While at Rosati Park in LaSalle this afternoon, my 4-year-old son was enjoying watching some much older boys play a pretty competitive game of soccer. However, when he said he wanted to play also, my heart sank because I feared they would reject him and crush his spirit. After about 15 minutes of attempting to go up and ask them if he could play, he finally got the courage...and had a blast. The boys made a big effort to include him, letting him score and not getting frustrated when he started running the wrong direction with high fives all around. I want to thank those boys for giving this little guy a great example of what sports and camaraderie are all about, and also their parents, for that is where I imagine their sportsmanship first developed. I am hopeful that their outpouring on my son will help him grow to do the same for those around him.