Baseball, Spring 2014

After nearly three months - 10 practices, two scrimmages, 12 regular season games, and one tournament game - the 2014 Spring Little League season has wrapped. Will loves to play baseball, and thanks to an amazing coach who also loves to play - and coach - the sport, Will had tons of fun and learned a tremendous amount about batting mechanics, fielding technique, game strategy, and contributing to a team.

I didn't take very many pictures this season, primarily the baseball fields on which Will now plays are fully surrounded by fencing that makes taking photos challenging. I also found that even though I brought my camera to the games, I often forgot to pull it out because the play at Will's current level was really exciting: actual hits, outfield catches, close plays at first base, and slides into home plate set this league apart - FAR apart - from tee-ball.

Here are the photos I did take - enjoy this walk down the 2014 Blue Claws' Memory Lane!

Preseason practicing with Daddy in the front yard.

Tom was surprised to discover that over the winter
Will's arm strength had improved dramatically. 

Opening Ceremonies took place on a  beautiful day in March at
Bluebell Park (where the Aggies play). Though on different teams this
season, Will, Logan, Jackson, and Jack played together in seasons past.

Opening Ceremonies often include a few
(non-baseball) activities to keep the kids busy.

Here come the Blue Claws!

Waving to the fans.

Handsome boy.

Singing the National Anthem.

Warming up for batting practice.

Watching the big kids in the batting cages.

Waiting for the pitch. 

Throwing back the strike. Will
thoroughly enjoyed playing catcher.

At the ready.

He suffered through a batting slump during the ninth and tenth
games, but before and after the slump he hit the ball fairly well. If he
batted three times, he almost always made it on base at least twice.

Leading off at third.

High-fiving one of his coaches after scoring a run.

Lining up to shake hands.

At the end of every game, Coach Jon talked with the kids about
what they did well and what they needed to work on, and then
he gave the game ball to the player he deemed most deserving
based on their performance and effort during that game.

Will earned two.

The cookie cakes I brought for snack after what should have been
(but wasn't because of rained out/rescheduled games) our last game.

Enjoying an ice cream cone (the boy eats ice cream now!)
with his teammates after their last regular season game.

Will let these two cuties tag along for ice cream.

Blue Claws, Spring 2014

In an attempt to keep the baseball season going, Will wanted to try out for the League's All Star team. We let him try out even though we knew he wouldn't make the team - he falls into the younger half of his age bracket and just isn't strong or skilled enough to beat out the older and more experienced kids - and I'm glad we did…he really enjoyed himself and didn't seem terribly bothered when his name wasn't on an All Star roster. I, on the other hand, secretly shed a tear. Again, I knew he wouldn't make the team, but there was a teeny, tiny part of me that hoped the coaches would recognize his love for and knowledge of the game and give him a chance to rise to his full, seven-year-old potential. Maybe next year...

It was a great season, and I can't wait to do it all again next year!