I Missed The Competition

I remember as a little kid getting to play softball with the grown-ups at church picnics. Now I’m the grown-up and I am, for the first time, participating in an adult sports league. I’m playing on a city league softball team from my church, and let me tell you, I feel like a kid out there. No it’s not because I’m probably the youngest guy out there, but that’s a good start
I had enough energy for two people growing up, and I used it every ounce of it. I was always moving around, had to be running around doing something. If I was a kid now I probably would have been on Ritalin. I was also blessed with coordination and athletic ability, so participation in sports was a very natural and healthy outlet for me.

After spending a couple of summers playing in the dirt while my older sister played softball it was my turn to start playing t-ball. Being ADHD I was one of those kids that wasn’t too focused on the game. I was that kid in the field pretending to make the amazing catch and throw to get the guy out at the plate. I was pretending to make that amazing strikeout pitch to win the game.

Fast-forward a couple of years and I’m playing “real” baseball. I remember the field I was on at Gregory Heights Middle School. I remember I was playing second base. No outs, runners on first and second. The batter hits a pop-up to me, but the runners don’t tag up they just take off running! So, I catch the ball, step on second, and — rather than touching the runner from first or throwing to the first baseman (apparently I didn’t trust him to catch it) — I ran and stepped on first. Triple play, all by myself!

Jump to sophomore year of high school. I’m playing on the JV team. Correction, I’m sitting on the JV bench because the coach won’t put me in. I’m not a bad player. I can field the ball well. I’m smart on the base paths. I’m timid at the plate, and only get 7 at bats the entire season. I was so frustrated with my level of participation that I quit with only a few weeks left.

It’s been 11 years since then. I’m back on the diamond fielding grounders, making good — and bad — throws to first. I’m back on the dirt that I was playing in 20+ years ago. I’m happy.