Play to Play.

This is Part 2. Read Part 1 Here.

Ladybug has had a great time playing T-Ball this season with her CYO team.  Her team has done a great job as well.  Early on she proved herself to be one of the top players on the team.  I would sit in the bleachers during practice and other parents would ask how long she has been playing and I'd let them know this was her second year.

They'd comment on how good she can throw and how fast she was and I'd humbly say thanks and make a joke to deflect the attention.

The thing is, she is really good.  But she still has a lot to learn.  She hesitates under pressure when there are multiple options for where an out can be made.  Most of the time the player ends up safe in those situations.  

But the thing is, I don't get on her case about missing a play or not getting the out.  I don't tell her she wasn't fast enough or tell her she needs to pay attention.  I let her know she's fast, but there will always be someone faster and that's okay.  When it's all over, I tell her she did an excellent job and let her know how to handle the situation next time.  If she happens to get two strikes, I get her attention and let her know it's okay.  

At the end of the regular season she hit five home runs.

She wears it like a badge of honor.  She's proud of her home runs.  I am too.  But we've told her, we don't expect her to hit a home run every time she's up and my pride and enjoyment of watching her play is not measured by the amount of time she clears the bases.

That being said, not all parents are like us when it comes to their kid's sporting events.

There are a lot of parents who are living vicariously through their little ones.  Especially in T-Ball you can tell which kids are out there because their parents want them to be there.  There's also the parents of the ones that want to play who are also there to win the championship.

Of  T-Ball.

Yes, the t-ball championship.


I got off topic again.  I will continue the T-Ball Saga Next Time.

Comments

  1. We have yet to enter the realm of pushy-parent sports. My son hasn't been interested but has said he'd like to do baseball next year. I'm hoping he can just enjoy it. He won't be the best player out there; I just want him to be ok with that.

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  2. LADYBUG, Congratulations on a job well done for your T Ball season & on ALL the HOME RUNS you hit! Keep up the good job you did & we'll keep posted on next season!
    Dad, glad to hear how you handle yourself with your daughter! That is the BEST way to handle the game situation. As long as Ladybug is having a GOOD time, that is ALL that matters!
    Congrats on her team winning the trophy!

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  3. (How does the comment reply work? I click, nothing happens.)

    There's a father like that on our street... it's almost a nightly ritual to hear his five year old wail in agony after being hit in the face by a too-fast throw from dear old dad.

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