hours of practice they’ve logged, the parties and outings they’ve missed,
they would be so disappointed if they didn’t qualify for the National Junior
Olympic tournament.
I would be so disappointed, too.
I’ve had a front row seat on their journey. Sometimes I’ve been the passenger,
sometimes I’ve been the driver, but always I’ve tried to support them. (Which
is how I ended up as team mom. Talk about hours logged, Yay!)
I’ve had a front row seat on their journey. Sometimes I’ve been the passenger,
sometimes I’ve been the driver, but always I’ve tried to support them. (Which
is how I ended up as team mom. Talk about hours logged, Yay!)
Now, here we are, on the eve of
JO Quals, as they are commonly known, and I am more on edge than the kids.
Perhaps that’s because I have to sit back and watch it all play out. There is
nothing I can do to influence the outcome – I can’t play for them.
JO Quals, as they are commonly known, and I am more on edge than the kids.
Perhaps that’s because I have to sit back and watch it all play out. There is
nothing I can do to influence the outcome – I can’t play for them.
As parents, we all want the best
for our children, and it can be difficult to watch them go out and risk
disappointment. We have invested so much of ourselves in them and helping them achieve
their goals. It can be hard to be relegated the role of observer.
for our children, and it can be difficult to watch them go out and risk
disappointment. We have invested so much of ourselves in them and helping them achieve
their goals. It can be hard to be relegated the role of observer.
The thing, of course, is to know
that it is all right action. Life, unfolding exactly as it should.
As it always
does.