14/09/2024
Yes
Thank you to the friends next to me in the stands who cheer for every kid every time.
Who want the best for everyone on the team. Who support them when they’re flying high and support them even harder they’re flailing. Who go crazy when they get the big hit, but who still encourage with the same heart when they strike out.
To the parents next to me who understand that these are kids—humans, just like us, who have good days and bad days, seasons of success and seasons of struggle. Who are giving their best out there, but who understand that even at their best, they won’t make every catch, every serve or every goal and they won’t win every game.
To the parents who get it.
Who get that youth sports are about developing and camaraderie and being a part of something. About working hard, gaining confidence, respecting your coach and building a team. About becoming leaders and learning about grit and growth and grace.
That the most important thing they’ll gain from sports is how to be better, stronger, more compassionate, more resilient people and that character development beats the number on the scoreboard all day every day.
To the parents who have the village mentality. That it takes us all and that our kids will benefit from us cheering together as unit instead of silent pairing off and gossiping when a kid is having a hard time. That they’re learning by watching us and that it is up to us to set the tone—to lift up, to come together, to love.
A sport is just a sport.
A team is just a team.
But helping these kids grow into the men and women they were made to be is everything. What an honor. What an absolute privilege it is to be surrounded by other parents, grandparents, guardians, aunts, uncles coaches who get it. I’m so glad I’m not alone.
And I’m glad my kid isn’t alone either.
That’s what it’s about.
That’s why we do it.
Thank goodness we get to do it together.
Love,
Amy
