**Also Posted in my "Life at Forty" Blog**
I'm still excited when I think about my kids game the other day, so much so I had to share it with all of you.
We are in play off season here, and I'm telling you this is really intense. I was slightly disappointed in the coach and the assistant coach as neither showed up for the big day. We had a team of only 8 players, league rules state that's the fewest amount of players you can have to play in the game. Whew...we just made it.
The kids are excited, parents had their concerns, but overall we figured "well if we lose, there's always the fall season to look forward to, and the kids had fun." So we start the first inning. We were home team so the first batter gets to the plate, cracks a line drive to the kid on third base and he caught it.
"That's a good omen, huh?" I said as I grinned at the mom sitting next to me while we clapped. "3 up three down kids, come on you can do it!" I yelled.
Sure enough, one kid made it on base the two others were struck out.
We get up to bat and our team is on a roll, we had one forced out at first and ended up with five runs that inning as the kids just kept on bringing in their team mates.
I was so happy to see the dads out there and our team mom catching and coaching the bases, helping out my kids dad who was the other Assistant coach on the team. There was some good energy out there and despite the doubts about us winning this game, those kids persevered and it paid off in the end.
We had one grand slam, and three home runs total. These were the kids the main coach didn't want on his team in the fall and next spring. Those kids gave it their all and it showed in the final two innings.
Top of the fifth and one runner on second and my son was up to bat. He hit a fly ball to left field and we were screaming and yelling at him "run, run run!!!" in a fury of excitement, unaware of the poor little left fielder lying on the ground. The kids dad stopped my son and the other team mate from running a home run when he saw the injured boy on the ground. One run came in, and two outs later the other team came up to bat. We were ahead by 4.
The boy that was injured was fourth at bat. It was the sixth and last inning of the game, we needed to hold them to secure our teams victory. The pressure was on. He hit a home run that landed deep in center/right field, our kids little legs are going to get that ball and we watch as the other team scored they were ahead by two. We were glad to see that boy recovered from his injury, but worried about winning the game at this point. Two more kids out, inning over.
Now it's our turn.
We start off the inning with two strike outs. It wasn't looking good. The pressure was on to get those pitches in so the kids could get on base. It was a nail biter. The next batter up is the only girl on the team. She hits a double and my son is up next, followed by his twin brother. He gets to first base and his brother is up next. Ohhhhhhh, the pressure for us moms sitting in the bleachers and even more pressure on my poor baby. "Clean the bases" I tell him under my breath, "just clean the bases". He gets a strike, first one, don't panic, next pitch "CRACK!" it heads clear out to centerfield and hits the fence. He's running as fast as his little legs can go and we are all standing and yelling "RUN, RUN, RUN", he stopped at second base which is what they do to wait for 3rd base coach to direct them, I scream at the top of my lungs "RUN BABY RUN!" the coach is winding his arm to keep the kids moving towards home base. (oooo i'm getting chills just thinking of this moment again...good chills LOL) I see my boy coming around third base he looks at me and i'm smiling and tears are coming and I'm just elated as he hits home plate.
WE WON!
Oh the glory!
(Oh the relief. LOL)
Those kids, in that moment, it was moment that they will remember the rest of their lives. Hugging each other, jumping up and down in excitement, coaches shaking hands parents screaming in awe. Priceless.
I look at the mom sitting next to me, she sees my tears and I'm laughing hysterically behind my tears. I'm telling her "Happy Tears here, happy tears" LOL She's laughing with me.
Such an adrenaline rush I tell ya.
It's just sad their coach couldn't have been there to see it. It's even sadder that their team mates who were absent couldn't partake in that victory. These kids that won the game, may not be the "best" players in their coach's eyes, but as far as I'm concerned they are the BEST and the true winners in the league no matter if they win the play offs or not because they put their heart and soul into that game and it paid off in the end for all of them.
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