Team player

Jack had a couple of baseball games today. Beautiful fall day, sunny, almost balmy in the sun.

We dropped Jack off early for warmups, then showed up for the start of the game. As I walked up, coach said the other team didn't have enough kids, and Jack would be playing on their team in the first game. I was kind of like, uh, Huh? But Jack was ok with it -- he is very agreeable kid -- and he collected his stuff to go to the other dugout. His teammates clapped him on the back and stuff (saw one of them saying he should try to play bad on purpose), and the game started.

Jack, on the other team, played in the outfield, and then shortstop when their regular guy got hurt and had to move to the outfield. He got one chance, a wicked ground ball that got by him. At the plate he had a hard groundout, a walk, and a strikeout. His good friend Dylan knew how to pitch him, that's what I'm thinking. And his team won. One of them, I think the one he was playing on.

Game 2, he was back on the Pirates. Drew a walk, got hit by a pitch. Played a couple innings at second base (he made his debut there a week ago but didn't have a ball hit near him), and it was pretty exciting. Had a hard, two hop grounder hit to him, threw him out at first. Tough play! Later, on a ball hit to short with two outs and runners at first and third, he covered 2nd and got the force. Little stuff, but not routine for 8 year olds, and especially for kids who seldom play there. Petty cool to see him make those plays. When he is in the outfield, you basically hope the ball isn't hit out there, because they are seldom played correctly by anyone. So we would watch games just hoping for good at-bats. It was kind of new watching for fielding plays. Fun.

After getting hit by a pitch, he ended up coming around to score. Close play at the plate; he came in standing up and we told him to slide next time. But he was safe, and his team won again.

Afterward, Jack told Emily he hadn't been sure about Fall Travel at first, because Coach worked them hard, and a lot of his friends from summer weren't doing it. (I had noticed he hadn't squawked much about missing a couple of practices recently.) But that now he was enjoying it. I told him, later, that I was really proud of him, taking one for the team. Lots of kids, I think, wouldn't have had as good an attitude about it as he did. Told him it was great seeing him make a couple of plays in the field, too.

Later, I got an email from the coach. He hadn't emailed me directly before; I only know him through this season. Just said, "What a great day Jack had. I don't really believe in game balls, but he deserved one today. He is a true team player."

Really nice to hear. I think we mostly want our kids to be really good at a sport, make plays, get hits, whatever. When Jack and I are out playing football in the backyard, I get impressed at a leaping catch or a perfect throw. (His, too! No, I kid.) I get excited when Kate rides her bike or, sometimes, climbs a tree too high, both of which also occurred today.

But being a good teammate? Trying hard, doing the right thing, earning respect of the coach? I like to think that I'll remember that stuff just as much as the hits, the catches, the game outcomes.

I'll tell Jack what the coach said, and I suspect it will be pretty much how he reacts when I praise him or compliment him for something. He'll nod, have a little smile on his face, take it in stride. Pleased with himself, but cool. Kind of the way he is. And tomorrow he'll pick up his stuff and go play ball again.