A Lesson Learned

(FYI...this is a "hockey" post, beware)
Last weekend was tryouts (again) for Robert. Since he didn't make the AAA team the following weekend, he tried out for the AA team last weekend. He skated very well each day (there are three days of tryouts: Friday, Saturday and Sunday). So, by Sunday we felt that he probably made the AA team. Well, after the final skate on Sunday afternoon, the evaluators let the boys know that the list would be posted in 30-40 minutes...which seemed weird that there was that long of a wait. The weekend before, it was up within 10 minutes or less. While waiting in the lobby of the hockey rink, one of the evaluators (actually the assistant coach of the AAA team) pulled DH aside and talked with him. At that moment I thought that Robert didn't even make the AA team and that they were letting us know so we could leave before all the excitement happen. However, DH found out that one of the kids who was given a spot on the AAA team declined it and, after watching the AA tryouts they were offering Robert a spot on the AAA team. We did take some time to discuss this as a family (10 minutes in the parking lot of the rink) - weighing the pros and cons of both AAA and AA teams. One of the biggest issues is the amount of time Robert would play in a game - because at this level, the child has to earn is "ice time" in a game and in AAA there would be more competition for that versus AA. But we all felt that the level of skill development he would get playing AAA would outweigh the game "ice time" issue. While we are the parents of this 13 year old child, we did let him have the final say - and it has been his dream this summer to make the AAA team and he did work hard in all the spring clinics and in tryouts to achieve this - so, bottomline: Robert made the Bantam AAA team.

On the way home, Robert commented that the last day of AA tryouts, many of the kids didn't skate very hard or put out much effort because they felt they made the team (or didn't make it and therefore "why try"). He then said, that he felt that it was important to give it his "all" all the time because nothing is decided until the list is posted. Well, obviously after this experience the old sayings: "it isn't over until the fat lady sings" OR "don't count your chickens until the eggs hatch" is true.

Anyway...we are very excited and proud of Robert! However all the stress of the two weekend caught up with all of us yesterday, for all 4 of us were very tired and "out of it". But now that we have recovered, we have to gear up for Matthew's (youngest son) tryouts which start this Friday.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments about "go girl" and support regarding my blog. I appreciate you all and this wonderful community. It really has added a new dimension to my life! Take care all! Lisa