Make The Most Of Every Play...

It’s one of the first truly chilly Fall mornings in Minnesota but the players are up early to gather on the field for football practice and a game. As they run through drills practicing their throws, runs, and blocking, they listen carefully to their coaches. The players have much to learn but they are focused and with the support of their team, their coaches, and their fans, some will become lovers of the game forever. There are no big salaries, no team owners with agendas, no refs on strike – it’s not about any of those things. It’s a game… and for these players, who are only four- years old, it is about being fully committed to a game that they are just learning to love.

I had the opportunity last weekend to go watch my Great-Nephew play one of his first games of football. Will is your typical four-year old boy who is full of energy and is so excited about everything he is learning in life. When he is told to run, he gives it all he has and doesn’t slow until they tell him to “stop!” When he is told to pull the other player’s flag from his belt, his eyes focus on that flag with complete concentration and nothing will deter him from his goal. He runs, he falls, he tackles (sometimes it just can’t be helped), he cheers for his teammates, and he dances when he knows he’s done a good job.

As the game is played, from the sidelines to the field, every emotion is played out. The fans on the sidelines cheer for the players, some might be nervous for their own players, and all feel the agony of a player’s hurt knee…or hurt feelings.  On the field, confusion and frustration are evident as players realize they are running the wrong way or pulling the flag from their own team member – but that is how they learn. There is joy when they feel like they are doing it all right – one little boy who after every single play, looks to his parents on the sidelines and, with a huge grin on his little face, screams “I think we are winning!” There is no scoring in this game. That isn’t really the reason for playing. They are there to have a good time together. They are there to learn how to use their bodies for the sport.  And they are there to learn the basics of good sportsmanship. From the pre-game huddle to the end-of-game lineup, they are learning what being on a team is about, about it being OK to make mistakes, about encouraging each other to do their best, and about celebrating their accomplishments after working hard.

As the years go by, these young football players will learn the rules of the game. Scoring will become very important and there will occasionally be penalties for making mistakes. But it is the lessons learned on the field at four-years old that will make them into truly great players…and great young men.

These are the very lessons and the very core principles that we should all value – whether in football, or at work, or in our personal relationships. Although there are likely many times when we all feel very much alone, life isn’t an individual sport. We need those around us to always be helping us learn, accepting our faults, and sharing our joys. Be that person for someone today. Is someone you work with struggling to learn a new concept or skill? Maybe you can take a few minutes and show them the way. Is someone you love having a bad time because they feel like they have failed in some way? Let them know failing is human and they are loved no matter what. It has to begin with you. We have to be committed to making the most of every play…because we only get so much time on the field.

Make your moments matter today…

The four-year olds - making every moment count!

PSA: Head Stuck In A Railing? You Are Not Alone!

If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, or friend to anyone with a small head, please take a moment for this “Public Safety Announcement” respectfully submitted to you by me. You may not believe this but… It is not only very possible, but also highly likely, that at some point, you may have to jump in to assist when someone manages to get their head stuck in a railing. I know what you’re thinking “yeah, right, I don’t really think that’s going to happen.”  Ha!  The words of the innocent, vulnerable and unsuspecting.

This past weekend, John and I enjoyed a little visit over to Jen and Joe’s cabin in the north woods. We had a great afternoon with them and the rest of their houseguests. But, of course, the highlight was being able to spend time with the grandkids. I pride myself on being a very watchful “Ya Ya” and would swear that no harm would ever come to the kids on my watch so I’m not particularly proud to relate what happened next.

I stood with my 2-year old granddaughter, on the deck overlooking the yard many feet below as we surveyed the grass for a ball that she rolled off the deck. Of course, I’m not two-feet tall so I’m able to look over the deck rail. However, Sammy was also trying to spot the ball and, as I stood there and watched, she stuck her head in between the cedar rails. Now remember, I think of myself as being fairly protective so I did hold the back of her shirt and even cautioned her “don’t let your head get stuck”. As the words were coming out of my mouth, I had a flashback to a very similar incident about 20 years ago, when I let my daughter, Mollie, get her head caught in the railing at Turtles restaurant. I guess since then I had erased the memory from my mind because it really didn’t occur to me until it was too late and Sammy was stuck. Oh no!

Immediately, my mind filled with images of her spending the next several hours stuck between two wooden posts as the adults frantically attempt to free her. She realized she was stuck…and started to scream. I realized she was stuck…and also screamed…for John (because he can fix anything.)

However, after we both screamed, I was able to regain my composure long enough to hold back her ears and gently reposition her head just enough that she could pull back through. She was crying and I felt terrible. But, thankfully, no lasting damage was done.

However, it kept coming back to me throughout the weekend – is this normal, does it happen to lots of people, or is there something about me that makes small children want to push their head through railings?

So I did what any reasonable, logical, adult woman would do.  I "googled" it.

And, would you believe that there are more than 2,000,000 results for “head stuck in railings”? Including a very horrifying video of a small boy who gets his head caught in a stone railing and had to be freed with HYDRAULIC SPREADING PLIERS. (Yikes! That sounds like the stuff of much future psychological therapy.) In comparison, my incident (OK…incidents) seemed rather small. I’m not only very grateful to have been so lucky but, in all honesty, am also a bit vindicated that I’m not alone. There is even a facebook page dedicated to the topic (which, I just had to “like” in an act of solidarity with others who have had the same experience.)

Anyway, I promised a “Public Service Announcement” so this is it. My intense Google research indicates that the head is the largest part of the body so if it can fit through a space, the rest of the body should be able to follow. (I actually dispute this research for anyone over the age of 3 since I can prove that my head is definitely NOT the largest part of my body…but consider it to be true for children in any case). Therefore, if a child gets caught, you can try to work the rest of the body through the rail (rather than pulling the head out). Now, in my situation, since we were about 20 feet off the ground - this probably wouldn’t have been the best option. So, if that is ever your situation as well, try to hold the ears to the head and very gently reposition the angle so that the child can be freed…and your own self-image as protective and reliable adult can be partially restored!

So…all’s well that ends well. My grand-daughter was just fine and after crying for a few minutes, ran off to play again. I eventually recovered as well but will always be certain to give railings a suspicious eye anytime a child is near.

I’m not a perfect grand-parent, or parent, or friend, or sister, or person who has friends with small heads. But with google, and my new “facebook friends who get their heads stuck” by my side, I will always do my best to keep watch - and if you ever find yourself stuck in a railing, you know who to call.