Put Me In Coach-Baseball 2015

In spite of the rain and cooler temperatures that seem to be lingering longer than they are welcome, baseball season has arrived and is more exciting than ever! Mason is the catcher/pitcher/infielder for the Cheeks' Chargers, and Adam is the "short stop" for Browns Bombers! We are about half way through the season and both teams have an outstanding record! Cheeks' Chargers have lost one game so far, while Brown's Bombers are currently undefeated! They are both on great teams, with great coaches, players, and parents!

I must admit that I LOVE BASEBALL SEASON! To me, baseball season means so much more than a ball and a bat! Baseball season means SPRING, warmer weather, community, exercise, nights at the ball-fields, hot dogs, hamburgers, Gatorade, slushies, late night dinners, practice, muddy cleats, dirty WHITE ball pants, catchers gear, time with friends, supportive fans, mama's hearts, daddy's pride, the ring of a bat, the face of a child, and that all-american feel of perfection!  There is nothing greater than to gather the ball bags, put on the uniforms, grab the cooler and the camera and head out for an evening or full-day at the ball fields.  

As I put my camera around my neck and angle myself to get the "perfect shot,” I get to see the game in a frame that no one else sees.  I see the big eyed smiles that light up the face of the batter as he hears the crack of the bat and sees the ball he hit soar out into the field. I see his face change quickly to determination as he runs as fast as he can to first base, striving to beat the ball to the bag.  I see the nerves that dance on a pitchers face as he winds up and releases the ball toward the batter, hoping for the strike.  I see the catcher squatting time after time, framing the pitch, throwing off his helmet, chasing the loose ball, searching for the runner, throwing to second or third base as he tries to "catch" the runner, and racing to home plate to stop the run.  I see the in-field working together like a fine oiled machine as they execute the play, resulting in the out at first, second, third, or home...and sometimes even achieving the coveted DOUBLE PLAY. I see the face of the outfielder as he runs forward, backward, side-to-side trying to gauge the fly ball in hopes that he can catch it for the out.  I hear the coaches as they encourage each player with words of affirmation saying, "you can do it, keep your eye on the ball, take a practice swing, have fun, no harm/no foul, great hit, great catch, way to run!"  I see the coache’s faces when an error is made, when the out is made, and when the winning run slides into home. I see expressions of joy, excitement, frustration.  This side-line view draws me in, makes me feel like part of the team, and reminds me how fortunate we are to live in this small community.  A community where our kids can play baseball in a safe place, under coaches who truly care about our kids, where our kids can learn about healthy competition, where all kids get the chance to play, and where all kids are loved and encouraged while being corrected and challenged. 

I wonder, how many of us truly recognize the time GIVEN by each of the coaches on the fields each week.  Do we show our appreciation for the time they invest in our kids?  Teaching them not only how to play the game of baseball, but also respect; to respect their teammates, their coaches, their parents, their teachers.  They teach our kids to believe in themselves, to encourage their teammates, to encourage other teams (after all, the kids on the other teams are our kids best friends), to embrace healthy competition while guarding their actions and their tongues, to win with excitement and humbleness, and to lose with their heads held high. 

I wonder, do we as parents exemplify these same traits the coaches are trying to teach our kids. Are we, as parents, showing our kids how to show respect to their coaches by respecting their coaches ourselves?  Are we encouraging our team as well as the opposing team? Are we affirming our own children with words of encouragement like "good job, you'll get'em next time, keep your head up, way to go!" or, are we tearing them down with words like, "what are you doing out there, I can't believe you struck out, can you not catch a ball?" What is the message we are sending our kids? After all, I believe the heart of every parent is for their child to be confident in themselves, to be respectful to others, and to have character that also deserves respect.  As I contemplate these questions, I surmise that WE must be the model of what we expect from our kids. In other words, as parents, we need to "practice what we preach." It is our responsibility to represent the morals and behaviors we want to see in our kids, both on and off the field.

I want to thank the Clay County Recreation Department, every VOLUNTEER coach, every umpire, every concession stand worker, every parent, and every community member for supporting our youth baseball league.  Thank you for grass that is mowed, fields that are lined off and ready to play. Thank you for your time, your heart, and your knowledge.  Thank you for concession stands filled with affordable foods when families find themselves at the ball fields all day on Saturday or all night on a week night.  Thank you for your dedication to our youth and your desire to provide our kids with a fun and safe environment to play ball and build character.  Thank you for "Baseball Season," for without you, there would be no season at all!