This is a fun time of the year to be on social media. Middle school coaches are posting their rosters, which is causing parents to post pictures of their children smiling with pride as they have earned a place of their respective teams.
In a couple of months, we will have the same energy with Biddy with kids earning places on All-Stars rosters and giving themselves the chance to continue to compete through the winter.
To all of those who made their respective team, we congratulate you and wish you nothing but the best in your upcoming athletic year.
But today, our column is for those who tried their best, gave it their all, but will not be part of the team this winter.
To all of those who got cut from your respective teams, I want to congratulate you. I know, you’re saying, ‘Congratulate me for what?’ So let me tell you. I want to congratulate you for having the courage to put yourself out there to try and work hard for something you wanted.
I want to congratulate you for trying. I want to congratulate you for giving it your best and going for it.
For your classmates who made the team, they will move on to their seasons, but for you, the challenge is just beginning. My challenge to everyone who did not make the team is to not give up, use your idle time wisely, practice hard in your own time and do your best to try again next year.
You already have one of the biggest and most important traits any athlete needs: courage. So let’s use that courage and mix it with determination to get better and come back stronger than ever.
If you were cut from your respective team, be an active participant in the process. Talk to your school’s coach and ask him/her what you need to do to get better. From there, take time and work on those weaknesses and make them strengths.
I cannot tell you the number of kids I have seen in my 10+ years covering sports in our area who have made massive leaps in a single offseason just by putting in relentless effort and refusing to take no for an answer. I also know kids who have been cut in middle school who were “late bloomers” who went on to have really solid high school careers.
But the most important part of that process starts right now and it only becomes possible if you make the decision to put in the work, time and effort that it’s going to take to make those improvements and get better at your craft.
Failure does not make one a loser. Failing to try does. By competing to try and earn a spot on the team, you’re a winner.
Now, let’s put in a little bit of hard work to try and make sure that next year, the outcome might be different.
Let’s go!