Long Walk

Another tough loss.

It was a long walk from the field to the car park.

A game that should have been won, but collapsed at the end, literally.

A lecture from the coach … a lecture from the father.  What should have been done; what was not done; what needs to be done; what to do next.

The son walks on for a while, alone with his thoughts.  Was he thinking about the game?  Was he thinking of the lectures that he just got?  Walking off the dejected feelings of loss?  Feeling that he is to blame somehow for the loss?

It gets harder as they grow, doesn’t it?  It’s not enough to give them a hug and tell them it’s all right; it was a good game; there’s always next time.  It’s not all recreational games any more.  It’s for standings; for points; for championships.  And so they have to learn how to dig deep; push harder; play tough.

And we parents hope that the lessons learnt from tough losses will help them grow into a better person, ready to face the challenges of their future life.

Now … if only the parents would stop talking about the loss … then we can move on forward!