When my son was five years old I started taking him with me to my practices at the HS. He would bounce balls off the dugout and beg to get on the field with the players. He would shag foul balls and then try to impress the guys with a throw over the backstop to get the balls in. After practice he would beg some of the guys to let him hit some on the field. He would go to the cage and hit off a t while we were on the field practicing. Then there were the bus rides. Trying to keep him quiet on the ride down to the game so the players could stay focused. And then trying to get him off the backs of the players jumping and screaming on the bus after a win. And then having to console him after a loss on the way back. Hearing him say "Dad when we gonna stop and get something to eat". "You know we won dad we got to stop and eat at McDonalds dad". Seeing him run out on the field to get bats during the games and smiling because one of the boys came up with a big hit. One of the funniest stories is we were up big a couple of years ago and one of my Seniors asked me if he could hit from the left side next time up. My boy says "You need to get an average from the right side first". The dugout errupted in laughter. Now he is a Freshman and part of the team officially. He has grown up into quite a young man and a heck of a player. He loves the game so much and I am so proud of how hard he works and how much he loves his teamates. His first HS ab in practice he goes yard over the 385' sign in cf. I am glad hes here but now I am also sad. I know that the next four years are going to go by so fast. Thanks for reading my story.
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Great post, Coach May, and it sounds like you and your son get to share this wonderful game in a very special way. Very best wishes to both of you in his first year of HS ball!