SECOND CHANCE

One gets a second chance sometimes in life. After having been cut from his former team, Nicholas' second chance came in the form of a tryout with a different soccer club in Portland. This second opportunity came about after I discussed Nicholas' plight with several parents. Having seen him play, these parents expressed incredulity that Nicholas was not selected by his former club. These parents encouraged me to contact other clubs in town and inquire about the possibility of a formal tryout, even though the deadline had passed.

I discussed this possibility with Nicholas, and he said that he knew there were no guarantees but that he would love to have another shot at making a competitive team. Therefore, I decided to contact a nearby club, and they agreed to have Nicholas come out.

The first night, Nicholas was assigned to practice with the "A" team. The little guy held his own and played much more aggressively and focused than I am used to seeing. After the trial, the coach said,"I think I see something, but I am not sure. Can Nicholas come out one more time?" I said yes and felt encouraged by Nicholas' performance and the coaches comments.

I was out of town for the second day of Nicholas' tryout and was worried that the little guy might get his heart broken twice. However, Nicholas did not fail to impress, and he was selected to play for the new club. Needless to say, my boy was ecstatic, and we celebrated with donuts from a nearby shop!

I do not take any credit for Nicholas making the team. I also do not feel as though I overstepped my bounds by inquiring about a tryout. In my mind, this was not helicopter parenting. Rather, I merely tried to create an opportunity for Nicholas to try to succeed. His success came down to him and him alone though.

We will rejoice in this moment - particularly after realizing how Nicholas learned two valuable lessons through this tryout process. He learned about dealing with life's disappointments and adversity. However, he also learned that resilience pays off and that sometimes one is given a second chance. Without loss, can one every truly appreciate victory? Without resilience, can one ever get up the nerve to try again? I think we know the answer to both those questions for my boy!