Sam Baseball Season

This year Sam had the opportunity to play baseball. We have usually signed him up to play in Rexburg because that is where we live. This year we let him have the option of playing in Rexburg with some of his neighbor friends or playing Sugar City ball where he would play with boys from school. He opted to play in Sugar City. What we didn't know at the time was that Sugar City and St. Anthony pull their leagues together and they play all of their games in St. Anthony. This meant for us at least one trip to Sugar City a week for ball practice and an additional two trips to St. Anthony a week for games.

Sam has played t-ball and coach pitch but this year it was the real thing. I was amazed at how "official" it was after the first game. Those boys can really throw the ball pretty fast. They were also allowed to steal and not to mention that all of the team except Sam was wearing baseball pants. We bought Sam new ball pants before the next game and then he used his own money to buy a baseball batting glove.

Sam is left-handed. He has always played ball left handed. Three-fourths of the way through the season, Sam's coach informed us he thought Sam was probably right handed, at least as far as playing ball goes. Sure enough, he played much better right handed. Too bad, it has only taken us six years to figure that out!

Most of Sam's team played together last year and so consequently he was the "new kid on the block." He did really well. He struggled a little and so he and I spent countless extra practices over at the church ball diamonds working on batting, catching, and throwing.

Sam had an awesome coach this year. Coach Garner, is actually a sixth grade teacher in Sugar City but coaches several sports. He helped Sam so much this year. He was always so positive with the boys.

The baseball season went from the end of May to the end of June. As you know, we have had an unseasonably cool spring. I don't think there was a single game that it didn't rain, or the wind didn't blow like crazy. Several of their games got called because of lightening. Bryon had the privilege of sitting through one of his games where it rained the whole game through but the game never got called because there was no lightening. The blankets that we hauled to the game to pad the hard bleachers usually became something we curled up in trying to keep warm.

Tournament started last week. Sam's team went in seated number one. They played once on Tuesday night. I was able to watch him before I left for Girl's Camp. They won. Then they played twice on Thursday night. They won both of those. The championship was set for Saturday morning at 10:00. They were playing a game that already had one loss. So if Sam's team won, it was over. If they lost, they had to play again at noon. Sam's team won! It was a really close game. The team they played is the only team that has given them any competition all season. Sam's team was behind at one point and I thought for sure we were going to have to play again. I think the final score was 5-7.

The boys were so excited to get their trophies. Coach Garner was so cute with them. He told them they would remember this game for the rest of their lives. He also told them that they all played like champions. Never once were the boys mean to the other teams and always played with great sportsmanship. They were also so good to each other. They never talked smack because they let the kind of game they played speak for itself.

Congratulations Sam on winning the championship! I am so proud of you. But more importantly, I am so proud of the way you played and all the dedication and devotion you put into improving your game.