Right now I'm sitting in the bedroom of our hotel suite, listening as J and hubby play a video game in the living room area. J's voice is relaxed and happy, his spirits are high, and he's looking forward to tomorrow. The first day of the showcase went very well for him. He woke up this morning, full of nervous energy, tinged with a healthy dose of sheer excitement. As we drove to the field, I was checking Facebook on my phone and saw that J had posted the following status:
Can't believe it's here all ready. First baseball showcase so pumped to play today. I have worked so hard for this. I have a couple people to thank. First my parents for their constant love and support. And last my coach Coach C. Without him I would of not been even close to as ready as I am today. The constant training has been amazing thanks a lot for all you do. Today I take a big step in the possibility of making baseball a career for myself. Lets hope one of the coaches will see something they like. I'm stoked and ready to go. I'm going to make you guys proud
I immediately got teary eyed, like I always do when one of my kids does or says something unexpectedly sweet. But I digress. When we arrived at the field, J joined several hundred other young players for warm ups, followed by a meeting with the Perfect Game staff. When the meeting ended and the players went to the assigned fields to participate in the workout, hubby summed it up perfectly, "Talk about a field of dreams." Anyone watching could surely see the hopes and dreams clearly reflected in the face of every player in attendance.
As for J's dreams, today he went out there and grabbed for them. He's been training with Coach C for weeks to prepare for this weekend and prepared he was. He played with his trademark heart and spirit, bringing his own special touch to the field. He played at first base, which is where he shines and shine he did. Beautiful stretches, a few dives to stop wild throws, smooth footwork and solid glove action. Coach C would have been proud to see it. (I took so many pictures he'll feel like he was there.) His bat was shaky during the game, though he hit extremely well in batting practice later in the day. Eight solid line drives out of the ten pitches thrown to him.
I freely admit that tears spilled out of my eyes more than once. I tend to be sentimental under the most ordinary of circumstances. Add in the extra emotional punch of having the privilege to watch J going after his heart's desire and well, it was only a matter of time before the waterworks started.
Tomorrow J has one more game to finish out the showcase. If any of the coaches or scouts in attendance today liked what they saw, they will contact him in the future. To my way of thinking, they'd be crazy not to take a look at J, but I know we have to be realistic! Here's hoping that at least one, or a few, took a look at my J today and saw the unique gifts he has to offer a team.
