Imagine a letter from your grandparents.
Dear Kids,
Team sports may not be your thing. That's okay, but "life is a team sport." Great things happen when people work together.
Fight for your teams - family, school, community. Nobody begins great. A weight lifter may start out as a king-sized baby but that's not enough. He or she needs help. With luck, parents, teachers, and trainers raise your progress arc.
Learn to make teammates better. At home, that might mean making your bed, clearing the dinner table, or helping your sister with homework.
At school, never be a distraction. Pay attention. Share. Play fair. Always do your best.
Someday, you might play for your city. Put the team first. What you do and what you don't, both count. Be a good teammate. Learn to be happy for others' success.
Don't be selfish. Don't be lazy. Don't be "soft." Invest your time; don't spend it.
Fall in love with practice. Be excited for the chance to improve. Get the most from practice. Practice with purpose, on offense, on defense, on individual and team skills. Be the hardest worker; "never cheat the drill." Imagine what a team could become if everyone committed to being the hardest worker.
Have the courage to leave your comfort zone. At times, you will think, "I can't do this."
Some days you and your team will excel. Others, you will struggle, even fail badly. Stay in the fight. Get the 'full benefit' of experience. Learn from the wins and the losses. Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
Find the belief, find the will, find the words. Days will come where you don't know if you can continue. One more lap, one more sprint seems impossible.
Your family loves you, win or lose, whether you play the whole game or sit on the bench. "You got this."
Love,
Grammy and Papa
Lagniappe. Always control the weight through the exercise.
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