I played hockey as a kid. 

I remember one coach. 

He was good. 

Every kid was important. 

No kid was more important than any other, no matter their ability. 

He was a big fan of the expression, ‘There is no ‘I’ in TEAM.’ 

I must have been young because I remember spelling it in my head, and concluding with, ‘Right, it is an A.’ 

Cut to a certain time later. 

‘I got it.’ 

But I also got something else. 

Something big. 

Maybe there is an ‘I’ in TEAM for some people. 

That there is nothing wrong with this. 

Maybe that is why I am not a fan of team sports. 

Maybe that is why I moved on from team sports. 

That it was okay to not like team sports. 

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. 

That was a hurdle I had to get over. 

People who like to do sports on their own. 

People who perform better on their own. 

People who do not want a team. 

People who like to be on their own. 

Don’t have to show up at a certain place or time. 

Can leave when they want. 

Can return when they want. 

Can go as often as they want. 

Can go where they want. 

Can do what they want. 

Can stop when they want. 

Can be who they want. 

Can go as hard as they want. 

Can go as easy as they want. 

It is not a selfish thing. 

The rest of their lives are filled with ‘TEAM.’ 

It is just something they prefer when it comes to sports. 

It works for them. 

‘There is an ‘i’ in Tim’ 

Insert single lane emoji here. 

‘There is another way to ride.’