Just about exactly one year ago, my son sat down with his "coach" and "retired," an extremely disillusioned young man, from his college's baseball program. Agonizing decision is putting it mildly.
To this day, not a single person who knows him can believe he is not playing college baseball, including Mom and Dad. On some days, even my son doesn't believe it. He asked me over his break if he would be eligible to play collegiately if he found himself an older student at a different university, either in grad school, going for a second degree, whatever. It broke my heart when he brought up the subject. I still feel somewhat responsible, since I was so involved in researching a "best fit" scenario for all of his priorities during recruiting. My son is currently a junior at the university he ultimately chose for academic reasons (priorities straight, right??), and has decided to remain there. Baseball has thus been sacrificed. Of course I told him that he has three years of eligibility remaining, provided he is a full time student. That eligibility doesn't expire when he graduates.
Baseball will somehow always be a part of my son's life, whether he finds himself on another college team down the road (I have my doubts, but who knows what the future holds?), or simply becomes a rabid fan of the sport he loves. For now, he remains an impact player on an incredibly talented icon of an adult league summer team, and that provides the baseball "fix" for this family that is still coping with the "loss."
Excellent but painfully personal post, BBWatcher!
Is this heaven?...