Baseball Lessons

It's really no secret we are a baseball family here.  If we aren't at the field, we generally can be found watching a game in the evenings.  And I love the game for the lessons it teaches my children.  We talk about sportsmanship, playing the game with integrity, shaking off mistakes, striving to do better the next time.  And when my kids are no longer on the field, these lessons they've learned can serve them well in life.

This year I thought about what I learned from them.

I literally was headed out the door this year with Noah and Caleb's Little League registration in hand to sign them up for the spring season, when Elisabeth stopped me and asked, "Can I quit gymnastics for the spring and play baseball?"  My first thought (and the first words out of my mouth) were, "You couldn't have asked me this last night???"  I frantically shot an email to her former coach and asked if he thought he might have room on the team and did he even think she should play.

Because these are the thoughts that were racing through my mind.

She hasn't played in a year and a half.
She is going to get hurt.
Can she play well enough?
She is going to get hurt.
Her reflexes aren't as quick as Noah or Caleb's.
She is going to get hurt.

I understood why she wanted to play.  She loves gymnastics, but she likes baseball.  I take her to gymnastics, but people go to baseball games and cheer her on.  Her recreational gymnastics class is about individual accomplishments, but in baseball, she is part of a team, complete with uniforms and team mates to cheer you on and for whom you cheer.

Coach Johnny's response?  "Sign her up.  I want her on my team."

And so Elisabeth became a Padre.

Not only did she not get hurt, she played hard.

She took instruction (and much of it was from her brother Caleb, who is the first base coach for Coach Johnny's teams).

When she played a year and a half ago, she didn't get a hit.  This year, in twenty-six at bats, she had twelve hits, eight strike outs, and five RBI's.  She batted 1.000 for two games batting with a final .460 batting average.  She also fielded the ball, knew where the play was, and threw well.  She used to shy away from a line drive.  She now runs toward it.

And then one week, Caleb was sick with strep and Noah was bored.  So he taught Elisabeth to catch.  To my surprise and Coach Johnny's, she took to it like a duck to water.  And so he put her in to catch.

Noah, acting as bat boy for Elisabeth's team, helped her suit up.

My daughter, the catcher.

So I learned I was selling my daughter short, that she was capable of so much more than I thought.  If I had said no to her request, she would have missed out on discovering new skills, the camaraderie of the team, the time spent with her brothers.  

Then there is this guy...

Noah tried out and made a travel team last fall.  His coach asked them to also play Little League.

So Noah played for two teams this spring.

One was the Little League Rockies AA team.

The other was the 9U Volcanoes travel team.

I watched Noah take a sharply hit line drive to the shin while playing against a Volcanoes team mate during a Little League game.  I saw him writhe in the dirt, get up, hobble around, and continue to pitch.  I watched him as we drove to Richmond, played three games in a day, and then drove home.  I watched him get frustrated, channel that frustration, reach inside, and strive to do better.  

The stubbornness that is inherent in Noah's character, the "I know what I;m doing, you don't need to tell me" attitude can make me crazy.  

But I learned in watching this boy of mine play the game that the flip side of "make my mother crazy because I'm stubborn" is that the tenacity he displays and his unwillingness to give up or concede will serve him well as he grows.  

I also watched him the day he played catcher for his Rockies team, and he caught a throw fired from center field.  Noah put the tag on the runner coming home.  The umpire cried, "You're out!"  But the player wasn't out. Because Noah missed the tag.  And Noah turned to the umpire and told him he missed the tag.  The call was changed to safe.

I learned that my competitive boy has an honest streak in him a mile wide, that he is going to act with character and integrity.  I could not be more proud of him.

I also learned that this boy who presents a facade of cool confidence has an uncertain streak.  He didn't assume he would make the travel team.  Nor did he assume he would make the All Star team.  I love that little bit of humility he displays.

And Caleb... what did I learn from Caleb?

I watched him, frustrated with his batting, dig in his heels and play defense, 

knowing he could contribute to the team.

I watched him coach and encourage his sister.

As first base coach for the Padres.

(He adores those lime green shorts.

They make his momma shudder.

Although I must admit, I can always pick him out at the ball field.)

Because Elisabeth was on the team Caleb helped coach, I attended the games.  Previously, I would send him off with Coach Johnny with a "Enjoy yourself!"  Now I observed him interacting with these 6, 7 and 8 year olds.  "Coach Caleb, will you throw with me?  Coach Caleb, where are the balls?"  These little people looked up to him, admired him.  Caleb handed out high fives when they safely reached first base, doled out batting tips while they were in the box, reminded them of when to run and what to watch for.

This season, Caleb also umpired more games than he ever had before.  Proud momma, I heard people compliment my son and the job he did making calls. I also saw Caleb ignore people who were less than pleased with some calls, something I know is hard to do.

I learned that my firstborn is growing up.  While I so easily think of him as my baby, others view him as well on his way to manhood, which he is.    And I am proud of him.