Work Ethic 101

Extracurricular sports.  When your child is involved, so are you.  To an extent you never imagined possible.  My daughter played club/ HS soccer, club/HS swimming, HS track, club Lacrosse, played Violin in district Orchestra and participated in Art Club. Year 2009 added an American Foreign Exchange Student , my incredible girl, Inken who played soccer, diving and lacrosse.  All of which I showed up to participate in. And actively supported with my checkbook .

And I am not complaining. Some of the most important moments of my life happened on the field/at the game.  Winning goal against Madeira 2009...my daughter(assist). Alternate for State Swim team (she ended up having to swim because 3 members of the team got suspended).  She  received the Archie Griffin Sportsmanship Award and also the Warrior Award (most leadership oriented player) her 2009-2010 season. The Most Improved award for Inken who learned something like 17 dives to compete in the High School District meet (she had not been a Diver before).

All this time and energy and expense.  Is she a collegiate athlete now?  NO.  Do I care?  Maybe a little.  But very little. She loves college and she actually has 2 jobs and likes "working".  Imagine that, a young woman who says, "l would rather work enough hours to pay back my loans than take a partial scholarship, which probably wouldn't cover my time to run on the track team".  She still may decide to run track at some point - I know she misses the team effort - and if so - I will probably make the 3 hour trip to watch. I'm so tired of listening to politicians bitch about over-spoiled college students who don't want to work and slide through on loans. But the message any parent should take from this...extracurricular matters. Encourage it. Pay for it. Do it.