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Friday, August 29, 2008

Is it a tall person's world?

"Mom, I'm short.l Why can't a I be tall like you?"

Those were the words coming out of Jennifer, between sobs, as we lay on my bed earlier this week at about 10 pm. I was just going to sleep, when Jennifer came in, stated she wanted to talk, and laid on top on me, to make sure I was awake.

Alright, already, I'm awake. They had just had the last day of tryouts for the volleyball team, and no , she wasn't going to get on the varsity or jv team - as some of her taller classmates had - but she did have hopes for the "c" team, which are usually all freshman. But what if she didn't get on that team? What if she got on the lame fourth team, which are the players that would otherwise be cut? What if she was too short to get on any team?

You get the gist of the conversation.

I really didn't know what to tell her. Gary and I had both encouraged her to go try out for soccer, where speed matters (which she has) and not volleyball where they usually favor the tall kids. Oh and she's trying out for basketball instead of swimming this winter, and not softball in the spring.

In middle school, tallness really didn't matter, since the kids where all over the place in their growth spurts. But now, in high school, and a large high school at that, it does matter, and the coaches for both the v-ball and b-ball teams will be looking for the tall ones.

Jennifer, tho she has a killer serve, is 5 foot 2 inches, and probably will be that for the rest of her life (I'm 5.8 or 5.9).So, what to tell her.

I think I came out with something like "we'll be proud no matter what team you're on" or something my sleep fogged brain could tape together. But I'm not sure it helped. And I'm not sure these conversations are going to get any easier.

I just hope she gives soccer a try next year.

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