What Soccer Teaches about the World

Imagine, Dream, Grow, Create and Become

By my fourth son

Imagine Scoring the winning goal of the Championship and I thought I couldn’t do it because all the energy was out of me.

Dream of becoming the greatest keeper that stopped every shot that was shot at him and even though I was tired I still kept going.

Growing into the greatest player that shot the best bicycle kick that took him forever to learn.

Create the best juggling trick in the history of the world with your feet that took years of practice to create.

Become the greatest professional soccer play that never gives up when the team he’s playing on is losing the game.

 

My son has a birthday coming up. He brought this poem home last week.  It was in a book of  poems by his class, hardbound – the whole nine yards. When I first saw a poem on soccer, I kind of sighed.  All my boys love soccer.  All have wanted to be great soccer players.  World Cup? Guess what we will be watching for the next forever?  World Cup Soccer!

And, then I read his poem. And what I saw pleased my heart.  All children want to be great – at something, some dream they have within them. Some realize earlier, some later about the kind of work and determination needed to make dreams come true. Mine are like that – realization blooming in different seasons.

Some people believe sports are a waste of time. I am not one of those parents. I have found it to be an additional classroom teaching things like negotiating differences, dealing with people who annoy you but understanding the need to develop a successful working relationship, learning from great failures to create great successes, respecting authority that decides where you play and when you play, learning to achieve the top-notch position by working your way up from the bench. 

My son gave me a tremendous pre-birthday gift just by showing me what he understands about dreaming, being on a team and hard work:

• Never giving up on team-mates or team when losing
• Willing to practice at something for years before experiencing the results and achievement
• Recognizing that greatness is something you grow in to and requires learning
• Recognizing that just because you are tired does not mean you give up or try less harder
• Setting the bar high!

As a mom, I try so hard to stuff wisdom into my sons.  Stuffing it in is sooooo hard and complicated.  However, seeing wisdom come out, un-prompted by me (yes, his teacher did provide the prompt), is like seeing a cardinal take flight from its nest – absolutely breath-taking. I am so blessed!