Last night we found ourselves in a Middle School Gymn here in town, watching a Grade 8 Boys Basketball Playoff Game along with our sweet grandsons and their beautiful mother. It was the most amazing game!! After winning their playoff game the day before by just 1 point, Jamie's team surprised the No 2 team in their district and beat them very convincingly.
We yelled, cheered, encouraged, and held our breath as we watched the underdogs play an incredible game for their coach. We were sitting right behind the bench so we could hear every word Jamie spoke as he coached his team to an unlikely win. He was encouraging, positive, inspiring, believing the best of his players.
I couldn't help but think back 15 years to when we were watching Jamie play Basketball. As a parent it was sometimes frustrating to see him patiently wait on the bench for his turn to play. But as we have watched him coach teams since then, it is obvious to see that he is a better coach for having spent time on the bench.
Some of the lessons he learned on the Bench:
** that anyone can have good attitude when they are winning games but it's harder to have good attitude when you are the underdogs and don't always win
**that it's easy to be into the game when you are playing most of the game, but it takes character to be into the game when you are on the bench the entire game and your role is to be the best cheerleader of the team that you can be
**that the most athletic players aren't always the best players. Sometimes the ones with the biggest heart make the biggest difference.
**that whether or not you are a starter, you are important to the team
I had to think that it is the same in life! Too often we want to be the stars, the best looking, the most athletic, the players that get the most attention instead of the ones sitting on the bench cheering others on. But sometimes we learn the most when we are on the bench, watching from the sidelines. God wants us to be the best we can be....whether on the bench or in the starting line up.
Being on the bench isn't all bad! In fact, it makes for an awesome coach who believes in his guys and who is encouraging, positive, patient, quietly strong, Jesus with skin on. I was so proud to be introduced as Jamie's Mom! Go Huskies! They will be playing for first place in their league this coming weekend and we will be there again....cheering them on!
3 comments:
Great post! I remember those BB days so clearly. . . moms exchanging joys and frustrations. Yes, we also wanted our boys to be the stars and sometimes it was hard to see them learn the valuable lessons learned on the bench.
I can imagine it must be fun to watch Jamie coach now. Did you ever think that the coach's mom would feel like you do, 15 years ago?
This post made me smile...I remember those days - except one of my "players" always wanted to be on the team but would rather enjoy the socializing than the actual sweating it on the floor. She thought that the bench was a good place to be. It must be very exciting to cheer the generations...no doubt your little grands will find their way there as well..so you could be cheering for many more years...might want to get a cushion!
You are such a great writer! This is a great post! It reminded me of my brothers playing. Luckly I was living at home the last couple of years of the brothers high school games (volleyball/basket ball). I made a point of attending. The first game was funny, I was the only crazy screamer (and I made a point of just yelling at my brothers team), the other parents sat there clappig politely! Well that changed soon and the coach later emailed me to make sure I was showing up for their playoff games!!
My brothers were pretty much always in the game...it was cool to watch them grow up as they got more and more reposibility within the team. It was amazing watching them trying to get the younger kids going...I didn't think they had it in them!
Here is a story that always makes me cry...scroll to the grey area...
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/g/godsperfection.htm
Post a Comment