Friday, April 6, 2012

Have Fun, Love Baseball

Can you smell it?  I can.  It's spring (it tried to be sunny) and we were playing baseball.

Last night started Tucker's second season of T-ball.  He is fulfilling hopes and dreams that I had, literally, when I got pregnant.  I knew that it didn't matter whether I had a boy or a girl, this kid was going to be in LOVE with baseball.  He isn't letting me down...and neither is that little girl of mine.

I'm not going to lie, I felt like I was a kid again being out on the field.  I was happy, energetic, and in love...with baseball.  I am also ecstatic to hear that the 2 coaches who have taken the lead to get the team formed, have officially invited me to join them.  I get a hat and shirt this year!  It's official.  I'm a coach again.  The really great news is that I won't have to stage another coup this year to take control.  They have bowed down to my awesomeness much earlier this year and have succumbed to my mad skills, or good looks, you pick.  ...although I'm CERTAIN it's the mad skills, or maybe the goofy demeanor I use to teach the kids or to scare them out of running in the giant mud puddle on the field.  Either way...shirt and hat.  Official.

Addie was my shadow on the field.  She followed me everywhere, she yelled out everything I was yelling, she wore Tucker's cleats from last year that he outgrew.  She is perfect.  The only thing she is missing is a pink glove to protect herself from that kid on the field.  The one who randomly picks up a baseball and chucks it into the air without any regard for where it will land.  One of those random throws lands on my girl's head and that kid is gone.  (By the way, same kid who couldn't stay out of the mud puddle.  You see a pattern?  I do.  He might not like me much when he year is over.)

Tucker was much less timid this year.  He jumped right in and handled himself very well.  The team divided into two groups: new players and players with one year experience.  I was working with the rookies, so I didn't see much of Tucker.  I thought that was good for him to work on independence and confidence alone instead of leaning on Mommy to encourage and guide him.  He told me after practice that he didn't feel like he hit very well, but that he had fun.  "Mission accomplished", I thought to myself.  Who cares, at this level, if he ever hits anything...just have fun.  Fall in love with baseball.  You can learn skills and strategy, but not unless you love the game.  That's ALL I hope for this group of young boys, have fun and love baseball.   

1 comment:

Sara Denman said...

I sure hope THAT kid's parents don't read your blog!! :)