The nanosecond between 8 and 18

I know the feeling. My son is now at college playing JUCO fall ball. He's been playing baseball since he was 5 (T-ball). Played LL, then travel ball, fall baseball, JV, Varsity and American Legion. It all seems to be a blur now - especially his senior year which would turn out to be very special.

He's played varsity since his sophomore year. Earned a starting position as catcher. His junior year coach moved him to 3rd where he as named 1st Team All District. His senior year he played 1st base where he earned 1st Team All District, 1st Team All Region, Honorable Mention State and 1st Team All Area (local paper pick).

Now I said his senior year was special. For the first time, the team got off to a 9-0 start having started 0-5 the previous year. In part due to the ace pitcher who would eventually be drafted by the Rays. They finished the regular season in a three way tie for 1st. Then in the playoffs won the district championship (it had been 25 years since the last district championship) in a dramatic come-from-behind win with my son driving in the tying run with 2 outs in the bottom of the 7th. They would go on to win the regional quarterfinal and semifinal games, but lost in the regional championship. Despite the loss, they still qualified for the state quarterfinals. In the state quarterfinal they took a late 3-2 lead after being down 2-0 for most of the game. Unfortunately, the opposing team came through with 2 clutch hits in the bottom of the 7th to win. The boys were oh so close - only two outs away from advancing to the final four. It was still a great year and one heckuva a ride - wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Just the other day while taking a walk around the neighborhood we spotted a young boy playing in his yard. It immediately took me back to when our son was the same age.

But more than baseball, it was nice to see him grow into a man.

Well said twotex. I'm thankful that I get to re-live it again. I'm living vicariously through my (youngest) high school sophomore right now. My wife took down the pictures on the refrigerator of our three boys in their baseball uniforms.....I put them back up.

Yesterday, my high school sophomore wanted to go to the ball field to throw a bullpen, field some grounders and take some fly balls. He is on a mission to improve his game, however between the two of us, I can tell you with 100% certainty who was more excited to go to the ball field. My son views it as work that must be done to improve his game, I look at it as pure joy and time to spend with him. I have (at least) three more years of this before the baseball grim reaper shows up. I'm going to enjoy it.

Twotex,
Thanks for that reminder that it should be about having fun.

Even when it becomes your job, the game should have some element of fun, or you shouldn't be doing it anymore.

You got to believe and good things will happen, being positive and tons of hard work is what gets you through the game year after year and to the next level.

Best of luck to your son.

My son has a great picture in his room of a tee baller morphing through his journey into an adult player.

I had similar thoughts as I sent my son off to college a 3 weeks ago.

I remember coming home from work when Web was 2-3 years old. He would be waiting with his little plastic bat and the plastic balls. He would hit until dark every night.

He never played T-ball because we moved and missed sign-ups in our new town. He played coach pitch, made all stars at 5. We never looked back from there. Countless hours of playing catch, hitting and taking grounders. I won't forget the day that I realized that he passed by my coaching ability.

His work ethic is what allowed him to pass by the other players in our area. He has earned the opportunity that is in front of him now.

Twotex,

Had the same thoughts as well...went and watched son pitch in his very first college scrimmage yesterday...just an intersquad, but was somewhat surreal to think of where "WE" had come from and where "HE" is today...pitching on the same mound that we used to go watch games as a 8/9 year old and only dream of being there one day...

Twotex that was a lovely post! And I read it Saturday early morning, just before heading out on yet another college visit / fall tourny weekend.

The mom in me is very sad / nostalgic already although we still have all of senior year to enjoy. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will fall in LOVE with the northeast school that he is officially visting this coming weekend ...imagine being able to catch home and away games, for those four years?


So here is where your email fit into my weekend. The final game of this tournament on Sunday was at a beautiful country setting in NJ, in a town park. This last game was kind of discouraging (that is an understatement), and parents were frustrated, and I heard more than a few grumbles because no college coaches were there, etc etc.... (It was an off site field at an otherwise well attended tourny.) But the sun was shining, our boys are healthy, we should all be happy, right?

A little ways down the path from our game, a little boy's birthday party was underway, and the dads were running a toddler 'pickup game' on a softball field. Little by little the parents in our crowd lost interest in the 'big boy game' and started watching these precious 3-4 year olds swing their big colorful plastic bats and run the bases, and just have the time of their lives. Pure joy. I'm pretty sure I wasn't alone in feeling that total nostaglia and sense of that 'nanosecond' that has gone by.

Thanks for reminding us to enjoy the ride, Kay!

And Fenway, I am jealous. Maybe I should have had just one more kid .....