I Like Cheese
The first time I heard this phrase was out on a ball field from one of my 9-year-old players. After each game, we run out to left-field to discuss the game. I tell the boys that there are two outcomes in a baseball game. We win or we learn (and we ALWAYS want to have fun). After the other coaches and I finished sharing what we saw in that particular day's game we asked the kids if they had anything to share. A few of them raised their hands and shared what was on their mind. And then it was Jimmy's turn. "I like cheese", said Jimmy. All of us looked at each other wondering what just happened. And then we laughed.
I spent some time researching where this phrase came from. Apparently, it was a line in a Wallace and Gromit movie, but that's not the relevant context here. I looked it up on UrbanDictionary.com, the place where everyone that isn't in the know gets schooled on the latest slang. It just so happens that "I like cheese" is a phrase used to deter intelligent conversation. In other words, it lightens the mood. Distracts from the situation at hand. I kept an eye out for it in life for a few weeks and would only hear it as the kids blurted it randomly on the field.
This weekend Jimmy took "I like cheese" to a whole new level, and I learned something. Every team has a rival. This weekend we played in a tournament and met a friendly rival of ours in the championship game. I love letting the boys choose the chant as we break from a pre-inning huddle. Jimmy proposed that we break with "I like cheese" before we headed up to bat each inning. As you could imagine, we got some odd looks from other teams, umpires, and parents. The boys laughed, giggled, and went on to win it all.
I like cheese.
Another thing I saw at the tournament was two top 11-year-old teams play a game that had no bearing on the tournament. It was a throwaway game. It was also a rivalry game. The Rebels have struggled against the Blaze for many years at this age level. Very competitive. Very intense. Lots of pressure. With the pressure off, however, the Rebels coach let the boys choose their own positions. They played in places that they rarely ever see. No pressure. Just fun. They found themselves down 13-1 after three innings but kept chipping away and ultimately won the game 14-13. The next day they played each other again in the real championship game. The Rebels fell to the Blaze 12-1 in a slaughter fest.
The moral of this story is that it's very important for all of us to find our release to fun in everyday life. In my team's case, it was "I like cheese". In the 11-year-old team's case, it was about choosing fun over applying pressure. I will argue that it's about coming from our hearts instead of our heads. Essence over ego. Aliveness over numbness. Power over force.
Each of us has our own rivals in life. Perhaps it's a tough project at work, an individual that you can't stand being around, or just everyday stress. Find your trigger that brings you back to fun. Use it. See what great things happen.