An Athlete

This picture both breaks my heart, and makes me so incredibly proud.

He is hot, tired, exhausted, and in pain.

But he is out there, he is doing it.

Blaise pulled his hamstring in the Pioneer Cup. We took him to a physical therapist, and he said to rest it for 3 weeks. This tournament is the first time he has played since.

He REALLY wanted to play. He really wanted to score and to get his position back. He wanted to show himself, his team and his coach that he was ready and able.

But he wasn't.

Everyone could tell he was in pain.

His coach only let him play like 10 minutes the first game. The second game he said he didn't want Blaise to get hurt, but Blaise said he was fine, he wanted to play, he was just sore, but okay. About 3 minutes into his run out on the field he was tackled, wiped out. He didn't want to get back up. He laid there. I started to yell, "GET UP!!, Your fine!!" Not because I am a mean Mom, but because I wanted so badly for him to get up, and be fine, and be able to play.

I knew how bad he wanted it.

He got up. His coached asked him if he wanted a sub, but Blaise shook his head no. A few minutes later his coach pulled him out.

He was done. I could tell Blaise wanted to cry. He knew what was coming.

After the game, coach pulled Blaise and us aside. He said he wasn't going to let Blaise play anymore until after he finished a full rehabilitation program with a sports trainer. Coach said Blaise was too valuable to him to risk him not healing properly.  He needed Blaise to be back to shape by State Cup, he needed him to be ready to win it! 

SIX WEEKS of no soccer!!

He will miss 6 of the seasons 10 games.

I keep telling him that it is better to take the time off now and recover, than to keep trying to play and hurt himself more seriously. I keep telling him that he'll get his spot back. I keep telling him that he will be better than ever.

I was so proud of him when he agreed. When he took his physical therapy seriously. When he still went to every game and sat on the bench and supported his team. When he still went to practice once a week to condition. I am so proud of him that he worked to get back on that field. That he didn't get his spot back, but he didn't let them get him down. He didn't get to play much, but that didn't get him down.

He is an athlete. And an athlete isn't always on top of his game. A true athlete knows how to win and lose. An athlete knows that the only way to make your dreams come true is to do the work. An athlete knows that hard work is the only way to win.

And he is working.