Baseball Season

 After having completely discouraging experiences with the past 2 years of Benjamin's baseball coaches, I decided it was time to put my coaching hat back on.  I was hesitant.  I'm already Mom and Teacher to my kids.  How would Ben react to have me be "Coach", too?  He reacted in the best possible way when I told him, saying, "Well, Mom.  It's about time.  I'm the only kid you haven't coached yet.  It's only fair."  

Not that he's keeping score.  

It's hard.  It's a lot of organization, communication, learning, planning, redirecting and patience.  Other priorities have to be put on the back burner.  Much of the season, I felt like I was barely hanging on and only just keeping up with all of my necessary responsibilities.  There wasn't enough room to breathe or enough time to simply be.  The older I get, the more difficult life on high speed cruise control becomes. We decided after Fall Ball that this would be my last season coaching.  Because of the imbalance and because Ben needs a teacher / coach that isn't Mom.  

 But.  Let.  Me.  Tell.  You.  

The group of boys this spring was amazing.  They weren't the most athletic or the smartest ballplayers.  They didn't always get along.  To describe them as "high energy" is the grossest of understatements.  But somehow - together - these boys made a team so much greater than the sum of its parts.  It was a privilege to witness it unfold.   Baseball can be slow and the goal was to have each player MOVING and knowing what their job was with every play - regardless of where they were playing.  Players were expected to play every position it was safe for them to play.  SIX parents showed up to help with our first practice!  With so many hands, it was so much easier to keeps stations rotating and maximal learning to happen.  The first part of the season was slow.  The learning curve was steep.  To learn one position is difficult.  To learn 9 is really difficult.  I think because the boys were always playing different positions and they were always in motion, there wasn't time to get bored.  Unlike previous seasons, we were able to put focus on the outfield and let them know how important they really are - because EVERYONE was out there at some time!  One of my favorite things to do was to give "The Outfield Talk".  That was, to take the right fielder aside and answer the questions - What's in front of you?  (the infield) and What's behind you? (the fence) - and then tell the fielder that their job was crucial.  The ball can get past the infielders because the outfield is ready to back them up.  The ball CANNOT get past them on the ground because there is no one else there.  It's up to them to stop everything.  If the ball goes over their heads in the air, it's the pitcher's fault!  :)  Every time they come out of the outfield they should be exhausted because they have to be backing up every single play - and - be still my beating heart - by the end of the season that was happening.  

Somehow, these kids put their skills & knowledge into motion.  It was a sight to behold.  And then this happened

See that GVAA shout out for the B level?  Yep.  That's us!  :)

So now it's okay that I hang up the coaching hat for the near future.  And that's okay.  Everything has a season.  I think when I grow up, I'm going to Coach 10u again, though.  :)