10 Ingredients for the Hyde Antidote

Having just returned from a weekend lacrosse tournament in Asheville, NC, rabid and obnoxious sports parents are imprinted on my mind.

You know the type . . . the parents who . . .

The Heart of a Champion

[THIS IS A MESSAGE WRITTEN BY MY 15-YEAR-OLD SON FOR INSPIRATION FOR HIS FOOTBALL TEAM; PHOTO CREDITS-CHRIS RAYNOLDS]

Champions are not made in gyms; they are not built or molded by scientists.

Champions are made from something they have deep inside them . . .

The Darwinian Mind of the Youth Sport Blind

I anticipate this being a controversial post, but I gotta say it anyway; it’s been burning a hole in me for years:

Youth recreational sports should be focused on

fun,

teaching,

skill development,

and

experience,

not winning.

Abandoned Orbs Astray

[A prospective retrospection]

Padding down the wooden rails,
adrift impatient distance.
I lay and linger upon the cadence,
‘neath the soothing darkness blanket.
Somnolent bridle tightly clinched,
I plead for longer peace.
Yet giggle piercing light invades
the slumber that I seek.
Tiny fingers tug away,
my heart cannot wander.
So I stumble by his side,
the world so full of wonder.