When is a tryout not a tryout?

Well that is the question. As today's kids are now deprived the opportunity to fail and fail miserably, OISC has relabelled trying out for a team as an "assessment". Right. Kids aren't stupid: they know whether they have made the team or not - calling it an assessment or a try out isn't going to change anything. (Same in Ottawacker Jr.'s school, by the way. Not only are the classes not streamed, they also aren't called 4A, 4B, 4c etc. in case the kids think they are being streamed. Instead, we have 4-Elephants, 4-Lilac, 4-Hysterectomy... or something like that. This has only meant that the kids now put values on elephants, lilacs and hysterectomies: lilacs are better than elephants because your class is full of.... .) Sorry, I digress.

So Ottawacker Jr. has now completed his "assessments" for the U11 team and was, to my delight, made to play out. In fact, he was a striker and kept as far away from the goal as possible. He did well, scored a direct free kick and a breakaway goal, and so was justifiably happy. However, he won't have the pleasure of actually making the team because, you know, it's not a tryout.

I wish Liverpool were having tryouts. I was forced to endure the capitulation against MoneyLaundering City FC: almost left the room with 20 minutes to go, but thought it would be a good exercise to counter my ADHD, if I have it.

While Mrs Ottawacker and Plum of Loins took her brother and his family bowling in the PM. I stayed at home and cooked dinner: vege stir fry (with beef, for those who think vege stir fries are anathema to humanity) and a pair of gratin dauphinois. I also started drinking and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Lovely evening, food turned out well, and things might be on the up.