At six years old, our son Randy attained the age of eligibility to play T-ball. T-ball at the time was a program to teach six year olds the fundamentals of baseball. Instead of having a pitcher throw the ball to the batters, there was an adjustable post that was placed at home plate. The height that it held a baseball for the batter to hit was adjusted for each batter. There were nine players with one player positioned where the pitcher normally would play.
When the day came for registration, Carol, my wife, took Randy to sign up for our local Mira Mesa T-Ball league. He was assigned to the Pirates team and was presented with his equipment consisting of a black and yellow Pirates baseball cap and jersey. He was very excited and proud to be part of a team.
That evening when I arrived home from work, Randy ran to meet me proudly decked out in his new uniform.
Randy’s official Pirates Picture
Excitedly he announced to me matter-of-factly, “Dad, out team will be undefeated and win the championship.”
That’s when I stepped in with my fatherly “reality check” comment, “Randy, you need to know that your team will lose a couple of games.”
Randy insisted, “No Dad, we are going undefeated!”
As the season wore on, I became more and more impressed with the coaches of the team. Unlike many other team coaches, the two men who coached the Pirates kept a level head staying cool while others, mostly parents were going wild. They kept the game simple for the little kids, giving them clear and simple instructions. If the ball was hit in the infield, they were told to always throw to first base. If the ball was hit to the outfield, they were told to always throw to second base. This strategy employed the law of averages and it worked perfectly.
Game after game the Pirates came out on top of the final score. By the end of the season, the Pirates were indeed undefeated and won the championship!
Although he didn’t say it, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Randy was quietly thinking, “See Dad, I told you!” Maybe it was the excitement of the accomplishment or maybe he was just being gracious, but he never uttered those words to me.
The Pirates Team
Carol and I joyfully congratulated Randy and his team mates as they excitedly walked off the field as champions and the first undefeated team in the program.
I had to pause and understand the lesson my son just taught me.
Turning Points
I learned that being realistic and practical when dealing with children is not always the best course to follow. Better to be prepared for when and if the unexpected happens than to force the issue and run the risk of being the “wet blanket”. You never know when “undefeated” and “championship” are dreams destined to come true. Randy proved to me that season in his little boy naiveté that dreaming big is the best way to face a challenge. Then over and over again as he grew up, he found ways to succeed at whatever he set his mind to do.
COPYRIGHT © 2014 ALLAN E. MUSTERER