Dubious Quality

The New Parenting Phase

We flew to Minneapolis last Saturday, then drove three hours to Duluth. Now he's in a main NAHL camp.

Like I said before, it's a stretch to think that a NAHL team would take an '01, but he's hoping to impress teams so that he'll be in the forefront of their thinking when he tries out again next year.

The key to all this is making it to the all-star games at the end of camp. It's great to be invited to main camps, and to play well, but he's not close to making a team until he makes it into the all-star games. That's where the best 4-6 goalies in camp wind up.

Last week, before tryout results were announced, I realized that I'd reached a new phase of parenting.

Before, when there was a big decision coming up, or some kind of outcome, I always knew what would be best for him. I had an outcome to root for, because it was always obvious what was best.

Now, though, it's complicated.

I was deeply conflicted about him going back to the same program for a third year. There were just too many associated negatives, and I didn't feel like it would be any better this season. If he didn't make that team, though, and nothing else shook loose, he could wind up playing in high school for one season.

I could make a case for high school, though.

It's hard to get noticed in AAA, even if you're really, really good, and the program he was in didn't really promote their players at all.

In high school, I think they would do everything possible to promote him, and if he plays well enough, his numbers would be so dominant that scouts wouldn't hold the level of play against him.

Above all, I was frustrated that he wasn't appreciated. He was at the facility more than any kid in the program, his level of play was continually progressing, and was that appreciated?

Not really.
So high school would be a lower level of competition, yes, but he wouldn't be in the car ten hours a week (at least), and he wouldn't be sitting in a hotel room on the weekends. That would leave an enormous amount of time to ramp up his workouts and build his skills.

He would also be appreciated, and that would make me very, very happy. Everyone deserves that.

This is one of those situations where no matter the outcome, it's our job to make it the best outcome. There are positives in every possibility, and negatives, too.

He just has to keep getting better, no matter what.

posted by Bill Harris @ 3:42 PM