In the past year, my youngest has delved into baseball.  What I have learned is that this is not some quick half effort engagement. Being a part of a team, even for a seven-year-old, is a full-fledged commitment.  It is a commitment for the child, and it is also a commitment for the entire family. Even for littles, there are multiple games and practices per week, and each lasts a couple hours at minimum. 

I often think about why we do this. Why do we sacrifice this much of our lives for this sport? I suppose it’s to see that big smile plastered on my son’s face when he makes a play.  It’s for the smile on my face when I see his smile.  It’s for the enjoyment of the sport itself. It’s to watch teamwork, a lost art in this busy world, where every person otherwise seems to be out for themselves. It’s to slow life down a bit and to find peace and enjoyment in watching a sport we all understand.  

In my job, I manage people.  I can pick out which employees played team sports in their past and which ones did not.  Some people are coachable; many are not. You don’t have to be the best athlete to play on a sports team.  You just have to come with the right attitude and a willingness to learn.  The kids on sports teams seem to have it figured out.

I love the sound of the hollering, the clapping, the cheers.  I love to see teammates throw their arms around the child who slid into Homeplate.  And, when behind by multiple points, my heart warms when the players still play with all their heart, determined to give it their best.  They don’t give up.  And, despite the outcome of the game, they still leave smiling and jump up and down when someone yells “Pizza is on the way!”

Sports teach us quite a bit.  Children teach us even more.  

Despite what’s happening in the world around us, it all disappears on the baseball Diamond.