Lessons From the Dodgeball Court
Do you remember playing dodgeball when you were a kid? I loved P.E. class dodgeball oh so much! I have vivid memories of epic competitions in my old, tiny elementary school gymnasium. The games were ruthless! I recently attended a father-kid event in which old-school dodgeball was heavily featured. Hours of ruthless, chaotic dodgeball!!! It was like jumping into a DeLorean and going back to my elementary school days.
I remember thinking this 35 years ago, but the idea sat clearer on my mind as adult me dove back into the art, science, and madness of dodgeball. You can tell a lot about a person by how they play dodgeball.
With dozens of people on the court, along with another dozen-plus balls whizzing around the room, dodgeball relies on the integrity of its participants to run smoothly. It's a game of inches, angles, and reflexes. Did that ball graze my shirt? Did it make contact with the ball in my hand, or my arm? Did it hit the ground before striking my foot? Did I make a clean catch, or did I trap it before it hit the ground?
During my recent game, I watched kid after kid after kid cheat their little brains out. They would take a 70mph fastball to the chest, then brush it off as if it missed them completely. Other people would get frustrated, tensions would rise, and then they would cheat again. As I watched this unfold, it spoke volumes to me about that person's character.
They were just kids, though! Cut them some slack! Just kids being kids. The little voice on my other shoulder encouraged me to give them grace. After all, my kids aren't perfect, either. I kept watching......
Since it was a father-kid event, dads and their kids often occupied the same space. The kid would float just behind his dad. Dad would feed balls to his son. That's when I noticed something else. The kids who were rampantly cheating had one thing in common. Their dads also had a proclivity to cheat. That's right! Grown men acting with the same lack of integrity. "That ball didn't hit me!" exclaimed one dad who got smoked in the hip.
You can tell a lot about someone by watching them play dodgeball. Character matters so much, even when there aren't refs present to blow their whistles. How we play this game of life matters. Conducting ourselves with high character and integrity is essential for a smooth society, healthy relationships, and living with meaning. And as the cherry on top, the next generation is watching. Every time we act, whether in public or in private, those around us see how we conduct ourselves.
I've always thought about these ideas, but as a father, I can't stop thinking about them. Most of society tells our children the best way to win is to bend the rules, find loopholes, or flat-out cheat. Every ounce of me wants to combat that in my own kids, and that starts with the guy I see in the mirror. We gotta do better; be better; model better. They're all watching.
____
Did someone forward you this post? We're glad you're here! If you'd like to subscribe to The Daily Meaning to receive these posts directly in your inbox (for free!), just CLICK THIS LINK. It only takes 10 seconds.