Today, for the first time since 1993, I went to the little league field where I managed our son's All Star team. Watching today brought back a flood of memories of that first game and the entire experience.
Even though our All Star team was somewhat limited in the depth of pitching, I thought we were quite talented. As I watched today, I could replay many portions of that game, looking through a rear view mirror some 14 years in age.
What I remember more than anything was how those kids played with heart, intensity and a purity of enthusiasm.
What I remembered is what a poor job I did that day.
What I remembered is how our son played better than I coached.
What I remembered is I was more interested in those great kids winning than the spirit and effort with which they played.
What I remembered is how I felt after that game, and again today. How I felt I let them down that day.
What I also remembered is what they taught me that day about the game being theirs and their trusting me to share the joy of that experience of 11-12 All Stars.
What I remembered is how much better I coached them the rest of that All-Stars and how much better they played when I let the game be for them, not my wanting them to win.
What I remembered is how much that team, those players, and my son taught me that day. On that day, he was a better player than I was a coach and that challenged me to never let that happen again.
Despite my efforts, but fortunately, he continued to be a better player than I was a coach.
For the next 3-4 years after that All Star team, I got to be a pretty decent coach. Today I regretted I wasn't that day.
Today I got to remember the All Star games he played after that, including summer wood bat leagues and at the professional level.
Today, I felt like I didn't need to have those regrets any more.
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