Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 6

It takes a village.  When one member of the family is involved in a team sport, there is so much that goes on behind the scenes to make that team member be all that he or she can be as Boys and Girls of Summer.

When Levi and Easton signed up for T-ball, Bonnie and her dad were shepherding little fellows during practices while Stephen was running the family store.  Then, during many of the games, Bonnie was the dugout mom getting players' helmets on, helping them with their gloves, handing them their bat, tying shoes, wiping sand out of their eyes, and countless other tasks. (Sorry I didn't get a photo of a very pregnant dugout mom doing her duties!)  

When not playing or coaching in games of their own, family members sit in the stands to cheer for the ones who are playing and coaching.  Sometimes that might be just an aunt and a couple of cousins and sometimes it is an entire entourage.  

 

One grandpa sends money for snacks and colorful sports drinks to take to the park when he is in the hay field and Paw Paw makes trips to the concession stand for sweet treats. Mawmaw and Granny provide wet wipes to clean up the drips from snacks or hold a snow cone so you can get that last sweet slurp.  Grand B makes photos to capture the memories and heckles the coach in a loving manner.  

Sometimes one has to offer to serve as dugout mom to encourage a friend to be the coach.  Sometimes the other coach might be at another game coaching his older child's team.  And even when one doesn't know how on earth to hit the ball toward positions and just feels lucky to toss it up and hit it at all - at least she knows to get a good assistant coach who can!  Then, she just concentrates on positioning the batter knowing from hours at batting lessons that penguins can't hit but ducks can. This is when Moms and Dads step in to coach or provide support so that there can even be a team to take the field.  

Sometimes it requires suiting up the catcher.  Sometimes it requires finding a good chest protector to go with your own child's shin guards and gathering up extra gloves so the team can have full gear.  Sometimes it is just those hours of playing catch or pitching to a batter in the back yard.

Sometimes it is a matter of making certain everybody's team shirt is clean, and uniforms are laid out at ready, and littles get naps for a late night game.

Sometimes the most important thing is packing plenty of trucks for everybody on the sidelines to play in the gravel. 

Sometimes the toughest job is keeping up with the snacks, the stroller, and the drinks.  And sometimes the toughest job is keeping quiet when there is chaos.

Sometimes it means showing up a little late because finishing up that last patch of mowing or the store closing time is the same time as first pitch.  Then, arriving just in time to see your little player standing on the base after a big hit.

Yes, sometimes it takes the entire village to keep all these little athletes and their teams going.  What goes on in the back yard, outside the fence, in the laundry room, in the kitchen, and behind the scenes is equally as important as what happens between the chalk lines.  I'm sorry I don't have photos of each step, task, person, and job input to keep the teams going.  Ah! Boys and Girls of Summer! Aren't we fortunate to have such opportunities?

Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 5

Lest you think that all of our family is a competitive lot of athletes, I feel compelled to let you know that indeed we are not.  However, that doesn't mean we are not Boys and Girls of Summer.

You may have noticed the photo above in a previous post.  Linley was sitting in on the post-game conference - as well she should.

You see, while some people are pitching to the batters, or coaching the batters into the best stance, or keeping the line-up ready in the dugout, or giving the team a pep-talk, or cheering on the team, or standing on the sidelines contemplating a call to the bullpen, Linley is also doing her part.  There's important work like checking in on the littles to make certain nobody is throwing sand.

Somebody has to give a little guidance to her star slugger just before he goes out to the on-deck circle.  (Knowing that she was not allowed in the dug-out, she eased up to the end of the bench and gave a little shout, "Bubba! Bubba!")

Somebody has to keep PawPaw out of trouble because you know he could get into something in a flash!

And then there's Granny!  Linley has to keep her busy so that rabble-rouser doesn't get out of hand.  Plus, she needs to be right there with the peanut gallery in the stands to keep them focused and supporting the team.

After all, somebody has to do the hard, behind-the-scenes jobs at the ball park.  Right?

And then, there's the snacks.  Somebody needs to be certain that there are plenty of snacks for everybody.

Somebody has to test out the popcorn and candies and snow cones.  Right?

This is scientific research here.  Does a snow cone really cool you down on a hot summer night?  Will red snow cone syrup cover every part of your clothing and Granny from fingertips to elbows?

After all, some things have to happen long before the post-game conference and somebody has to do it.

Right?  Ah!  Girls of Summer!

Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 4

The tradition of baseball in our family continues.  This is the third generation who has played and loved being a part of the Boys of Summer.  I remember watching Mike play as a young girl.  I spent many an hour on the sidelines when the children played.  Now, it is time for the grandchildren to play.

The focus is intense and the competition is fierce from warm-up till the last of the dust is settling after the game.  

They watch it into their glove and work hard to make their throws good.

This is Harris's second year to play ball and he really loves it.

His energy is harnessed and focused on the game.  

When he hears, "Down and ready!" there is no doubt that he knows what to do.

Charge the ball, scoop it up, and make a good throw to first!  

No matter what position is yours - be it circle man, third base, or outfield, when the ball pings off that bat, everyone is breaking for it and ready to make a play.  

After three outs and that last batter, everyone huddles up for a pep talk and gets ready to swing the bat!

When it is time to grab the bat, Harris knows to keep his eye on the ball and swing through.

Putting power behind it is serious business.  Then, you run as fast as you can!

Crossing home plate is a must no matter what league you are playing in!  And Harris knows that every good ball player has to get a little dirty.  After all, can you call it a good game if you don't come home covered in dirt?  This is serious business for a Boy of Summer.

You play hard and at the end of the game you slap hands with the other team and tell them, "Good game!" There is the ritual to this serious competition and he knows just what to do.

Harris isn't the only one on the team who knows that this is serious business.  His coach seems to realize that, too.  Every pitch has to be the best he can make!

Then, there's the wrap up after the game when the team gets encouragement and instructions to be ready for next time.

Ah!  Boys of Summer!

Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 3

"Grand B, that circle is where you go to practice your swing before it is your turn to bat." I learned this from Luci a couple of weeks ago.  You see, she has officially become one of the Girls of Summer.

 Practice her swing she did at that first game, too.  She was serious about it.  Watching the coach and swinging every time he pitched it to the batter in front of her.

She was getting ready and she was planning to be a force.  She was determined to hit the pitch from the coach and did not want to have to hit the ball off the T!

Then, when it came her turn to actually step into the batter's box and put her practice to work, there was a little bit of a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.  Not for long, though!

Running the bases is serious business and she was up to the task!  No slacking.  Just business.

And at the crack of the bat, off she ran!  She was so glad to make it all the way around and score!  

I think her coach was pretty excited as well!  Both of them were grinning from ear to ear. 

And the sassiness quickly returned to our Luci!  She truly is a force to be reckoned with both on the field and off!

Luci wasn't the only number 6 to take the field that afternoon, though.  Her big sister, Lydia, did as well.  She started off playing defense in left field.  She saw a little action in the way of backing up the third baseman at one point.  Then, when the game was about half over, the summons was given and she stepped up to the rubber.

She takes her position seriously, too.  (I hate my cell phone photos are not more clear.  I was trying to video so I could share with Bridgette who had gone to coach Luci's team.)

She pitched a couple of balls.  Then, she put the ball in there and let her defense go to work.  

She struck a batter out.  Then, she walked a couple of gals.  Of course, that called for a meeting on the mound.

The coach's wife made some photos and shared them and I am so thankful, since I had left my camera at home!

When you step over the chalk and onto the field, serious business takes place and she certainly looks like she is concentrating on catching the ball.

Hustling and running the bases is just as important and who would have thought that would be part of her repertoire?!  Looking at this shot, I can just hear the coach yelling, "Back!"

She concentrates and thinks about her form and her release point and if she strikes a batter out, that is call for a celebration.  After her first game, we were watching Luci's game and Lydia eased over beside me on the bleachers.  She quietly said, "Grand B, I got to pitch in my game."  I let her know I had seen it.  "I struck a girl out!" she told me.  I let her know I had seen that, too.  "When I did, I did a little dance in my head!"  she said!  

Ah!  The Girls of Summer!