Thursday, June 28, 2012

Slip-Sliding Away

I walked to the Sports Basement store near here today. On the way I said Hi to my daughter, as she supervised younger kids from the SPCA camp at lunch in Franklin Square in her role as a junior counselor.

At the store I bought tape for my soccer playing son, who injured his ankle yesterday stepping off a bus on his way to work.

Today the ankle knob is swollen with a big circular bruise around it.

I'd hoped we could tape it and he could play. That's what his coaches hoped, also, and what his team needed.

But the moment I picked him up from work, I knew it was not to be. He is wincing even as he steps, let alone runs.

It is so hard to be the parent of a young athlete at moments like this. There is an attitude that he should play at all costs in a big game (which tonight's is, for his team), regardless of the longer-term consequences.

But I'm both his parent and his biggest fan. Tonight, I decided to be his parent and told his coaches he should not play.

-30-

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