Tryouts

Both of my daughters are in the midst of trying out for one of the local soccer clubs. The oldest played for this club last year. Last night, I witnessed #2 go through what #1 went through last year after the first night… complete meltdown. It’s brutal to watch the mountain of emotions crush a little girl, and it’s tricky to navigate the parenting part of such a moment. Then, it’s simply strange to feel something related to nervous while watching the girls try out. The competition culture is exhausting when it’s on the surface and obvious. “The winner takes all.” Well, the lesson of losing seems sometimes more valuable in the long run… at least, that’s what I found myself thinking tonight as a spectator. I’ll be glad when this is over and the selections have been made.