Well I made my phone calls tonight. Only I came up with a good solution. So I don’t want to talk to the parents on the phone? Well then I won’t. Instead I simply reminded them of the time of our first practice and announced a parent’s meeting after the practice. I like to do things in person, so I’ll do it in person. I was pleased with that solution to my mental Gordian Knot.

I had seven phone calls to make and I completed 5 of them. Of course I only reached 7 of my players. That’s the disadvantage to having three kids from one family. I really do have a fear that they’ll go on a trip or something and someone will be sick and someone else injured and we’ll have 5 players. But hopefully that fear will not come to fruition. Hopefully they’re all about the sports and won’t miss a game or practice all year. That’s the hope.

Nothing of real note from any of the parents except Dante’s father. Dante, as you recall, is the one who plays travel soccer all year long, in addition to basketball. Dante’s Dad was the only one who inquired into my philosophy about winning and such. He liked what I had to say. He also got in how Dante doesn’t really like suicides. I hope it’s just that particular drill as opposed to running, since, as Dad and I joked about, Dante is going to be running A LOT. He’s going to run in soccer and gawd knows he’s going to be running at basketball.

I spoke to most of the kids on the phone as well. I’d forgotten how awkward the phone skills of 4th grade boys can be, since well, I don’t normally talk to 4th grade boys on the phone. A

So that’s tonight’s update. I’m getting very excited. I see no reason we can’t be good and win some games and that’s exciting. I think I have a nice group of kids, and that’s good.