That Is The Safe Way

I am not the kind of person that likes to step forwards when asked to volunteer. I like to think that I have nothing to prove and it is more than likely that someone else has more of the skills that are being sought than I do.

I have read that during WWI when there was an offensive planned, there would be saturation bombing of the enemy position and then the soldiers would race across “no-mans land” which would result in horrendous casualties and almost certain death. There were soldiers that would remain behind whose orders were to shoot anyone that didn’t leave the trench or that came back out of “cowardice”. I am one of those people that would opt to be shot in my own trench rather than “volunteer” to die. Probably not, but you get the idea.

 

When my kids were in soccer I was convinced by a friend to go to the Soccer AGM just to see how things were run. While I was there, I was talked into co-ordinating girl’s soccer. I don’t talk to that friend any more. I am sure I will go into how ill suited I was for the job at some other time, but for now I want to talk about the opportunity it gave me to see into the behaviour of others. Particularly, how parents are so blinded by the love for their children that they see what they want to see, not the reality.

 

I can’t tell you how often someone would call me or come up to me and ask why their kid didn’t make the division one team. I would ask the name of the child, thinking that being human it is possible that I made a mistake in placement. When I found out that they were talking about little Susi Smith, I would be completely baffled. You see, Susi didn’t know which foot to put her shoe on, let alone how to kick a ball from a standing position. The first few times this happened I thought the parents were pulling my leg, but it happened so often I had to develop a way to let them down gently. I wanted to say that the only way Susi would make a Div I team would be is she had a whole body replacement as well as a brain transplant. It wouldn’t even have to be a good brain, anything would be better than what she was using.

Of course I didn’t say that or anything like it, I would tell the parents that the teams were set, but I would keep an eye on little Susi and if she were playing at a higher level then we would move her up. In the six years I did the job, I only moved one kid up and that was because of injured Div I players, not advanced skill. I am still amazed at how parents would think that the coach should play their kid over another child with superior skills.

I constantly hear similar stories from people in the work world. Why would they make that guy supervisor, he doesn’t know the job at all. I would do things better if I were the boss. I would hear this crap and pray to what ever Gods happened to be hovering around that these morons would never get a promotion. Unfortunately, in our world, the Peter Principal is more often than not applied. That being in an organization where promotion is based on skill, merit and achievement, eventually you will be promoted beyond your level of competence. We have all seen this time and again, and more than a few of us have found ourselves in way over our heads.

You know, I find myself in a situation where I can’t continue this blog. I was working up to something that is happening to me now, but I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and it is just possible that this just might happen if I continue. I could also lose a friend or two and quite frankly I need all of the friends I can get. Let’s just say that the blog is about little girl’s soccer and not about adults not having clue one as to their abilities. I think that is the safe way.