I’ve always considered myself to be a fairly relaxed sort of person, not given to wild displays of emotion. (That will happen when South Africa wins the Cricket World Cup.)
My high school report from when I was in matric had my headmaster comment: “Rush could do to show more animation.” Something along those lines.
At the time, I had to ask my dad what that actually meant.
Anyway, I was at a schools sports day, the Suid-Natal Primary Winter Festival, last Saturday, where this supposed phlegmatic temperament of mine was put to the test.
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There were children everywhere, having a wonderful time. Well, mostly. Some of the rugby boys, of which my son (9) was one, sustained bumps and bruises, and there were some tears.
Being something of a sports fanatic, I’ve watched hundreds, maybe thousands, of sports games over the years. But never one featuring my own child in a rugby game. This was new territory.
I have always vowed I will never be ‘that parent’, who shouts and yells and tries to instruct from the sideline.
Fortunately, I did manage to remain mostly sedate but only just. It’s safe to say I now have a much better understanding of why some seemingly calm and quiet folk go a little crazy on the sidelines.
I’m not talking about running onto the pitch and trying to join the match, or tackle the ref, and/or opponents.
It took everything in me not to start shouting when my boy touched the ball, or his team scored a try.
Maybe it’s been because it’s been so long since we’ve had normal school sport, but every time his team had the ball, everyone just erupted in support.
It was truly wonderful to experience. Parents shouted for whoever had the ball. It didn’t matter who it was or even if they were shouting the right name.
It was just wonderful fun.
I have to say that the festival ran like clockwork. It was seriously impressive. Almost as impressive as Suidie’s U13 team. Wow, they have some good players.
Later in the day, after the games had finished, I overheard one of the coaches from an out-of-town school giving his squad a dressing down/pep talk – it was difficult to know exactly which one it was.
It went something like this: “If you aren’t injured or sore, then you haven’t put your body on the line”.
He may have been trying to encourage one youngster who’d left the field mid way through a game.
I’ve been thinking about that statement since Saturday.
At first I was mildly appalled, but the more I have thought about it the more I have come to the conclusion that in many ways, he is right, even if the choice of words may not be.
It could be used as a basic lesson for life, especially in our most blessed of countries.
And it’s figurative. You don’t really have to get injured to prove you’re committed.
But you do need to fully commit to whatever it is you are taking on. How can you achieve genuine success any other way?
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