that soccer game.

Have you ever been to one of those Jr. High soccer games where the parents are all screaming at the players? And they are screaming the same things over and over? And the things they are screaming are only being said because someone screamed them at one time and they sound appropriate for a soccer game? But, it seems no one has any clue as to what they might actually mean? 

"First to the ball!" "Recover!" "First to the ball!" "Recover!" "First to the ball!" "Recover!" "Win in!" "Cover #5!" "First to the ball!" "Recover!" "First to the ball!" "Recover!" "First to the ball!" "Recover!" "Win in!" "Cover #5!" 

Yeah you get it. 

And the players aren't listening. At all. After the game they say things like, we don't ever listen to anyone except our coach and the people playing the game. 

Have you ever been to one of those Jr. High soccer games? 

Maybe. Maybe not. But, I can almost guarantee you, you see the same behavior almost every day. Sometimes I am that parent screaming. Sometimes I am that player playing and ignoring anything that's not from someone on the field, fighting, with me. Sometimes I am the coach, wondering why all the parents keep saying "First to the ball!" and don't seem to know what it means. 

And when you see it, so up close and in your face: such a vivid illustration..  wow, it sure makes you want to never do anything like it ever again. 

So, once, again, today I learned to shut-up more often than not. Not only do you look much smarter, you really waste much less time and get to enjoy much more of life.