| It was a beautiful Fall morning in Michigan. | | | | away from the opposition or score a goal. |
| If you're from the Midwest or Northeast, you | | | | |
| know what I am talking about. There is a | | | | In the past, I could relate most to this type |
| crispness in the air, and the leaves are | | | | of player. I knew what to do to succeed. I |
| beginning to change into their brilliant | | | | had the ability. And, I had the |
| colors. | | | | passion...most of the time, unless the going |
| | | | got really hard. Then, my passion seemed to |
| I was watching my six year old son's soccer | | | | wane. I seemed all too willing to give up and |
| game....my favorite Fall activity! My son's | | | | go after a new "dream", thus never achieving |
| team was undefeated so far this season. In | | | | my goals. |
| fact, the teams he has played on over the | | | | |
| last three years have never lost a game. | | | | When my son came out after the second |
| | | | quarter, I pulled him aside to give him the |
| My son was not among the players that went in | | | | requisite pep talk. I told him he definitely |
| the first quarter. The opposing team proved | | | | wasn't playing his best and wasn't being his |
| to be a worthy opponent as the balled was | | | | usual aggressive self. More importantly |
| kicked back and forth down the field with no | | | | though, I told him he was entitled to that |
| goals scored by either team. | | | | ball as much as anyone else and to go after |
| | | | the ball like he owned it. |
| I thought for sure our team would pull ahead | | | | |
| in the next quarter as some of the stronger | | | | He seemed to rally in the 3rd quarter. In |
| members of the team would be in that group. | | | | fact, he scored two goals. With goals scored |
| To my dismay, our team (my son among them) | | | | by his other team members during that |
| played very poorly in the second quarter. | | | | quarter, his team passed the other team by. |
| They seemed to be almost | | | | |
| sleep-walking...playing with absolutely no | | | | Just to tell you a little more about my |
| passion. | | | | son...yes, he possesses the ability and the |
| | | | know-how for the game. However, he is also |
| Since my son usually gave soccer his all, I | | | | the smallest and youngest player on the team |
| was a little disappointed in his efforts. | | | | which could certainly put him at a |
| Yes, I am a competitive soccer mom! We were | | | | disadvantage...yet it rarely does. When he is |
| down two points at the end of this quarter. I | | | | on the field, he is filled with passion and |
| wondered if this would be my son's first | | | | enthusiasm. It is simply a sight to see! |
| experience with defeat. | | | | |
| | | | He is a player number three. He is |
| While I was watching his game and all the | | | | aggressive. He won't back down to players |
| players, life suddenly made sense. You see I | | | | that are almost twice as big as him. He gets |
| often struggled with how to achieve the | | | | up when he falls down. He stays with that |
| success I so desperately desired. Now I could | | | | ball as long as he possibly he can. When he |
| see why people get ahead in business, in | | | | kicks the ball, he visualizes where he wants |
| relationships, in sports...in life, and why | | | | the ball to go and has a plan for it. |
| some get left behind, and why some get | | | | |
| seriously defeated in the game of life. It | | | | Every goal scored for his team is a |
| seemed so obvious as I watched the game | | | | celebration. And, every goal scored against |
| unfold. | | | | his team is an opportunity to learn. He |
| | | | utilizes his team to achieve his goals and |
| There were three types of players that day as | | | | knows when to pass off to other players for |
| there are in life. The first type of player | | | | the better of the team (or at least as well |
| is the one that doesn't even bother to try. | | | | as any 6-year old can.) He knows that he has |
| Whether they lack passion for what they are | | | | the same right to that ball as everyone else. |
| doing, don't believe in their own abilities | | | | |
| or are too weighed down by fear and their own | | | | His team won 6-2 that day. What I thought |
| sense of inadequacy, they never really join | | | | could be his first taste of defeat was |
| the game. | | | | instead a wonderful eye-opening experiencing |
| | | | for me. I now know that to be successful, I |
| This player might be out there going through | | | | must be a player number three. I need to |
| the motions, pretending to play, but they are | | | | stick with my goals with a vengeance even |
| not really engaged in the sport physically, | | | | when things get tough, or I feel like the |
| mentally or emotionally. This is the player | | | | smallest person in the world. |
| who only kicks the ball when it is right in | | | | |
| front of their feet. They don't have a vision | | | | Like my son's game exemplified, sometimes |
| or a plan for where the ball will go once | | | | when things are really tough, victory is just |
| they attempt to kick. And, they never bother | | | | a little extra effort away. I now understand |
| to follow it up or chase it down. | | | | that I must visualize where I want to go and |
| | | | have a plan. And, when I experience success, |
| A beautiful little girl on my son's team | | | | I must celebrate! And, of course use my |
| exemplified the second type of player. She | | | | defeats to learn. |
| was fast. She was strong. She clearly | | | | |
| possessed the ability. You could even see a | | | | I must play the game with the same amount of |
| glimmer of passion in her from time to time. | | | | passion and tenacity that my son plays with |
| Yet, she always seemed to run next to the | | | | on the field. I know now that I have the same |
| ball. She would follow the opposition all the | | | | right to success as everyone else. That ball |
| way down the field but never really give it | | | | is mine! And, that ball can be yours. |
| that extra push to attempt to steal the ball | | | | |