Update From The Diamond

J is four weeks into his junior baseball season at school.  So far the team is struggling a bit, with a record of 2 wins and 8 losses.  Hopefully that record will improve as the season moves along.  As for J, he is personally having a good season so far.  When the season first began, J didn't get to play for the first several games.  Paying your dues and doing  time on the bench is just a part of high school baseball. It's what he does with the opportunities he does get that matter and he's making the most of every minute of playing time.  He's played the last six games, and has done really well.  He's been playing second base, which is very different from first base, which is J's best position.  He's handled it well, working as hard as he can to do a good job for his team.  At the beginning he made some mistakes, but the past few games he's done really well, fielding the ball with skill and finesse.  He's settled into a rhythm with his hitting, too.  The first few games he put the bat on the ball, but ended up grounding out or flying out.  There were a couple of unfortunate strike outs.  But the last three games he's gotten legitimate hits, beautiful line drives that will hopefully keep coming.  There's still a lot of season left and J really wants to make his mark.

Last night's game was a special one for him.  Even though Coach C has coached him for close to two years, he had never been able to attend one of J's high school games since he's away at school during the school season.  He's home on spring break though, and for the first time got to attend a game last night.  We kept it a secret from J for several weeks, wanting to surprise him.  He ended up putting two and two together though since he knew Coach C was home.  He was both excited and nervous, saying it would be strange having Coach C there as a spectator rather than a coach.  And more than ever, he wanted to play well so he could make Coach C proud of him.  Happily, he did just that.  Coach C was very pleased with how J played.  An added bonus was that Coach C's roommate T and his dad, Coach P, who helped with TP last summer, also came to the game.  Not only did they help with TP, they specifically helped J when he was working to fix those bad habits he fell into.  It meant the world to J to look up from his spot at second base and see part of his TP family there to support him.

I never doubted for a minute that J would play well with Coach C there.  Not only was it his pride on the line, but he simply wants to please Coach C, who has done so much for him.  Beyond that, they just have a quiet, unshakable bond that always warms my heart.  It's been nearly two years since J decided he wanted to play travel ball.  A chance phone call to the owner of TP set it all in motion.  Not only was J lucky enough to get Coach C for a coach, they were lucky enough to forge a bond of friendship that is as strong off the field as it is on.  For Christmas, J gave Coach C a baseball with a picture of the two of them on it.  Under the picture are the words, "Coach and player by chance, friends by choice."  Those words perfectly sum up their relationship.