You’ll beat yourself down, get cocky, or forget why you play.

Your parents may discourage you, encourage you, or lean neither way.

Fans will cheer for you, yell at you, or not even know the score.

Your coaches will praise you, scold you, and ask you for more.

Colleges will pick you apart, suck-up, or are too good to be true.

Opponents will manipulate you, mess with your head, and school you.

Teammates will be jealous, follow you, or order you around.

The paper will talk you up, never cover you, or push you down.

Instead play for those little kids squirming in the stands:

Screaming, playing, and watching the game with sticky hands.

They see you score points, play great D, and follow your dreams.

They also see you show boat, argue with refs, and chew out your team.

So avoid being anyone you wouldn’t want them to see,

For most likely you are who they’ll want to be…