I read an article a month or so ago about a novel attempt to improve the quality of play on England’s national volleyball team and rowing crew. Rather than limit competitors to people who already participate in these sports, an open call was made to athletic types who were over a certain height. The purpose of the tryout was initially kept a secret.

The reasoning of the sporting commission was that there were probably a lot of people with a natural ability to excel at these sports who, for various reasons, have never competed at them. They figured that it would be easier to find superior athletes and teach them the sports, than to take current volleyballers and rowers and try to get them to be more athletic. The article indicated that the plan was successful.

This got me to thinking about the U.S.’s failure to climb to the top of world soccer competition. The reason for this, I’m convinced, is that while most countries’ best athletes make their way to the soccer pitch, in America, our best athletes play football, basketball and baseball.

Among all of the incredibly gifted football, basketball and baseball players in this country who nevertheless fail to make it to their preferred sports’ professional ranks, there has to be some world-class soccer talent.

Here’s my proposal, slightly stolen, for improving the fortunes of our national soccer team.

Establish soccer academies/charter schools in the inner cities of our major metropolises. Starting at fifth grade, students tryout for a spot in the academy. The youngsters are graded on athleticism and discipline, with a nod given to previous academic achievement.

Those accepted receive a free, high-quality education through high school. During that time, they also train and compete on the soccer field. After they complete their years at the academy, those that no longer wish to pursue soccer, either in college or in the professional ranks, receive a scholarship to a four-year college or technical school.

By tapping into this new demographic for talent, the level of play of our national team will rise considerably as these new soccer-bred players make their way up.

You know, I believe that will all have undeveloped talents and unrecognized gifts. Who knows, if your parents didn’t push you into figure skating, maybe you could have been a highly-decorated archer. And you over there, you might have excelled at the pole vault, if you didn’t spend all of that on the Nintendo.

The reason I mention this topic right now is because this weekend I discovered a hidden talent of my own.

I was at a cookout Saturday evening to celebrate the birth of our nation. There were many activities to accompany the food and drink: swimming, karaoke, basketball and the tossing of the pigskin. A few of the guests even broke out into a game of bocce ball, and eventually asked me to join.

I didn’t enter the game until a few rounds in, after the other players had a chance to rack up points. No matter; I quickly established myself as a master, and, after a tight match, came out victorious. My superior play was as much a surprise to me as it was to the more experienced also-rans.

Two things to note here:

First, this was my first attempt at bocce ball. The primitive Roman game was never a part of our Lithuanian holiday rituals.

Second, one of my fallen competitors was of Italian descent, and therefore, a ringer by nature. As I understand it, in his old country a bocce ball player who loses to a non-native player is exiled from their village and forced to live out their days transiently in shame. I’m sure this fellow won’t be damned to a similar fate, but he is probably sufficiently chagrined after being shown up on his own turf.

Anyway, I enjoyed bocce ball and look forward to playing again. It’s probably too late to make a career of it, but I can continue to dominate the cookout circuit.

So my advice to you is to step outside of your current comforts and interests and try something new. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to humiliate one of your friends as well. It’s a wonderful feeling.