Unexpected Award

2:00 pm. Cell phone rings. It is Drew's coach from school. He is apologetic. He meant to make sure everyone had gotten the flier, somehow Drew was missed. Really it wasn't intentional.

I am clueless what this man is going on about. After letting him ramble on, I finally asked him if there was something I needed to do. He would understand completely if I couldn't make it, being so last minute.

Make what? Come to the point! Turns out that tonight, there is a sports banquet followed by desserts in the cafeteria. It starts at 6:30. He was sorry I didn't know. It was pure serendipity that he bumped into Drew and asked him if he were coming, and discovered that Drew didn't know. But he's getting an award - he doesn't know anything about it of course. It would be great if I could come.

Finally! I get what he is talking about. I glance at my daytimer, and there is nothing scheduled that I have to be at. I assure him I will be there with Drew, and not to worry about the late notice.

The importance of it didn't really hit me until we were there, and the soccer team was standing on the platform, and the coach was talking about the season. Drew was the only 8th grader, and stood taller than almost all the other boys. Next to him, the three 7th graders looked like dwarfs. It was unusual that they all were playing in the varsity games, and even more, I realized that they had probably never given an award to a jv player.

The award was for being the most dedicated, and the most supportive of his teammates. Drew's spirit of encouragement and helpfulness had been noticed. I knew how hard it had been for him. At the first practice, everyone started running the required laps together. After a reasonable time had passed, I watched the first few come over the hill and sit down, waiting for the others. Then the majority of the players appeared, then a few stragglers. No Drew.

I kept watching while the team began their stretching. No Drew. They began some drills. No Drew. Coach sent someone to see if there was a problem, and he got to the top of the hill, then turned around. Five minutes later, Drew came huffing over the hill and joined the group. Good grief. He'll never last. But he did last. He did everything he was asked to do and didn't take any shortcuts, even when it meant he was the last one. He went to every game even when he didn't play. He worked hard, lost weight, got himself in better shape. I was proud of him for not giving up.

After three very difficult years and a long summer, I was so pleased to see him settling in, being uplifted by the high school boys, experiencing somewhat of a normal life, being acknowledged for his stick-to-it determination. And I appreciated that he was being encouraged by the coaches. He had mentioned just the other day how unusual the school was because most of the teachers were men.

I wouldn't have missed the award program for the world. Even if there had been something on my schedule. It is one small step in Drew's evolution from child to man, and you don't get to see that sort of thing very often.