What can I close on today?  It is a common sales technique, but like most sales techniques, it applies to other parts of life as well.

Last night we had our annual youth hockey draft.  I happened to get a top player in the first round.  I would be lying if I told you that I would have taken him if he wasn't an elite player.  However, in addition to being an elite player, he is the brother (with 12 years between them) of another elite player who played for my team for 3 years a while back.  He was not only a top hockey player, but one of the elite high school baseball pitchers on LI, representing St. John's and was in the paper quite often.

Not long after he finished playing with us, he developed some type of tumor in his head ( I don't know if it would technically be considered his brain).  He battled, and survived, but he ended up a little bit less capable than he had been previously.  He was a dominant athlete and of superior character.  I would be lying again if I bragged that he was charismatic or outgoing. but other guys definitely followed him because of his composure and prowess.  One day he and his father were looking at scholarships, then, and since then, his dad couldn't lok me in the face without tearing up. I always stuggle not to reciprocate.

Since then, Joey and I keep in touch, either when he stops down to the rink or on Facebook.  He is demonstrably different.  I absolutely love the kid (now a man), but there is a part of me that gets incredibly sad when I'm around him.  He is not only different mentally and physically, but emotionally.  There may be a tinge of revulsion and anger in there which would not be inexcusable.

We just took his younger brother, Robert, in the first round.  He is 14 years old and at the evaluations (before we drafted him) my long time assistant coach asked him about travel hockey (which as many of you know can be a significant commitment both time-wise and financially).  The younger brother, who had not been able to play in our league that often in years prior because of said travel hockey obligations, told my assistant coach when we asked him about it, "nah, it's not like I'm going pro and I can't put my mom and dad through that."

...at 14 years of age.  It occurred to me heading home Monday night, that while there may be 12 years separating them in age, there was much less seperating them in character.  It motivated me to think about why I do what I do and what impact it has on the world.  Year after year, kids come throught there and we do our best to make a difference.  What can I close on today?...

The thought occurred to me, that it might be time to see if Joey wants to coach with us.  It may seem an easy decision to others, but this, coaching the team and it's impact on our kids every year, is really important to me.  In addition, I need to check with the father first.  It may sound glorious and heroic for us to entertain, but I need to make sure that it would be something that the younger brother embraces.  As much as it is a tragic situation, the younger brother still deserves to enjoy the experince the way the older brother did...

I have a strong feeling though that it is not going to be a problem.