I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or
six years old. They were playing a real game - a serious game. Two teams,
complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn't know any of them, so
I was able to enjoy the game without the distraction of being anxious about
winning or losing. I wished the parents and coaches could have done the
same.
The teams were pretty evenly matched. I will just call them Team One and
Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. The kids were hilarious. They
were clumsy and terribly inefficient. They fell over their own feet, they
stumbled over the ball, they kicked at the ball and missed it, but they
didn't seem to care. They were having fun.
In the second quarter, the Team One coach pulled out what must have been
his
first team and put in the scrubs, except for his best player who now
guarded
the goal. The game took a dramatic turn. I guess winning is important even
when you're five years old, because the Team Two coach left his best
players
in, and the Team One scrubs were no match for them.
Team Two swarmed around the little guy who was now the Team One goalie. He
was an outstanding athlete, but he was no match for three or four who were
also very good. Team Two began to score. The Team One goalie gave it
everything he had, recklessly throwing his body in front of incoming balls,
trying valiantly to stop them.
Team Two scored two goals in quick succession. It infuriated the young boy.
He became a raging maniac - shouting, running, diving. With all the stamina
he could muster, he covered the boy who now had the ball, but that boy
kicked it to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time he repositioned
himself, it was too late - Team Two scored a third goal.
I soon learned who the goalie's parents were. They were nice, neat-looking
people. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office - he still
had his suit and tie on. They yelled encouragement to their son. I became
totally absorbed, watching the boy on the field and his parents on the
sidelines. After the third goal, the little kid changed. He could see it
was
no use, he couldn't stop them. He didn't quit, but he became quite
desperate, futility was written all over him. His father changed, too. He
had been urging his son to try harder, yelling advice and encouragement.
But then he changed. He became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay -
to hang in there. He grieved for the pain his son was feeling.
After the fourth goal, I knew what was going to happen. I've seen it
before.
The little boy needed help so badly, and there was no help to be had. He
retrieved the ball from the net and handed it to the referee and then he
cried. He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He
went
to his knees and put his fists to his eyes - and he cried the tears of the
helpless and brokenhearted.
When the boy went to his knees, I saw the father start onto the field. His
wife clutched his arm and said, "Jim, don't. You'll embarrass him." But he
tore loose from her and ran onto the field. He wasn't supposed to -- the
game was still in progress. Suit, tie, dress shoes and all, he charged onto
the field, and he picked up his son so everybody would know that this was
his boy, and he hugged him and held him and cried with him. I've never been
so proud of a man in my life. He carried him off the field, and when he got
close to the sidelines I heard him say, "Scotty, I'm so proud of you. You
were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son."
"Daddy," the boy sobbed, "I couldn't stop them. I tried, Daddy, I tried and
tried, and they scored on me."
"Scotty, it doesn't matter how many times they scored on you. You're my
son,
and I'm proud of you. I want you to go back out there and finish the game.
I know you want to quit, but you can't. And, son, you're going to get
scored on again, but it doesn't matter. Go on now"
It made a difference - I could tell it did. When you're all alone and
you're getting scored on - and you can't stop them, it means a lot to know
that it doesn't matter to those who love you. The little guy ran back on to
the field-and they scored two more times, but it was okay.
