I love baseball. Been coaching it for about 15 years at various youth levels and always love it. We've got the 2 youngest still playing, both are very good and hopefully will keep playing and having fun for years. An added bonus this year is that I am able to coach T-ball with 2 of my brothers. Reed is playing with Ian (John's son) and Christian and Patrick (Steve's sons). It has been a great experience to have them all on the same team (Our folks love it because they can see about 9 grandkids at 1 T-ball game). Cole is on the Lugnuts and continues to amaze. Diving from his shortstop position to his left, fielding the ground ball from is knees, rolling over, popping up and throwing a dart to first for the out. Immediately after letting a slow roller go right through his legs. (ed. note: In case he reads this I don't want him to get a big head.) Our T-ball team, the Dodgers, is pretty good. We hit well and field pretty well and have a record of 7-1-2, but the best part is that every player (14 kids) has played every position. Our coaches are proud of that because we keep all of the kids engaged. Which leads to the reason for this post.... This week I had to attend a T-Ball coaches meeting to discuss rules and player rotation. T-BALL!!
Apparently some of the coaches were leaving the same kids in the infield for the entire game and some others did not play infield at all! Some coaches were changing the rules in the middle of the game or adding things to give their team an advantage. Makes me scratch my head. Personally, being the manager of a 1st place T-ball team is not on my bucket list. It's much nicer to have a kid run up to you in a restaurant 2 years after you coached him, give you a big hug and say "Hi Coach!". Those little guys don't remember who won or lost, they remember that they had fun and got a game ball for making a great catch. I'm not the greatest coach in the world, and I make plenty of mistakes, but at least I remember that T-ball is for the kids. Doesn't seem like a hard concept to grasp.
5 comments:
I am looking forward to coaching this team next year. Based on what I have learned from you, it will be a succesful season. i.e. the kids will have fun
No, my love, you are ONE of TWO of the greatest coaches in the world and I know 4 (8) men lucky enough to call coach "Dad." XO
ps----GO TEAM PFAFF
small addition i thought about making here...but chose to put it in comment form instead....
"APPARENTLY" needs to be changed. Not only was it not apparently, but Mike, and John for that matter, could tell you what teams didn't follow the MOVE THE PLAYERS AROUND rule, but they could tell you WHAT POSITIONS remained the same! Truth be told, Mike keeps SPREADSHEETS about who starts, who was last at bat, who played where, who was where in the line up, etc. You have made that a part of your coaching, babe, forEVER. And that alone, reminds us all that your heart is to TEACH all aspects of the game to those boys....add that to your LOVE FOR THE GAME....and get, hands down, the BEST COACH our boys have EVER had.
ily, mickey.
Well, bring on the cracker jacks and lets play ball!!!!!! Love this post.
i never thought i'd cry over baseball but damn if i don't have tears in my eyes.
hugs all around.
i am so lucky to call you my brother. scratch that. this isn't about luck. blessed.
Post a Comment