It’s spring time! If you were to go to our local schools and take a poll, you would find a large number of those kids play a sport in the spring time. For many here it’s either YMCA Soccer or Little League Baseball.
My brother played soccer when he was a kid, and I always loved going to the games. My daughter, Paige, even played for a season. She was only three, though, and really couldn’t find the appeal. I like the soccer program here, and we have great fields to play on now, but my kids always choose baseball.
I played Little League for one year when I was Eight years old. It really was a lot of fun! I wanted to play longer, but never got the chance. My brother played for about six years. I loved sitting in the stands and cheering his team on. I really can’t think of a much better way to spend a summer evening then at the ball diamond… except for maybe in front of a campfire!
YAY!! Now comes the part where I brag about my kids!
Annie plays for the American League Indians. This is her fifth year playing. In American League, the kids pitch, and steals are allowed. The games generally last an hour and forty-five minutes, but have to go four innings. There are a wide range of skill levels in this league, and even the sizes of the kids are wide ranging. Annie is the second tallest kid on her team, and the tallest is a girl too!
Before I go any further, there will be people who ask (of the whole 2 people who read this), why is your girl playing baseball and not softball? We have a softball program here through the YMCA. From what I hear it’s a good program too. The Little League program here is co-ed, (and I am not gonna lie, cheaper) and really geared to all ages and skill levels as well as genders. It was her choice to play baseball over softball, and I am quite proud of her for it!
That said, Annie’s team had their first game on Tuesday. They played the White sox in a game that was good from the beginning. The Indians took the lead early, and held it for most of the game. Annie got walked twice, and scored both times. She even slid into home (for the first time!!) and knocked down a kid that was blocking home plate! In the end, a few bad fielding errors cost us the game, and we lost by one. We play again on Friday. Watch this space for updates!
Gwynn decided not to play this year, but she played for four years. Two years on the T-ball Angels, and two years on the Coach’s Pitch Cubs. She was doing quite well too.
Paige is starting her fourth year playing Little League. She played two years on the T-ball Angels, and this is her second year on the Coach’s Pitch Cubs. They had a practice game last night. I was quite pleased!
Second Photo by H. Renee Photography
Ben is starting his second season on the T-ball Blue Jays. He really has a lot of fun and is learning a lot!
The Little League is always looking for volunteers. I am sure this is true in our league as well as all over the country. They are looking for people to coach, to maintain fields, to sponsor teams, to score keep, to run concession stands, to drive team members, and to umpire. If you have spare time, there is surely a spot to fill. If you don’t have time to volunteer, and you are looking for a worthy cause to donate a few dollars to, your local Little league is a good place to start. The money you donate (or give to the players who solicit you for a fund raiser), goes to buying uniforms, paying umpires, field maintenance, and helping kids whose families can’t pay, get a chance to play.
I have seen great things happen in my kids since they have stated playing, that I am sure happen to most kids who play. Confidence being the number one result. If you take the most timid child, and show them they can hit a ball and put him up in front of a few dozen people, a new kid will emerge standing at home plate. They go from not believing in themselves to wanting to try new things over night. Even if they never become professional athletes as a result of their time on the field, the confidence to stand up and face your fears is infinitely valuable.
Yes you can get hurt in Little League baseball. In Annie’s first year of American League, I think she got hit with pitches eleven times! I was always so proud of her for getting back out there every time even if she was terrified of the ball. She always wanted to keep going. You can’t buy that kind of courage.
Paige is facing a new challenge this year. She is the only girl on her team this year. She almost always, at least, had her sister Gwynn on her team too. It’s hard for her trying to fit in with all the boys, but she still goes out every day and does her very best. She has friends on the team, so that helps. I have heard her say several times that she isn’t that good compared to some of the boys, and I keep telling her to do her best every day and she will be fine. I am hoping she will learn to believe in herself. That is an important lesson we all need to learn.
If you are looking for more information on Little League baseball there is a website for the National program. If you live in Wabash (like I do) they have a website too. If you can’t find information on your local program, ask around. Check with your chamber of commerce, your local United Way, Your school system, or YMCA. Generally if you ask around long enough, someone will point you in the right direction.
If you are already involved in the Little League, there are a lot of resources for you too! Did you know there are apps for your smart phone. Go here!! They have apps for scoring, Rules, and game viewing! I never would have thought of this stuff when I was watching my brother play.
Looking for books or DVD’s concerning Little League baseball? They are out there, coaching
2
, pitching too
, hitting
TWO
, fielding
to
, and T-ball basics too. There are books on the history
if Little League baseball, and books for kids
about other kids
who play. Look on YouTube for all kinds of things on Little League baseball. There are videos on coaching strategies, and tips, videos from the little league world series, videos from proud parents, and exceptional players. Here is one of my faves from ESPN.
Anyway, if you are looking for something to do this summer, or a way to volunteer, start with your Local Little League. Look for me out at the diamond, since I will be spending a good deal of my spring and summer there!!
By the way, I have You Tube videos of my kids too, but this one makes me cry ever time I watch it!
Have fun, and play hard!
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