Lessons from Little League
My son just had his first Little League practice. Already, I can see the potential for lifelong lessons being taught here.
Let me back up first to the previous week when he had tryouts. The local kids met up at the school baseball diamond and the league coaches watched them all perform drills: throw, catch, run, hit, etc. It was like a draft pick. The coaches later sit around and divvy up the players based on skill level.
Afterwards, Julius lamented the fact that he didn’t do his best.
“Mom, I just got nervous. I play so much better in the backyard. And I know I can run faster. What if I don’t make the team?”
Now, between you and me, everyone makes the team at this stage of the game. He’s seven years old and the teams are all “machine pitched.” But it was his first “tryout” and the first time he really had to perform under pressure in front of an audience. Learning that it’s an entirely different thing to stop a mean grounder in the backyard than it is to do the same in a clinch moment in front of a crowd when you are being watched by the coaches was a great lesson.
“I’ll try harder next time, Mom.”
A few days later we get a call from his new coach. Coach Darryl.
“Practice is on Thursday at 5:15. Don’t be late.”
Now because Julius was so concerned about making the team he jumped up and down with joy when he heard the news that he was picked. You know the first thing he said?
“Now I get a chance to really do my best, Mom!”
Stop right there for a second. I get a lump in my throat just remembering that moment. What a huge lesson to learn that you can’t take anything for granted and you have to see every opportunity as a chance to do your best. And to be so filled with joy to do it. Awesome.
So last night we roll into practice. Turns out he’s got one of his good friends from school on the same team. Denzel is a burly native american kid. Jovial and just about the opposite in build from our wiry little Julius. Watching them together is pretty freakin’ cute. At first they had a little bit of hard time staying focused. But Coach got them in line and I watched Julius put in a hustle like you wouldn’t believe. He ran the bases four times (even if once he mistook home plate for third base); he threw the ball with force and caught a couple flies and grounders. Then in the batters box he made contact and just lit UP. Running the bases with a deep right field hit and a grin from ear to ear.
Then he began cheering on his friends. Supporting his team.
“Good job, Denzel!”
“Nice hit, Darren!”
“Awesome, Nate!”
All in all, practice lasted about an hour. Are these kids ready for a game. Heck no. But are they ready to learn about performing under pressure, putting forth your best effort, and supporting your team? They already are. And I can’t think of a better trifecta of lessons to learn at any age.
