Happy Anniversary Kidz n Sports!
This week marks the second anniversary of Kidz n Sports on Adrenaline Radio. April 24th, 2006 was the beginning of a new adventure in my life. I had never been on radio before and I had no idea how well my idea of discussing youth sports would be received.
Now I know.
With an average of almost 10,000 listeners on the internet, and more on 1680 AM and on their cell phones, and another 700 or more who download the podcast I would say we've done ok.
Now it is time to practice another sports axiom - Keep on keepin' on.
I love youth sports. With my daughter graduating from high school this year I am already sowing the seeds to return to coaching next year. Even though I have helped out with my daughter's travel team, I still miss being on the field regularly, planning the schedule, setting lineups, etc. But the thing I miss most is seeing a player succeed at reaching their own personal goals. And it is even more joyful when you know you had at least a small part in helping that player in their quest.
This is what youth sports is all about. Helping our young people learn life's lessons through sports. Helping the kids develop their skills and teaching them how to be good losers and gracious winners. The lessons they learn are not taught by yelling louder, calling names, or quitting. You don't grow as a person by blaming someone else when you come up short. The road to success is paved with potholes, wrecked bodies, and steep climbs. The only way to reach the end is to maneuver around the obstacles, work harder up the steep grades, until you finally can coast down the other side to the finish line. This is youth sports.
I like to refer to a quote I found when coaching the Newport Harbor "Sailors."
"A calm sea never a skillful sailor made."
Life is not easy. When we were little it was easy. It was t-ball. We got to experience life anew. People doted over how cute we were and our special quirks in the way we did things. Then we reached 8 and under through 12 and under and life gradually got tougher. Now the parent who thought we were so cute in t-ball is yelling at us about hitting the ball or at the coach because we're on the bench. Did I do something wrong? Now I got through that and into high school. Slowly but surely my skills have developed and I have a role on the team. Why didn't someone teach me that before? Now I'm starting to learn what this is about; sports and life. Now people are asking me what I want to do with my life. Some are still telling me. Some are suggesting ideas. But some are listening to my ideas, and some are actually hearing my questions. What do I want to do in college? Do I want to go to college? Why do I want college? Do I want to play sports in college? Life is going faster and faster. I have suddenly realized I have three choices: I can try to stop the roller coaster from going so fast; I can get in the way and get run over by the roller coaster; or I can get on and enjoy the ride. But this roller coaster is really neat. Every so often it comes by the beginning, and the man at the controls asks me if I want to stay on the same course, or change courses. I can switch to the blue roller coaster or stay on the red one. And he'll even give me some ideas as to which one is better.
Life is a roller coaster. Kidz n Sports is here to help the kids enjoy their roller coaster ride. Thank you all for helping the coach always be right.......and for still supporting them when they might be wrong. Teach first, win later.
It's all about the kids.
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