I haven't posted in a while but my nephew just finished up his Freshman season at The U and it was better than anyone of us could have predicted.
He adjusted well to fall workouts and class with just a few minor hiccups along the way. Living at home was the biggest challenge, since most of his teammates were on campus. (If you can do it, live on campus).
At the end of fall ball he was on the depth chart as the #1 Righty reliever. Opening night he was the first one out of the pen. Needless to say our group (20+ family and friends) were beside ourselves. Yes, even his dad had tears in his eyes.
As the season progressed there were more highs than lows but when he struggled, he was the one to figure it out on his own. He finished his rookie season playing in his first NCAA regional with appearances in three games, throwing 3 innings and no earned runs.
While I had been involved in some way with the program for 20+ years, watching from his eyes and that of his parents was much more difficult that I ever could have imagined. All of us had to learn new boundaries, which for me meant taking a huge step back from the program which was not easy.
We all learned a few new lessons this year, and would love to pass them on: You are more nervous than he is. You care more about ERA's and RBI's then he does and, let him speak for himself, whether it be with is academic adviser, coaches or trainers. He truly can take care of himself.
Off to The Valley this summer and for the first time none of us will be there to watch.
Good luck to all those experiencing your firsts....
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