being cut from a team. They're kids I've known and worked with for years, but they're just not ready for the next step.

I've worked in youth sports for what feels like forever in all kinds of different roles. But, in all that time, I'd never been in this particular position before.

I thought I was ready to handle it in a straight-forward way, but it was way harder than I expected when it came time to actually sit down and deliver the news.

Not an exaggeration to say I'm not sure I'll ever experience kids' sports quite the same way again.