Tonight As I went upstairs to take a quick shower after exploding my left calf muscle on an aborted “run,” my thoughts were downstairs with a worried mom. Her son had called to tell her cuts were being announced tonight after only two days of soccer camp at UVM. I thought about my effort to walk-on to the baseball team at the University of Arizona and hearing, “Son, you’re not good enough” from legendary UA coach Jerry Kimball. I thought about writing this and what came next was, “that experience didn’t happen tonight for one freshman at UVM.” I stepped out, still lost in thought and hope and the anxious mother downstairs. Tugging up trousers, I felt some emotion and to no one in particular, I broadcast the request, “please give the kid a chance.”

I went downstairs and Joyce’s phone rang.

Nick made the team.