Tonight I had the privilege to watch my nephew Isaiah in his first ever t-ball game. 
It was quite a circus of activity and delightful to watch.
Batters running all different directions, missing bases, passing one another on the bases, 6 fielders chasing one ball and some players (Isaiah) never moving from the spot the coach told him to stand at second base.
Batters who forgot to drop the bat, runners who couldn’t see where they were going since the helmet covered their eyes and coaches who kept redirecting runners back to first….
It was quite a scene and throughout the crowd there was laughter and encouragement. At the end of the two innings, which took 60 minutes, there was unified applause that felt like the cheering that is usually at the end of an amazing game of young athletes….
Perhaps most interesting to me was that Peter (8 years of age) played in this same fashion three summers ago and today was appalled to consider he might have been of this caliber in his baseball skills. I assured him, he was just like them and it offers me great hope that he just completed a pretty successful season at Southern Little League.
And so, I am thankful it is only a four game season AND I will choose to delightfully enjoy each game. I believe team-sports develops character, even in five-year old children! I could think of many examples of how this game mimics how many of us live life…but for now I will leave it with this: tonight I watched the Bad News Bears Live….and yet I am not discouraged. There is hope for each little guy out there. Soon they to will be 8 years old!
