TPM #308 : It’s A Good Day!
The sun is shining.
The temperature is supposed to hit 25 degrees Celsius today. Very little wind.
We have to leave at 8am to get there on time. First game is 9:30am.
Uniform? check!
Snacks? yes!
Water, we need lots of water. It gets hot back there and he will be behind the plate for at least 1 of the games today.
We will need ice. Cooler ready.
Car is packed.
The kid is up without the alarm. That is something. We need a crane to get him up for school.
He has his gear packed. Glove ready. Helmet. Bat. Batting gloves. Cleats. Hat. All the catching gear…mask, chest, cup, shingards. All good. He made the checklist and had it ready last night.
Grab some breakfast. Make sure he has some fruit, protein, a bagel or toast. He chooses yogurt and granola. Good choice.
Start drinking some water now.
Off we go.
Grab a coffee on the way for Dad.
Boy, nice to see that sun.
The park is beautiful. Grass is green. Infield looks well cared for. Baselines and batter boxes are being drawn.
Let’s get him out there.
Off he goes. Carrying all that stuff in a big hockey bag.
He sees his teammates. There is excitement in the air.
They get out to do their warmup. Mobility, some runs, then start throwing.
The wiffle balls come out, he’s taking some swings.
Swing looks smooth.
All that practice he put in. Looks like he is seeing the ball well, the ball is popping off the bat. Line drive, line drive, to the pull side, to the opposite side. Oppo + oppo + oppo. Nice. Just like he worked on in the cage.
Wonder if he got the lineup information from the coach?
He’s getting his catcher’s glove and gear on. I guess so. He is behind the dish.
They are off to do infield. Off he goes the bullpen. Talking to the pitcher, he is smiling. They both are. I love seeing that.
His pitcher is having some trouble hitting the glove, but it’s getting better. That’s why it’s called warmup!
They walk back to the dugout together. Going over the signs, I am sure.
They get to catch their breath on the bench. I can hear them laughing.
He’s got a bat in his hand, with his catching shin pads on. Some empty swings.
That time before first pitch. The anticipation. Finally, the first game. All that practice through the winter months. Indoor batting tees and soft tosses with BP throws.
Here we are. Outdoors. A great day to play 2!!
Tournament Saturday’s are the best!
They hit the field. They are snapping the ball around pretty good.
His throw to 2nd is spot on.
They look sharp in their home blues.
It’s a good day! I love watching him play.
The Good Days are the days we can sit back and watch our kids do something they love. Something they like. Something they have worked towards and prepared. The practice.
Spring time represents so many sports going on. There are all the school sports, then the community has baseball kicking up, softball, soccer, lacrosse. Spring football is around, basketball has some leagues, as do hockey. Boys and girls. All ages. Not just team sports golf, tennis and track and field are also around.
Seeing them discover what it feels like to take on a challenge. It does not matter how the game ended up or who won. Game day is a time for our kids to put in play what they have practiced.
It’s a good day when that happens.
It could be any sport or any activity for that matter. From music to acting to painting.
Having our kids discover what it feels like to take on a challenge.
It’s a good day.