W.A.I.T.

I spent the day yesterday at a sand tournament with Carly Jo.  We were there about 6 hours total.  It was a great day with Carly Jo and her partner Keri fighting it out with some 18's teams in pool play and then coming away with a 3rd place finish in the 16's division.  They had a great day and are really growing in the sport.

As I sat at the tournament yesterday I kept thinking of one thing.  It is the word W.A.I.T.  I know it seems weird, but stay with me. 

As anyone who has a volleyball player in the north Texas region knows it is a really, really, really competitive region.  These girls can play volleyball.  It doesn't matter if it is sand or indoor these girls come to play.  They are there to kick butt and take names.  Another observation I always find interesting is the parents.  I have found that they are just as competitive as the girls.  Maybe a little bit more so.  This is where the letters W.A.I.T. come in to play.  They stand for Why Am I Talking.  I think as parents we need to think of this phrase often.

I noticed yesterday that as the girls would come off the sand there always seems to be a parent there ready to give them some unsolicited advice about their game.  It seems to go both ways, too.  It doesn't seem to matter if they won or lost, the UNSOLICITED ADVICE is there and ready.  I heard it all day.  Please understand that I am not bashing or hatin', just an observation.  I know that some of the parents just wanted to be supportive and helpful with no ill will intended.  Other parents just need their asses kicked and really need to shut the hell up.  It's true.  There is no reason to make your kid feel like crap.  If your kid wants to talk about the game, W.A.I.T. and let them begin.  If they don't, then zip it.  Again, I kept thinking W.A.I.T. just W.A.I.T.  Ask yourself, Why Am I Talking?

Let's remember these girls and boys are from about 12 to 17 years of age.  They are still young to me.  They are learning and growing in the sport AND they are on freaking SAND.  I would like for some of these parents to get out on that sand and get to the ball and do some of the things these girls are doing on the SAND.  I hate to break it to you parents, but it ain't easy.  Have you ever tried to just WALK in sand?  Jump in sand?  Try it then we will talk.  Enough said.

Carly Jo put it to me so well one day.  She told me this.  "When I shank a ball or miss a pass or serve into the net or serve out or miss a pass AGAIN or make a bad pass AGAIN or hit it out or just am overall sucking, believe me, I KNOW!  I know when I suck.  I am the first to know that I am SUCKING!"  (She is such her mother's daughter).  I think it was her way of kindly telling me to W.A.I.T. and ask myself Why Am I Talking?

Please know that I am trying very, very, very hard to practice what I preach.  I sometimes have TONS of advice for Carly Jo.  Sometimes it spills out of my mouth and other times I W.A.I.T. and I just rub her on the back and don't say a word.  I am getting better at the back rubbing and it feels good.

Finally, yesterday Carly Jo was getting POUNDED by an 18 year old with a fierce jump serve.  It was brutal, but Carly Jo hung and just kept answering with some awesome serve receive passing.  As a parent of a 5 foot 4 inch defense player it is very, very, very hard to watch.  Instead of talking to Carly Jo I leaned over to my preacher friend Jeff and asked, "Do you think it would be OK with God if I just went over and broke that girl's serving arm?"  Jeff just smiled.

Show up and make it count!