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A Spectator of One

Ice Hockey

My two oldest sons got the Ice hockey bug when they were teenagers, after watching the movie “The Mighty Ducks”.  For over a quarter century they have played in numerous states throughout the US and have even traveled to Europe.  One son teaches Ice hockey and coordinates teams that have won multiple championships.

Now in their forties, they play mostly pick-ups which are just a bunch of guys and sometimes a gal, some their 50’s or even 60’s, that meet on the ice, split into teams, and play just for fun while not keeping score.  Pick-up times are usually at 6:30 am on Saturday or 9:00 pm on some evenings.   These off-hour times are cheaper and make it easier for them to enjoy the sport.

Recently, I met one of my sons at the rink at 6:30 am where I was the lone spectator and was in awe as I watched them play.   On another occasion, I traveled with another son to watch them play a pick-up mid-day on a Saturday in San Diego.  Yep, once again I was the lone spectator! They do this just for the love of the game and over the years, I have observed this with many different sports that they have participated in.

I have found that in team sports one needs to be a team player. Duh!  Well many of these players try to be the hot shots and try to dominate the game.  In this scenario, scoring is pretty poor, morale is bad, sportsmanship is diminished.  Even in single sports, I’ve noticed that the more they smile and enjoy the game the better they perform.

What about the game of life?  Do we enjoy the game?  Can we smile while working?  Are we a team player?  Is it necessary to keep score?  I think in the game of life, scoring is necessary to gauge how we are performing.  So many believe it should be win/loose, but I have found it more enjoyable to make it a win/win.

We are a high-performance Dental team and are always looking to help our patients in any way we can, even in non-dental ways.  So much has improved in the dental world that I am excited what we can offer and I very much enjoy the game. Is there a spectator in the house!!

 

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