A Moment in Soccer - Selection #6
The Pressing Question
I sat across from the parent and son and provided the evaluation. The parent, a mom in this case, was visibly upset. I’ll paraphrase her thoughts: “Her thirteen-year-old son worked extremely hard, loved the game of soccer, he didn’t understand his role on the team, and was not getting his fair chance to showcase his natural goal scoring prowess.” I was bewildered and beguiled. His eval was complimentary for a kid whose uncanny knack for making the right play was combined with poor practice habits, no movement off the ball and a general lack of effort.
“David, do you have any questions about your position for your coach?” She nodded her head while looking at him.
“Yeah, I do have a question,” he said.
The mom looked at him and me with a quick anticipatory glance.
He looked back at her, “Can we stop at Potbelly’s on the way home? I’m really hungry.”