Way to go Sport

Well, my oldest had her last practice tonight and tomorrow will be her last game. We sat for two hours to watch her double header on Saturday. The only reason 7 year olds play a double header is because they need to have a make up game. Now understand, my daughter's team is the worst team in the league. Its no fault of theirs. Their coach had never been a coach before and when they had tryouts, the other coaches simple made sure that their teams were fully stocked and whomever was left could fend for themselves. Well, that was my daughter's team.

It's amazing that they have won any games at all. There are only three teams and although ours has several good players, they really have no idea what is going on. Most importantly, they don't really care all that much. Their coach, God bless him, has them all convinced that having fun and trying your best is most important. So at the end of each game, the manager, his wife, reads the "stats" which usually boils down to a couple of force outs and the odd base hit here and there. They all cheer and put their hands in a circle for team spirit.

We parents are convinced that the rules are designed so that the Ravens (the team name) will always loose. No matter what, the rules always favor the opposing team. Last week, a girl was hit from a pitch, she took her base. This week three of our girls were hit, and the ump just brushed them off and told them to get back in the box for the next pitch. One inning, every kid who was below a certain height got to hit on the tee, unless they were on our team and then only a couple of kids who were below a certain age. The next week, when the same team was loosing, everyone who didn't get a hit, got to use the tee during the second inning. Basically, if you are being beat by the Ravens, there has got to be a rule change out there that will shift the tide. Not that it takes much to beat my daughters team.

So they were forced to play a double header the other day, and although our girls were tired, they did a heck of job getting beat. So tonight during our last practice, My daughter, who has been playing catcher for the past couple of games was in the most fortunate position to get assistance from two of the couches. In what can only be described as an Easter miracle, she went from missing every ball that came at her, to stopping every ball that came within 20 feet of her. Its amazing how well she improved with just a little bit of extra attention. I was amazed, proud, excited, and shamed all at the same time.

As a man its hard to watch other men interact with your daughter. I lead a busy life, with my full time job, part time business, and home responsibilities, I don't always get a chance to go out and throw the ball back and forth with my kids. Further, they don't always want to play ball. So when I see other men making such progress coaching my girl, I cringe just a little bit to think that, it should be me who gets her to throw better, catch better, run faster, and play better.

Of course when we do get to practice, I realize that I don't correct her enough. I try to be nice and tell her she is doing great, even when she is doing lousy. I build up her confidence even when she is the pits, and I let her quit when she is more bored than tired.

So it dawns on me, that the reason that every father is not a coach, is that sometimes it takes a different man to get out there and be somewhat more an expert than I for my daughter to stand up and take notice.

And I am thinking all of this as I leap from my seat to grab and comfort her after the coach lets her pitch for the first time and she gets belted in the head with a throw.

Oh well, way to go coach!