All I Ever Needed to Know, I Learned from the Game

competition: 1. a competitive encounter between individuals or groups carried on for amusement, exercise, or in pursuit of a prize 2. an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another (compliments of Merriam-Webster)

Game, battle, rivalry, struggle, duel, combat, grapple, challenge, contest...  Regardless of the name, we all have a little bit in us - the desire to win.  Some, of course, are by nature more competitive than others.  Yours truly would fit into that category.  I must say that I do enjoy a good game or challenge.

If I were punching the mom time-clock in the area of sports, I would have accumulated around nine hours (not including travel time) this week just watching my three kiddos on the field.  While I'm not so crazy about all the time involved in the to and fro, I greatly enjoy watching them compete.  What I enjoy even more though is seeing them learn life lessons through the sports that they play.   Here's what I see them learning:

1. Commitment - signing up to play means signing up to finish.
2. Teamwork - it's not all about us, working together is better for the whole and as a result, better for the individual.
3. Life isn't always fair - can I get an AMEN! Regardless, fair play isn't optional.
4. Sportsmanship - it isn't always easy, but it is always expected.
5. Respect - the coach, the players, and even the refs.
6. Patience - with the coach, the players, and especially with the refs.
7. Self-control - even when circumstances encourage the opposite.
8. Give 100% - from whistle to whistle. 
9. Perseverance - stick to it, eventually good results will arrive.
10. Winning isn't everything - but boy, it sure does feel good, especially when numbers 1-9 have been tough lessons.  

Looking at my list, it puts me in mind of a list that came out years ago called "All I Ever Needed to Know, I Learned from Kindergarten."  I guess the same could be said for sports.  What life lesson listed above couldn't easily be applied to the workplace or the home?

Since I spend so much time on the fields, it has naturally become an area to work on my photography.  My equipment won't help me win any sports photography awards, but I do have fun capturing images of my kiddos in the game.