The List

One of the hard parts of life is when we don't get chosen. It's a part of life in every school. It can be a life lesson but it is still painful to watch. The following is from October 17, 2006.

It was posted outside the high school office this afternoon. Like many schools have done, Westbury Christian has made separate squads for football and basketball, due to the length of the seasons and the number of girls participating in numerous extracurriculars. Seventeen girls tried out for the basketball cheerleading squad; only eleven names were listed. There is no perfect way to handle the announcement because some will cry for joy and some will sob in pain. Our sponsors deal with the girls as gently as possible but feelings still get bruised. We have had a number of tryouts recently. This afternoon, the girls' soccer team had tryouts. Yesterday saw auditions for the school talent show. Several weeks back were readings for roles in the fall semester drama production. The selection process is a daily part of life in the school culture. In a small school such as WCS, students have great opportunities to be involved but it can come at the discretion of the coach, director, or sponsor. It's the least favorite part of coaching for me, deciding who gets a uniform and who has to wait and try again. I must make a confession: at times, I have delayed the decision, hoping the child will make the choice herself. In a sense, it's easier if the player comes to the conclusion but there is also a cowardly element for the coach. I am not proud of myself.

In my Bible classes this week, we have been talking about the calling by Jesus of the twelve apostles. The Savior went off by himself and prayed before he made his final cut. We aren't told how many were in the running or the reactions of either the elected or declined. Although none of the Gospels list criterion for being accepted into the group, Mark 3:14-15 says Jesus selected the one dozen disciples so they could be involved in two areas of ministry: preaching and driving out demons. Some good men were obviously left behind. Did they still listen and follow even though they weren't part of the inner circle? Did they leave and pursue a new 'messiah?' Did some return to the trailblazer of the wilderness, John the Baptist? Maybe the Lord had other purposes in mind for those who didn't make the varsity that day. I remind my middle school players that many girls who played for me didn't suit up for games their first year but they never gave up. Jesus prayed the night previous to the posting of his squad. I prayed as well before revealing my decision to my junior high girls. I hope it was easier for Jesus than it was for me.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Either love your players or get out of coaching."
Bobby Dodd/ Georgia Tech football coach


God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com