A couple of years ago, I wrote about Jacob's baseball experience in the Spring of 2011 (Father Knows Best) The coach we had wanted him to play for didn't get him on his team and we were discouraged with the coach we got. Long story short, Coach Corey was great for Jacob. He saw his potential and pushed Jacob to grow and learn the game. He ended up playing up a year and a half on a comp team for Corey and did a great job. Well, this past fall things started to change - mostly size started to change. Jacob was playing with boys quite a bit older than him that had started to hit their growth spurts. It was quite intimidating to go up to bat against much bigger pitchers, and pitch to batters much bigger than him. It was a stressful season and he made it through, but we weren't sure what would happen come 2013. In January as they met for a team meeting, Jacob couldn't bring himself to play anymore. He didn't ever want to get up to bat again. He was done with baseball. It broke my heart.
Phil and I have talked a lot about how once you have kids, their passions become your passions. I didn't know I liked baseball so much until Jacob was through. It physically hurt. I cried. I felt foolish, but I cried. Jacob had put so much time, effort, and love into the game that I couldn't comprehend him being done. (I put quite a few hours in myself with that boy as well!) So I did the only thing any decent mother would do. I bribed him to play baseball. Now wait a minute, I was reasonable. I wanted him to give one more try at just playing Rec ball. I didn't insist he stay playing comp...Nothing too intense, just playing a bit of baseball one last time before he was through. He wanted to play football in the fall, so I told him he could....if he played baseball.
The day of tryouts was kind of a mess. It was the night after a campout (I'm still not a big fan of those sleepless things!) I knew he was going to be mad about leaving early to try out for something he didn't want to do. But as I watched tryouts, he looked sharp and like a baseball player. As we were leaving, one of the coaches approached Jacob and asked him where is mom was. He proceeded to ask Jacob to be on an accelerated team in addition to the rec team. Apparently I wasn't the only that noticed he still had it! Jacob got this look on his face like "No Way." That was what he was trying to get away from!! I told the coach we'd think about it and let him know. I wanted him to do it so bad!! I tried hard to keep my feelings neutral, but knew it would be good for Jacob.
We talked to the coach about Jacob's reservations and he said that was fine, to just have Jacob come to one of their practices and check it out. Right before the practice, Phil found out it was a practice GAME and Jacob just about lost it. He wasn't ready. But he pushed through and went. I was dying knowing what was going on. Finally they came home and Jacob presented me with a catchers mitt that I would be needing to help him practice pitching for the accelerated league!!! YEAH!!!!
The first game, once again, did not go well. We rushed home from a cousin's baptism in Rexburg and Jacob started to feel some of those same anxieties from the fall...he was sick to his stomach and couldn't play the second game. Oh dear, what had we done? Gradually, Jacob's anxieties started to go away. Between playing rec league and the accelerated league, we could see Jacob getting his confidence back, and starting to really enjoy the game again. It was beautiful. In order to keep his spirits up, Phil decided to keep track of his strike outs on his wall like they do in ball parks - just to help him have something to look forward to and boost moral. We started by printing 25 K's as his goal. Well 2 1/2 months later, Jacob has 80 K's around the border of his room. He had a wonderful season pitching and going from being the bottom of the batting order (his request) to the top of the line up. But most of all he was having fun. We are so proud of Jake for "stepping up to the plate" and being so tough to overcome something so hard for him. Added Bonus for mom: Jacob has decided to stick with his baseball team and play comp (with kids his age) this fall instead of football!!! Yeah!!!
So here's the full circle...the coach we had wanted Jacob to get here, is Jacob's current coach!! There is no way Jacob could be the player he is today without Coach Corey. He taught him so much and we are so grateful that Jacob was able to play for him. But Coach Kevin is who Jacob needs right now to help him remember to love the game and to have fun. It's a beautiful thing to look at where life leads us...and to realize once again that Father Knows Best, knows us, knows what we need and when.
Phil and I have talked a lot about how once you have kids, their passions become your passions. I didn't know I liked baseball so much until Jacob was through. It physically hurt. I cried. I felt foolish, but I cried. Jacob had put so much time, effort, and love into the game that I couldn't comprehend him being done. (I put quite a few hours in myself with that boy as well!) So I did the only thing any decent mother would do. I bribed him to play baseball. Now wait a minute, I was reasonable. I wanted him to give one more try at just playing Rec ball. I didn't insist he stay playing comp...Nothing too intense, just playing a bit of baseball one last time before he was through. He wanted to play football in the fall, so I told him he could....if he played baseball.
The day of tryouts was kind of a mess. It was the night after a campout (I'm still not a big fan of those sleepless things!) I knew he was going to be mad about leaving early to try out for something he didn't want to do. But as I watched tryouts, he looked sharp and like a baseball player. As we were leaving, one of the coaches approached Jacob and asked him where is mom was. He proceeded to ask Jacob to be on an accelerated team in addition to the rec team. Apparently I wasn't the only that noticed he still had it! Jacob got this look on his face like "No Way." That was what he was trying to get away from!! I told the coach we'd think about it and let him know. I wanted him to do it so bad!! I tried hard to keep my feelings neutral, but knew it would be good for Jacob.
We talked to the coach about Jacob's reservations and he said that was fine, to just have Jacob come to one of their practices and check it out. Right before the practice, Phil found out it was a practice GAME and Jacob just about lost it. He wasn't ready. But he pushed through and went. I was dying knowing what was going on. Finally they came home and Jacob presented me with a catchers mitt that I would be needing to help him practice pitching for the accelerated league!!! YEAH!!!!
The first game, once again, did not go well. We rushed home from a cousin's baptism in Rexburg and Jacob started to feel some of those same anxieties from the fall...he was sick to his stomach and couldn't play the second game. Oh dear, what had we done? Gradually, Jacob's anxieties started to go away. Between playing rec league and the accelerated league, we could see Jacob getting his confidence back, and starting to really enjoy the game again. It was beautiful. In order to keep his spirits up, Phil decided to keep track of his strike outs on his wall like they do in ball parks - just to help him have something to look forward to and boost moral. We started by printing 25 K's as his goal. Well 2 1/2 months later, Jacob has 80 K's around the border of his room. He had a wonderful season pitching and going from being the bottom of the batting order (his request) to the top of the line up. But most of all he was having fun. We are so proud of Jake for "stepping up to the plate" and being so tough to overcome something so hard for him. Added Bonus for mom: Jacob has decided to stick with his baseball team and play comp (with kids his age) this fall instead of football!!! Yeah!!!
So here's the full circle...the coach we had wanted Jacob to get here, is Jacob's current coach!! There is no way Jacob could be the player he is today without Coach Corey. He taught him so much and we are so grateful that Jacob was able to play for him. But Coach Kevin is who Jacob needs right now to help him remember to love the game and to have fun. It's a beautiful thing to look at where life leads us...and to realize once again that Father Knows Best, knows us, knows what we need and when.
One of the funnest memories I have of the season, was when Jacob's rec team played his accelerated coach and teammates in the rec tournament. Jacob was pretty upset because his coach hadn't let him pitch. At the end of the game he sat sulking, but before too long, he was out on the mound with his buddies from the other team (but on his accelerated team) commiserating and having fun. He has made some great friends this year!
His K's went all around his room. By the end of the season, he no longer needed the motivation :)
In addition to those two teams, Jacob's coach ended up coaching the All Star team and they were able to participate in the state tournament in Stansbury Park the last week of June.
Phil and I had a trip planned to Colorado Springs with members of the Academy Board. When they made it into the state tournament, we knew we had to stay. Jacob would need us if they won, and if he had a hard game we wanted to be there too.
In the 100+ weather, Jacob pitched the best he had every pitched. He pitched the whole game and we'd never seen him do so well. The ump didn't really call anything close, so he had to really work for every strike. And even in the 5th inning he still looked strong. We were so proud of him. They ended up losing at the very end, but we were so glad we had been there that day. So proud of you Jacob and can't wait to see what Father has in store for you next!!
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