Edwin Nunez shows up for practice

It's been a really fun season so far.  We're 2-1 so far with another game tonight.   Last night we had a pretty cool practice.  A friend of a friend of a friend (you know what I mean)  arranged to have Edwin Nunez come to the practice to help out our pitchers.  It was beyond great.  Edwin (the enormous guy in the picture) was drafted to the pros at the age of 19 then played for 12 years before hanging it up.    I'm not sure who learned more, me or the kids, but the smiles on the face of each kid after he worked with each one was priceless.   He would notice little problems with their delivery, change it, and bham, the end result was a faster more accurate pitch.   After each throw, the kids would just have a huge smile on their faces.  I loved it.  Afterwards, Edwin stayed around and signed just about everything the kids would bring up to him, balls, hats, gloves, and even the bats they use in a game.  

I'm sure every kid will want to show off their new and improved skills tonight.  I'm anxious to see the enthusiasm tonight.  Which brings me to a new topic..............

At what point does it become more about the coaches than it does the kids?  I'm just as guilty as anyone when I say I want to beat some coaches more than others.  And you know what...............that's pathetic.  When did the game become about me?   Does any kid on my team or any other team for that matter really care which coach we beat or don't beat?  Of course not.

I heard last nights games ended with a score of 30-10.    In the end, from what I understand, it became coach against coach.   Again, I'm not pointing fingers because I've been there.  I've been on both sides.  
Comments are made to one another, then suddenly both coaches just want to make the other suffer or threaten with paybacks.  

Take the coaches out of the picture..................There's a kid on the pitchers mound, maybe 10-12 years old.    Make that kid a priority, then everything changes.    There's a 10 year old coming up to bat, make that kid a priority, then everything changes.  

I prayed hard during our last game.  I prayed that I would remember why I was out there.  I prayed that I focused on each kid and not the game.   And you know what, selfishly I had a blast.  The game was over before I realized it.  The kids were smiling, the parents seemed to be happy (that's a whole other subject), and yes we won.  We won though because I think everyone was relaxed and having fun.

I hope and pray that I can continue to stay focused on what is important and to realize that each kid is an individual.    That the sun will still come up tomorrow no matter the outcome of the game.