Wednesday, June 29, 2005

The truth about my team…

Sometimes being honest sucks.  But being on a losing kickball team does too.  Especially when you lose, not because the talent isn’t there, but because your team doesn’t want to play and forces themselves onto the field every week any way.
It was very apparent, when our team lost (0-14) last night that it was because of lack of initiative.  They were so unenthusiastic about playing.  At one point, one of the girls gave up and just sat the rest of the game out.  The Ump made us play the required 4 innings and then called it game. 
The next teams to play were missing players.  They came over to our team asking if anyone would be willing to play with them.  Freeman piped up and said he would love to.  I didn’t really want to, but stayed to play anyway.  They needed two more players to make a full team, a guy and a girl, so the two of us staying made the rest of their team. 
They/we won!  With only 8 players, barely enough to cover the field, we won the game.  It was fun, it was amazing, and it was what kickball should be.
It made me think. 
It made me wonder.
It made me realize more about my previous team of, well, losers.  I started to think about how they played on the field and translating that into how they work.  Some might think the comparison is harsh, what if a person has no talent?  Like me?  I have no talent when it comes to sports, but regardless of how well I play, I am out there every week trying my best.  I attempt to stay out of the way of people who have the talent and cheer and support those who are doing well.  That is the way I am at work.  I show up every day and stay out of the way of people doing their jobs.  I help where I can and do what I am good at. 
Take the girl who gave up and sat out.  I started thinking about what I know about her working career.  The fact that she has been searching for a job for almost a year now.  That she is generally unhappy with what she does.  The fact that she is ready to give up and sit out.  I thought to myself, I’m glad she didn’t make it into my work-group.  I would hate to be saddled with her attitude.
I am supposed to play mini-golf with this group in a couple of weeks.  They tell me that it is a much different game and I will have more fun with them.  Honestly I am ready to just give up on them.  This experience has not been what I was looking for.  I will do mini-golf, because I said I would and that is the person I am.  Plus, different people will be on that team, people who didn’t want to do kickball from the beginning. 
After that, though, I think I will go back to belly dance full time and leave these people to their own devices.