Approaching this season with uncertainty.
Son is a redshirt senior recovering from shoulder surgery. He just started throwing a few pitches from a mound at half speed, and it's too early to project whether he will pitch this season.
We're excited about the team, which surged last year from its perennial spot in the cellar of their conference to a 35-win season and second place finishes in both the regular season and conference tournament. They return a senior-laden team that lost only two starting position players to graduation last year.
Son wants to be part of taking the next step with his buddies, but he also knows he has only one season left and doesn't want to pitch until he is truly ready. If he can't pitch this season, there might be a next year: the school compliance officer thinks he could get a hardship waiver, and the coaches say they'd have some scholarship money, though not as much as he's been getting.
He completed his graduation requirements this week, but didn't file to graduate. He will take courses this spring to round out his information systems degree with certificates in networking, web development, and cybersecurity. Cybersecurity went from an afterthought to his primary vocational interest this past semester--one good professor can have that effect. If he can't play this year, he'll apply for a masters program when the school applies for his hardship waiver.
At this point, he doesn't know what is possible as far as playing this spring, and he's not even sure what he should be hoping for. So he's just working, and we're just waiting.