All

This final, regular season email was supposed to be another long,

boring 2,000 word treatise on the lax landscape our boys will travel

in the coming years. Snoozefest. Even I’m weary of me! Ha ha. Instead,

lets live a little more in the present. What do wise men say?

Yesterday is history and tomorrows a mystery?

 

Courtesy of Maureen Silverman and approved by Connor and his Dad,

Brent, I have been given permission to share something much more

meaningful. Below is the email Connors Mom sent earlier this week. Dig

a little bit deeper, and the gifts of this great sport will reveal

themselves.

 

We have seen some special things this season. One very special truth

we came away with is this: Moms and Dads, each of you have raised fine

young sons. From the first day of practice to Sundays last game and

everyday in between, your boys have consistently displayed remarkable

character and compassion. As I mentioned in an earlier email, the

coaches have never seen a group of boys who care so much about each

other. By the end of this email the who, what, why, where, when and

how will manifest themselves. Even then, I find it tough to figure out

exactly who’s gift this is.

 

Thank you Maureen and Brent. And thank you Connor for your smile, your

willingness to share and your depth of character to take ownership of

the fact that you have overcome so many obstacles. You are an amazing

person, you are an inspiration and we are blessed that you have come

into our lives.

 

One Love, Rastamon!

 

Coach DC

 

 

 

The 1st time I emailed John, explaining Connor’s auditory processing

issue, the response has been amazing and accepting. The last 8 weeks

have been some of the most important and defining of Connor’s life. He

is a kid that was born so early he wasn’t suppose to live. After 5

months in the NICU, he came home and hasn’t stopped amazing us, or

smiling, since. As his 2nd grade teacher said, “Connor has never had a

bad day.” Of course I like to say it’s his Irish feistiness!

 

Our attitude with Connor has always been to treat him as normally as

possible, and make no exceptions. I never wanted to baby him, or

coddle him. Ok, I did-but that’s not the right thing for him.

 

Fast forward 12 years and he says he wants to play Lacrosse. My

brother is a LAX Coach in Chicago and says, “I don’t know-sometimes

it’s too physical, he may not like it.” My husband doesn’t know

either. But I sign him up and we go up to All Star, I buy all the

gear, and then some-and off he goes.

 

The 1st practice I watch with my heart in my throat. He’s last during

drills. Way last. My eyes start to water. But he gets in the car, and

says, “that was great!” “my Coaches are awesome.”  His sisters tell

him he looks like a Gladiator in his equipment. Suddenly it’s Lacrosse

talk in this house ALL Spring. He starts showing his sisters the

things he is learning. (they play too) ONLY Lacrosse shorts are worn

to school. The backyard now has a bounce back net. At some point

during those weeks, when I looked for him during drills, it took

awhile to find him. Why? Because he was mixed in with the pack. He was

doing it!

 

I drop him a bit early to a practice a few weeks ago, and as he gets

out of the car, there are 6 boys standing there. I’m thinking to

myself, “Are they nice to him?” and then I hear “hey Connor/Hi Connor,

hey Connor let’s pass”. Little do these boys, or their parents know, I

drove away with tears again, and the biggest smile you have ever seen.

 

It’s those things that mean so much when you spend ALOT of time

worried about your son, both academically and socially. And the game

with the Goal, I will remember FOREVER. Even my daughters “got” why I

was so happy.

 

To hear him rave about the coaches and the kids on his team has been

so great. I have a daughter in 5th and last week Blake Lori yells down

the hall, “hey Caroline-your brother Connor is awesome!” How amazing

is that?

 

You all have given him an unbelievable confidence. An unbelievable

sense of team and belonging. I know you guys are going to go on and

coach kids with some great talent. Maybe their parents will be

obsessed with fair playing time, going to the Columbus tournament,

etc. But not us. We know our son is a gift, and the fact he was on

YOUR team was also a gift. And through the years we have met some

people who shock us with their character and compassion. People we

will never forget. You are all now on that list. Please forward this

to the other Coaches and tell them how much they changed a kids life,

and how grateful we are. Thank you SO much for more than just a great

season of LAX.  Maureen