After many years of focusing on football, Jeff convinced Connor that he needed to at least try baseball for a season to learn the sport and figure out if he liked it. Connor reluctantly agreed just to get it over with. We borrowed a ton of baseball equipment from a friend and sent Connor on his way to the baseball draft, having almost never even swung a bat or caught a ball. This was gonna be interesting....
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| Connor suited up for his very first baseball practice. We were such rookies that we didn't even know he was supposed to wear cleats, ha! |
Connor played baseball for a league called Katy All American, and they conduct a draft in early spring for the coaches to select the players they want. The age division for this year was the first time the kids themselves were doing the pitching, so it was a good time to start playing and get some exposure to the kid-pitch league.
Connor was placed on the Oakland Athletics, and it took a while for the teach to get organized and find a coach. But in the end, we ended up with the BEST coaching staff and group of boys. Connor was one of the only first-time players, so we weren't sure what to expect. But he had a good attitude from the start and enjoyed practicing with his teammates.
By the time the games began, we were well into an extremely WET and RAINY spring season. Well over half of our games and practices were rescheduled due to the weather this season. So when the boys finally starting to play some games, they had only practiced once or twice and didn't have a clue who would play which position. What I loved about this team is that all of the boys were given a chance to try each of the positions. Connor ended up playing mostly catcher and pitcher, and he turned out to be great at both.
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| Connor up to bat. |
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| Connor playing catcher, probably his best position. |
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| Connor chasing down a wild pitch. |
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| All decked out before one of his games. |
As with most parents of more than one kid, we've struggled with conflicting activities this season. Kaitlynn was playing soccer and her games sometimes conflicted with Connor's. Since Jeff was the dugout coach for Connor's team, I had to miss some of Connor's games while taking Kaitlynn to soccer.
On the second game of the season, I was watching Kaitlynn's soccer game and started getting a string of text messages from Jeff. The first one said, "Connor is starting pitcher!" That was interesting, because Connor had never thrown a baseball before this season, much less had any practice at pitching. Then I got another text saying, "He is pitching awesome!" And then a few minutes later, I got THIS text that I couldn't believe: "Connor just knocked the crap out of the ball and got a home run!!!"
Say WHAT?!
When I met up with Jeff and Connor later, he was sporting a BIG grin along with yet another surprise: the game ball! That's right, Connor's coach gave away a game ball to Connor for pitching his first game, also playing catcher, and getting his very first hit which turned out to be a home run! We were beside ourselves with excitement!
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| Connor with his Game Ball. |
Since that game, Connor did a great job of pitching and catching. He has been a great teammate, stepping in for various positions and always encouraging the players with positive words. He's been up and down with his hitting, but he's grown a tremendous amount in his knowledge and love for the game.
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| Another shot of Connor at bat. |
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| Connor in his catcher gear hanging with his teammates. |
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| Coach Jeff with his rally cap. |
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| Connor was upset after missing a grounder during one game. Breaks my heart, but the emotions are always a part of these sports we love! |
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| This picture cracked me up -- Connor on 1st base and Jeff as the 1st base coach, both in the exact same position as they watched the next player at bat. |
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| This is what the little sisters do during the ballgames, ha! |
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| Connor on 3rd base, trash-talking his friend Jayden on the opposite teach covering 3rd. |
As our very first season of baseball draws to a close, we are feeling quite different than we expected when the season began. Not only has Connor developed a love for the game, but now you can often find him watching a random baseball game on TV. And he never goes anywhere without a baseball hat these days -- which is hilarious to me because he has NEVER worn them before!
In full disclosure, the Oakland Athletics haven't had a great season this year. But the boys and coaches alike have had a great time, and Connor has learned a TON about baseball. The progress he's made this season is amazing, and he is already asking to sign up again next year.
Stay tuned for another post on his end-of-season party with team photos!
