I have to eat sunflower seeds one after another. If I am really nervous, I put on earbuds and turn up an ipod. My son's pitching coach told me I have to stop rubbing my face during the game so now I try to tell myself to look relaxed, even if I am faking it.
Seldom am I keyed up, been going to boy's games too long. If the opposing team has their ace in I usually like to set in the stands up a few rows, behind the plate and watch the battle. Usually have shades on, am quiet, wont speak unless run into an old friend then keep it brief, I like to watch the game. Not much of a game, I'll head down the foul lines stand out on the fence line. At home, couple of us have text msg waiting to be sent so the Dad who is running the scoreboard can text & one of us can sub for them on the board if they need to hit the boys room. Falling behind running scoreboard/not good.
A basketball coach gave me the lollipop idea for technical foul avoidance. It give the brain a second to catch up with your emotions.quote:Originally posted by JDFarmer:
Sons play both basketball/s****r and baseball. I have a harder time controlling myself at basketball/s****r games. The officiating is more subjective and son actually gets physically pounded on during games. That doesn't happen (much) at baseball games.
One suggestion I heard was to keep a large lollipop in your mouth - then you need to take it out to be able to yell something - and hopefully that split-second will be enough to remind yourself to keep quiet.
Ripping into all the other players. 
(seriously..seeds and good conversation with other parents...and occasional 2nd guessing of coaching decisions)
(seriously..seeds and good conversation with other parents...and occasional 2nd guessing of coaching decisions)
I can't believe no one else yells at the umpires
Seriously, I used to keep a book and now he's older really appreciate flipping back through them and reliving some special days/games.
Seriously, I used to keep a book and now he's older really appreciate flipping back through them and reliving some special days/games.
I may have two #1 pitchers this year. Son (sr) on the baseball team and daughter (soph) on the softball team. Daughter could end up 1, 2 or 3 depending on how things go.
I've become numb over the years. On the really bad days, I just close my eyes and say to myself "in a month I'll forget this, in a month I'll forget this, in a month I'll forget this..."
I do keep a book and can refer back because in a month, I do forget this...
I've become numb over the years. On the really bad days, I just close my eyes and say to myself "in a month I'll forget this, in a month I'll forget this, in a month I'll forget this..."
I do keep a book and can refer back because in a month, I do forget this...
I don't keep "book", but I have been known to take notes. In fact, I was cleaning out a drawer yesterday and found 7 innings worth of pitching.... have no clue who what when.... but son did a good job on the mound! haha
Since my husband started umpiring, we don't "yell" at the crew anymore... (there might be an occasional peep, but not much)
Since my husband started umpiring, we don't "yell" at the crew anymore... (there might be an occasional peep, but not much)
Back in highschool it was sitting out in right field (which was on a hill above the fence for viewing), getting my chair out, and having a nice cigar.
The coaches told me one day before a game that the aroma of my cigar "simmered" around the field during the game and was so wonderful to smell. I never knew it would have that effect! LOL
I hope to enjoy this summer up in Strasburg, Va. for a few games!
YGD
The coaches told me one day before a game that the aroma of my cigar "simmered" around the field during the game and was so wonderful to smell. I never knew it would have that effect! LOL
I hope to enjoy this summer up in Strasburg, Va. for a few games!
YGD
quote:Originally posted by 08Dad:
I can't believe no one else yells at the umpires
Who me? No, never!!
Originally posted by 55mom:
I take pictures. I got the camera 6 years ago (canon rebel) and it still looks "fancy" so folks don't come by to talk as they think you are doing something wonderfully creative. Plus you have an easy excuse to to walk away or simply not talk if they try to talk.
I'm a camera person too. You can always tell how nervous I was by how many different angles I photographed the game from and how many pictures I took. At our CIF game last year I took about 100000000000000000 pictures from every section in the ball park.
I'm getting better,though. When my son was little, I had to go stand waaaaaaay out in the outfield whenever he pitched bc I was too nervous to watch.
I take pictures. I got the camera 6 years ago (canon rebel) and it still looks "fancy" so folks don't come by to talk as they think you are doing something wonderfully creative. Plus you have an easy excuse to to walk away or simply not talk if they try to talk.
I'm a camera person too. You can always tell how nervous I was by how many different angles I photographed the game from and how many pictures I took. At our CIF game last year I took about 100000000000000000 pictures from every section in the ball park.
I'm getting better,though. When my son was little, I had to go stand waaaaaaay out in the outfield whenever he pitched bc I was too nervous to watch.
I am still not sure why I can get anxious at one game and be perfectly calm at another. I've felt at ease watching my son in big games on the mound, and have been on edge watching him catch a regular game but with kids mostly a few years older than he was. It doesn't seem to have changed with his age or the importance of the games. It is probably more about my head and how comfortable I think he is in the situation.
Some of it is atmospheric as well. When he started playing competitive basketball, I distinctly remember the contrast between the fairly mellow parent crowd I was used to on his league and travel teams and the tightly-packed yelling parents (and coaches) in the gyms. I'd get tired just sitting there.
My best way of relaxing at a game is running the scoreboard. Keeping the official book is a little too much. Pushing a button or two on each pitch is just about right for me.
Some of it is atmospheric as well. When he started playing competitive basketball, I distinctly remember the contrast between the fairly mellow parent crowd I was used to on his league and travel teams and the tightly-packed yelling parents (and coaches) in the gyms. I'd get tired just sitting there.
My best way of relaxing at a game is running the scoreboard. Keeping the official book is a little too much. Pushing a button or two on each pitch is just about right for me.
Blue10 - yep, been there! I take some great fence photos too.
When my kid played HS baseball or his other sport, I did not go to relax. I went to watch him play and compete and wanted him to do well. I was on the edge of my seat every time he got up to bat or run down a long shot in the outfield gap. I liked the feeling because it was a rush. I did not go to his HS games to put a stone face on and try and relax because that was not why I went. I knew it would end one day and wanted to take it all in. I went there to root for my son and the team. I liked pacing all around. I rarely sat. I even used to sit in the opponents bleachers during games just to get a feel from the opponent side and what those fans and parents were saying. I didn't sit down the foul lines away from the parents and fans because I wanted a good spot to see the action so I moved around a lot. I stood by those parents who complained about this or said complimentary things. I took it all in. I wasn't looking to avoid it. I've also had my share of anxiety rushing to get to catch a few innings because I wanted to miss as little as possible. There was the rush of going there and seeing him in the lineup. Even though he was primarily a starter over his four years, there were games he got lifted, didn't start or came out do to an injury. I wanted to see him play every inning. There was never relaxing. The only time I relaxed was once it was all over.
Seeds and alot of walking. Hard to sit with the wife for all the yapping. She makes me more nervous than my son. And the wives wonder why we like to walk down the line or sit with the other dads? lol
quote:Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
Back in highschool it was sitting out in right field (which was on a hill above the fence for viewing), getting my chair out, and having a nice cigar.
The coaches told me one day before a game that the aroma of my cigar "simmered" around the field during the game and was so wonderful to smell. I never knew it would have that effect! LOL
YGD
At a football game, the snack bar piled on the hamburgers a few minutes before halftime- just as son's team was on the goal line, trying to score. On fourth down, they called time out. It was cold and windy that night. As if on cue, suddenly all this hamburger smoke blew across the field, right into their huddle. A big cloud, for like two minutes. And, they failed to score.
I asked son after the game if he noticed it.
"Oh, yeah. Everyone did. It smelled awesome."
Those are the kind of things I remember.
never had the problem---simply enjoyed the game
His first couple of years I used the old standby, the Stadium Walk Around. But last year things sort of settled down for me. Maybe it finally sank in that he's the one under pressure, not me. I'm not sure how it will be in this his final year. I'm sure I will want to slow things down as we approach the end. But right now I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve. I'M READY FOR SOME BASEBALL!!!!
quote:Originally posted by Swampboy:
...
As long as he's in the game, I live and die with every pitch. Every called ball is a moral outrage. Every error made behind him is a crime against humanity. Every ting and crack of the bat pierces the soul. Yet social convention demands a gracious equanimity, so I comply though it saps every ounce of self control I possess or can borrow. The dissonance between the turmoil within and the fraudulently calm outward demeanor is mentally and physically debilitating.
Relax? At a game he's pitching? Are you nuts?
Swamp,
I had a decidedly different reaction to a few of those plays...I was thrilled with each of those tings! Unfortunately for my son's team, your son didn't allow many of them...
Where I stand and what I do depend on the location and the team he's playing on. One thing is a guarantee and that is that I'll be standing...
I am a photographer that shoots for the school and various local web sports blogs and my personal favorite location is near the fence down the lines just past the bases. I try to avoid the dugout, but some fields have dictated that as a location. Some fields I've chosen to shoot from outside the fence too. I've been doing it since LL and have only gotten hit by foul balls 4 times...Three by my own son! He's gotten a real kick out of it too!
If I'm not shooting, I'm outside the fence but I still generally look for that same view...and I'll occasionally move to a different location to check that view too! I think I've mellowed over time - still get tense if he's up in a critical situation or if he's struggling at the plate...I always tense up when he gets the first ball hit to him but then I relax unless he has an error - lucky he doesn't make many, but then I have to see him make a play and I relax again...
I'll never forget a big comeback his team had in a tourney before high school. They were way down (something like 9 runs) in the bottom of the 7th and slowly pecked away...It was funny watching each of the parents start pacing as their kid came up during the rally with 2 outs and then they'd look at the next parent after their's got on base...funny until mine came up...then it was funny again after he got on...they ended up winning...
Only was tense early in the season...each new year brings about a higher level of competition...there was confidence in his ability but sooner or later he was going to be overmatched...I was just hoping that it wouldn't be "the year"...after a 2 for 3 and a couple of shut-out innings, the rest of the year was all good...though, seeds always help...