Tryouts and Lessons Learned

Trying out for anything can be scary. In November Bronson tried out for the middle school basketball team and Emerson tried out for chorus.

It actually SURPRISED me that Emerson wanted to do chorus but when he told me he tried out and made it, I thought, "Yes, I will pick you up from school on all your practice-after-school days. Good for you!" Anyone who has the nerve to try out with the option of NOT getting picked gets two huge thumbs up from me.

Emerson takes things seriously when given a task. So I wasn't surprised when they gave him a CD to all the Christmas songs that he played it and played it aaaaaaaand PLAYED it.

I wasn't given much detail on the program. Just that he was an army guy and I had to buy him camo stuff. I showed up that night to see this cute little army guy take his role quite seriously.

Chorus is made up of 4th and 5th graders, which meant Emerson was smaller and right smack on the front row. He knew EVERY word to the songs. Then he would look back and start traffic-ing people down and up the bleachers when it was there parts.

What's funny is that he had lines and all to memorize but they were all said by the 4 army guys together. I could hear Emerson's voice loud and clear though. He was on stage for hardly ANY time but DEFINITELY took it seriously. (short little one third from left)

At the end I introduced myself to the choir director as Emerson's mom (sometimes I hesitate to do that......it might not ALWAYS be a good thing, you know.....) and she smiled and said, "Emerson was the FIRST person to know ALL the words to the songs and his lines." 

No. surprise. there.

As I mentioned Bronson had basketball try-outs as well. It's something he's waited basically his whole life to do. You can't play here until 7th grade and it's on a 7th and 8th grade COMBINED team.

It was a three-day long try out period. On Monday, the first day, Bronson took an extra bag with his basketball clothes and shoes in. These KDs (Kevin Durrant shoes) are the shoes he saved up for last year to buy. I would be embarrassed if I told you how much he spent on them, but he loved them. Anyway, during the school day he had left his bag in the locker room during gym time and someone stole his shoes out of the bag. Bronson called me after school asking me to hurry and take him to buy new shoes but then he would miss practice and DEFINITELY not make the team. The poor kid was really shook up about it and I felt so bad for him.

The try out went okay for him though even w/o his nice shoes. He had people tell him all the time how he would definitely make the team and how he kept "breaking their ankles", etc. He felt pretty confident about the whole thing.

That night he and Brooks went and bought shoes with the money Bronson was saving up for new ones. We had a friend one time tell us what he told his son about buying super-fancy-name-brand ANYTHING. He told his boy,
"I'll buy the shoes, you buy the COOL."
Meaning, I will spend as much as I was going to spend on new shoes ANYWAY, but if you want a certain brand/kind that is MORE then that, they you can spend your money on the "Cool".

So that's what they did. We bought him shoes and Bronson bought the cool. Cool in the form of bright orange high tops. :)

Anyway, the second day of try-outs went well. While I waited for him to come out I saw all the other kids walk out and realized a few things: 

1) there is a BIG difference in body size between a 7th and an 8th grader

2) there is a BIG difference in the size of a Caucasian 7th grader and another 7th grader.

Now I'm not racist or anything but certain races mature a little faster than others. So when someone is already shaving and have definition in their arms and chest, they kiiiiiiiinda look a little different then my boy. And then I start wondering if he really WILL make the team!

 Everyone assured him at practice he would. HE knew he was in the top 8 7th graders (only 8 were being picked from 7th grade), and definitely one of the better dribblers. But I was still worried.

WHY are try-outs so much worse on PARENTS THEN THE KID?!?!?!

The last day when coach sat down one-on-one with each kid to tell them their "fate" I waited outside all nervous. I KNEW this meant everything to him and I just didn't want him disappointed.

I saw him walking down the hallway toward my van and when he saw me, he smiled. 

I immediately was reassured.

Bronson gets in the car and I asked, "So did you make it?"

"Nope."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Then why were you smiling?"

"Because I'm one of the two team managers!!!"

*pause*

"Well.....that's GREAT! Congrats!" (I think?) "What will you be in charge of?"

Anyway, we talked and talked and apparently the team had too many guards trying out (which is the position Bronson's size would play) but coach liked him and wanted him as team manager. He would get to go to all the practices and practice most of the time with them, clean up cones, etc., come to games and sit on the bench in their cool shirts and "pump the team up". Never setting foot on the court during a real game but involved in every other aspect.

I couldn't help but sit back and just be amazed. There I was, all worried and disappointed at the news and my boy obviously would've rather MADE the team, but was content and looking forward to the alternative challenge instead. What an attribute that will be beneficial to him all his life!!!

I thought, "This kid is gonna be fine".

In life and any disaapointment...... he is going to be fine.