The following story is one which
will touch the heart of every parent who has watched their child struggle
to be part of the team. Not everyone can be the best player on the team,
and at times parents forget that the important thing is not for your child
to be the best of all, but more importantly that he or she give it his or
her best.
Dear Mom and Dad:
Don’t get excited. I’m not running
away or anything. I hope you won’t be mad that I left you guys this
letter, but I don’t have the guts to say all this stuff in person.
It’s about our hockey team. I was
really excited to make the traveling team this year. The uniforms and
hockey bags are pretty neat and we get to travel all over the place. But I
know you are disappointed in me.
It started when Dad called our coach
after the second game to tell him he was taking me off the team. I know
you used to like to tell the guys at work how many goals I scored last
year in house league. I guess you haven’t got too much to tell them this
year.
But after the coach talked you out of
taking me off the team I was really nervous to go back. The coach told me
he thought I was good enough to play on the traveling team and not to
worry. He told the other players I got sick and they all kept asking me if
I was feeling better.
I know you really like it when I score
goals. I guess that’s why you said you’d give me five dollars for a
goal and a dollar for an assist. But the coach says an assist is as good
as a goal. The coach wasn’t too happy when I told him you gave me two
dollars for a penalty though.
I try to be more aggressive, like you
said, but the other guys skate pretty fast. You told me to carry the puck
more, like Jimmy does, but I can’t seem to go fast enough to get away
from the other guys.
You should see me play street hockey
though. When they pick teams I always get picked nearly first and I score
a lot of goals. The other day I hit one of the guys in the elbow with a
tennis ball and we couldn’t stop laughing for about a year. But before
our real hockey games I always get so nervous.
You know a lot about hockey, Dad, but I
just can’t remember all the things you tell me in the car on the way to
the game. By the time we get there, I always feel sick in my stomach.
I don’t mind you screaming at the
games because all the parents scream. But don’t yell at John to pass the
puck more. He’s the best player on our team and without him we’d be
dead.
After our game yesterday, I felt bad
when you yelled at the coach for not putting me on the ice in the third
period. It was a close game and he wanted the best players out there. The
coach is a pretty cool guy really, and he doesn’t get any money or
anything for coaching us.
I know you were both pretty upset after
we lost the game. You were surprised when I started crying in the car on
the way home. It wasn’t because of when I got hurt in the second period,
like I said. I just couldn’t help it.
I love you both a lot, so I think I
better quit hockey. It’s costing you a lot of money, like you said, and
you guys don’t seem to enjoy coming to my games any more anyway. I can’t
go back to house league, because all of the guys would laugh. I hope you
understand why I can’t play hockey anymore. I think it’ll be the best
thing for you guys.
Signed
Your Son.
