gym candy

                I am reading the book gym candy by Carl Deuker. I haven't finished reading it yet but it's a good book and I do have some ideas on the book. The book is about Mike Johnson a football player in a high school. He is the starting running back for his team. But Mike feels that he's not good enough and has low self esteem. His dad wants him to play better and is never there when he plays good. I have noticed that every time Mike tells his dad something that he thinks will make him happy it doesn't work out too good.  His dad always wants more from him. Mike works hard and whenever he has something to tell his dad that he thinks will make him happy and proud of him his dad always tells him something that makes him feel what he already accomplished was a waste of time.  This makes him work harder and harder to get what he wants.  But at the same time he doesn't feel like he's working hard enough .

             One example of his dad not caring about the things Mike has to tell him is when mike say that " I'll play on all the special teams, though.  Kickoffs, punts, extra points and field goal. I'm on every unit. it's not like I won't be out there.  Mikes dad reply's " that's stupid". And tells mike that he needs to play harder  and work harder and out play Drager. Drager is another kid on the team who is giving Mike some competition.  I don't think Mikes dads reaction to what Mike told him was the right way to react. I understand that you want your son to have more playing time but that doesn't mean that's the only thing that matters. Mike is doing what he can do and it would be better if he had some support from his own father.

             Another Example is when Mike told his dad that the coach named him special teams captain and that the coach has never named a freshman captained in all of his years of coaching. His dad reply's with "wonderful. How about playing time at running back? Is that coach finally going to let you get some carries?" His dad is always asking for more from what Mike gives him. If it's not what he asked for the his dad doesn't really seem to care. Even though his dad said it was wonderful. It wasn't like he really meant it. It didn't matter as much to him. The only thing that seems to matter is if mike gets to play running back or not. Nothing the Mike does makes his dad happy. Not showing your own son that your proud of the things he has accomplished isn't good.

            The main idea so far is that if someone is trying hard to make you proud of them show that you appreciate what they're doing. Even though it might not be what you want or what you're expecting you still should show some appreciation because you never know what that person would go through to make you happy. It can really have an effect on someone. It can make them do things that they shouldn't have to do.