The ‘Best’ Team

Below is a conversation I had with a mother earlier this week over the phone. The parent reluctantly decided to play for a different program and the mom was sharing why.

• The Mom “My child is going to play for the best team.”

Corey “What does the best team mean to you?”

• The Mom “They went 23-0 last season and won 5 of 5 tournaments they were in.”

Corey “Well, it seems our definitions of ‘the best’ are different. How old is your son?”

• The Mom “What do you mean? He’s in the fourth grade”

Corey “To me, the best team is one in which he will be treated with respect, treated fairly, and treated the same as  the rest of his teammates. The best team has coaches who care about their player’s like they are children of  their own. The best team has a primary focus of player, team, and character development. Winning a game or event is second to these areas of focus. The best team will put your son in situations that he will succeed, and ones in which he may fail, all for the sake of furthering his development and providing experiences in which he will grow to unforeseen heights. The best team gives your son proper training, providing drills and situations that will test his decision making skills. The best team will push your fourth grader to strive to become a prepared fifth grader. The best team will motivate your son to become the best he can be.”

Not everyone defines the ‘best’ the same. What’s best for one person may be less than ideal for another.  That’s okay. It’s not to say one view is right and the other is wrong. Some peoples views are just plain different. I’d love to know…

How do you define, ‘the best’?