My dad loves sports. He wrestled and played football in high school. He played ward basketball when I was growing up. Most of all, my dad loves softball.
I remember one year when he played on a team with my mom's brothers, a team from his work and on the ward team. Every night was filled with softball games or practices.
Being as my poor dad had 5 daughters and no sons to pick up the sports legacy, he did the next best thing-- he bought me a baseball mitt. I think that I started to play to get his attention, but eventually I played because I loved the game. I still love it.
I've been waiting for 9 years to be a baseball family. We've done the soccer thing-- that's all right-- but what I really want is to cheer for my kids as they hit home runs and strike everyone out.
I learned this week that my dreams are probably not going to come true.
Mike had baseball tryouts yesterday for the rookie little league. We bought Mike a new mitt and I oiled it and broke it in. I worked with him and with Emalee all week. They both throw like girls. I told them that. Mike was offended. Emalee, of course, answered, "I AM a girl!" I answered just like my dad always answered me "Well, you don't have to throw like one!"
Poor Mike-- Layne and I both worked him over all week long. I thought that we had made some progress by Saturday morning. We took him to the tryout and I sat on the bleachers and waited for my superstar to perform.
He forgot everything we taught him. He was off in la-la land as balls soared past him. The try-out coach-guy had to show him how to bat. (ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? We worked on that for HOURS!) He swung at every pitch and missed them all.
I felt bad. I told him "Good Job, Pal!" but really, I was feeling let down. I could hear the sound of my dreams shattering-- they sounded like a broken bat.
I know, I know-- he's only 7. But so were the other kids who were rocking it up on the field. I guess I'm just going to have to hope that he has fun and that I learn to bite my tongue a little.
At least he was cuter than all those really good kids. ;-)
3 comments:
Hey, we are looking for another girl to play softball with us! you interested? Monday nights in Orem, April 13 - July 13.
Maybe that is how dad felt when Colette ran to third after finally hitting the ball. Love you Colette!:)
Poor Mike! That's so hard on a kid...but I can feel your pain too. It's so hard not to have our kids live our dreams, sometimes...especially when they are dreams our own parents hand down. Try to not take it too hard, and remember that it's got to be SSSOOOOO much harder on a 7 year old to not make the team, even if it wasn't the child's dream...they still are at an age where they want to please their parents.
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