As many of you know already, Conner and I love pro cycling. We woke up to horrible news this morning that one of our favorite team's riders Wouter Weylandt was killed in a horrible crash. We spent the morning reading reports and hearing other riders speak out.
Conner turned to me and said, "This is why I like cycling because no matter if they compete against one another daily, they are just one big community and support one another when someone gets hurt."
It made me proud to have this hobby with him. So many sports are filled with over paid, poor role models. Not that anyone is perfect and sports players shouldn't be huge role models. Still, it's nice to know that he is seeing huge life lessons from the sport we enjoy.
Just wanted to record this for me to remember someday and the feeling it gave me.
A modern day Pollyanna waxing poetic about her life.
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sports. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Conner's baseball story
This year was a big year for Conner in baseball, he finally got to move up into the majors in Little League. We were all excited when he got drafted to the Phillies and he told me, "I thought it was the best day of my life when I got my jersey." The coach had told Marty he drafted him for catching and we were even more excited.
We got to the first practice and all they did was hit and field, which is great. The coach said he wanted them to have fun and become better players this year. We were thrilled to hear that and even know another family on the team. We found out that some players were returning from last season and they had been the number one team in the league. We couldn't have been happier, until the first game. We went to the first game and watched all of the other kids bat. When they got back to the top of the line up, Marty and I just looked at each other in shock. He went over to the dugout and asked the coach, "Did you go through the lineup?" and the coach said, "yes" and Marty asked, "What about Conner?" and he looked at him and tried to play dumb. There were 5 new kids on the team and he batted none of them. At the end of the game, Conner hadn't played a inning and only batted once. Another set of parents came up to us and were angry, they didn't understand being this was their son's first year in baseball.
The Dad approached the coach and actually had a meeting with him on behalf of the new players on the team. The coach was making no effort to transition them into the team fold. Another thing was returning players got the infield positions and the new players got outfield. We told Conner have fun and be the best outfielder you can be. We will work with your catching on the side so you continue to improve. Try hard, show the coach what you can do and do your best. We would go to practice and notice the returning players goofing off. There was also the coach who never came to practice but showed up at the games to yell at our kids. His son was playing catcher and came to maybe five practices total. His dad is a coach at the JR High,so I guess that means they are important and can do that. Conner asked the coach if he could catch in practice during spring break, he instead let his nephew from another team catch instead.
One of the new players quit after three games of not being played. Marty spoke with the coach and the coach basically told us what we wanted to hear, never intending to fix things. We just wanted him to not be a bench warmer and show up, just in case another kid didn't show. Little League has rules that every kid plays and it wasn't happening, not just to Conner but other kids. We called the player agent and he assured us he would come to a game, but never did and never called us again. So basically, the writing was on the wall, tough it out and accept it was just going to be that kind of season. So Conner ended up being able to bat once a game ( unless another player didn't show up) and played two innings. Marty told him, after one night of crying after the game and getting yelled at because the team lost, to not go to player meetings if he didn't play.
One game, he got sent in to warm up a pitcher on the side of the field. We saw one of the catcher's dad follow him out there. After the game, Conner came to us and told us that he called the pitcher over and whispered something to him, the pitcher took the ball and pegged Conner with it. The dad laughed! Of course, we couldn't prove it and it was our word against his word. So we didn't press the issue or do anything about it. Two games ago, Conner yet again, came out crying and telling us he was done. Once again, the dad had followed him out to the warm up area and called the pitcher over twice. Both times the kid pegged Conner. I believe it happened because Conner didn't play yet had two bruises on his leg the next day. Another kid asked him for water and when Conner told him "no" he came back to the dugout to find his catchers gear wet.Now that we can understand because that is normal kid stuff. But a parent bullying, shouldn't happen and is not okay.
We decided that if things were the same the next game, he was quitting. So the other night, when Conner played the first two innings and batted once, we knew it was over. Then when Conner didn't come out after the game, I knew something was up. The "game" coach who we don't know, yelled at him and told him to go to the meeting. Conner did what we have taught him and listened to the adult. When he was in the meeting staring down at the grass, the coach yelled at him, "look at me when I am talking." In the car as Conner was crying hysterically, I told him that we were done. We got home and Marty immediately called the coach, the coach didn't deny Conner had been yelled at. He said that he had done nothing wrong and played by the rules.
Last year, Conner had a great team with great families. We made it all the way to the championship game. This year our team was not a team, they looked the like the Bad News Bears. Everytime the coach played fair, we won. But every time he didn't play fair, we lost. So we lost quite a bit and I say, you reap what you sow. We tried contacting the league president to no avail. Player agent did nothing.
So it was time to stop Conner's suffering and let him quit. We are not quitters in this family and it is hard to take that step. I found out from a friend in the league, the coach came over from another league because "he wanted his boys to play every inning." well they sure did at the cost of other children. Another family on the team has decided to help us pursue this as far as we can go. Our main issue is the bullying that has gone on and especially at the hands of another parent. I think a anti bullying policy needs to happen across the board, for kids and parents. There is much more to this story, but I have given you the main gist of things. Conner is really glad he played this year, he made two new great friends from it. He thinks the entire reason behind the season was to meet these friends. I am proud that he tried hard, worked hard and was encouraging to his fellow players. He is our MVP!
We got to the first practice and all they did was hit and field, which is great. The coach said he wanted them to have fun and become better players this year. We were thrilled to hear that and even know another family on the team. We found out that some players were returning from last season and they had been the number one team in the league. We couldn't have been happier, until the first game. We went to the first game and watched all of the other kids bat. When they got back to the top of the line up, Marty and I just looked at each other in shock. He went over to the dugout and asked the coach, "Did you go through the lineup?" and the coach said, "yes" and Marty asked, "What about Conner?" and he looked at him and tried to play dumb. There were 5 new kids on the team and he batted none of them. At the end of the game, Conner hadn't played a inning and only batted once. Another set of parents came up to us and were angry, they didn't understand being this was their son's first year in baseball.
The Dad approached the coach and actually had a meeting with him on behalf of the new players on the team. The coach was making no effort to transition them into the team fold. Another thing was returning players got the infield positions and the new players got outfield. We told Conner have fun and be the best outfielder you can be. We will work with your catching on the side so you continue to improve. Try hard, show the coach what you can do and do your best. We would go to practice and notice the returning players goofing off. There was also the coach who never came to practice but showed up at the games to yell at our kids. His son was playing catcher and came to maybe five practices total. His dad is a coach at the JR High,so I guess that means they are important and can do that. Conner asked the coach if he could catch in practice during spring break, he instead let his nephew from another team catch instead.
One of the new players quit after three games of not being played. Marty spoke with the coach and the coach basically told us what we wanted to hear, never intending to fix things. We just wanted him to not be a bench warmer and show up, just in case another kid didn't show. Little League has rules that every kid plays and it wasn't happening, not just to Conner but other kids. We called the player agent and he assured us he would come to a game, but never did and never called us again. So basically, the writing was on the wall, tough it out and accept it was just going to be that kind of season. So Conner ended up being able to bat once a game ( unless another player didn't show up) and played two innings. Marty told him, after one night of crying after the game and getting yelled at because the team lost, to not go to player meetings if he didn't play.
One game, he got sent in to warm up a pitcher on the side of the field. We saw one of the catcher's dad follow him out there. After the game, Conner came to us and told us that he called the pitcher over and whispered something to him, the pitcher took the ball and pegged Conner with it. The dad laughed! Of course, we couldn't prove it and it was our word against his word. So we didn't press the issue or do anything about it. Two games ago, Conner yet again, came out crying and telling us he was done. Once again, the dad had followed him out to the warm up area and called the pitcher over twice. Both times the kid pegged Conner. I believe it happened because Conner didn't play yet had two bruises on his leg the next day. Another kid asked him for water and when Conner told him "no" he came back to the dugout to find his catchers gear wet.Now that we can understand because that is normal kid stuff. But a parent bullying, shouldn't happen and is not okay.
We decided that if things were the same the next game, he was quitting. So the other night, when Conner played the first two innings and batted once, we knew it was over. Then when Conner didn't come out after the game, I knew something was up. The "game" coach who we don't know, yelled at him and told him to go to the meeting. Conner did what we have taught him and listened to the adult. When he was in the meeting staring down at the grass, the coach yelled at him, "look at me when I am talking." In the car as Conner was crying hysterically, I told him that we were done. We got home and Marty immediately called the coach, the coach didn't deny Conner had been yelled at. He said that he had done nothing wrong and played by the rules.
Last year, Conner had a great team with great families. We made it all the way to the championship game. This year our team was not a team, they looked the like the Bad News Bears. Everytime the coach played fair, we won. But every time he didn't play fair, we lost. So we lost quite a bit and I say, you reap what you sow. We tried contacting the league president to no avail. Player agent did nothing.
So it was time to stop Conner's suffering and let him quit. We are not quitters in this family and it is hard to take that step. I found out from a friend in the league, the coach came over from another league because "he wanted his boys to play every inning." well they sure did at the cost of other children. Another family on the team has decided to help us pursue this as far as we can go. Our main issue is the bullying that has gone on and especially at the hands of another parent. I think a anti bullying policy needs to happen across the board, for kids and parents. There is much more to this story, but I have given you the main gist of things. Conner is really glad he played this year, he made two new great friends from it. He thinks the entire reason behind the season was to meet these friends. I am proud that he tried hard, worked hard and was encouraging to his fellow players. He is our MVP!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Baseball season is over
WOW, what a difference a year makes. Last year if you remember, we were so glad to see baseball season end. We had a horrible coach and team, we had theiving parents and it was ugly. This year we met the most wonderful families, coaches and Team mom Tammie. The coaches taught Conner so much about the game and encouraged him as a person. The Team mom sent email reminders every practice and game. She made sure there was help and snacks each game. We even had a swim party last week just because. I made friends with a wonderful lady Charlene, who became the unofficial snack mom of the team.
In the beginning of the season our team didn't win a whole lot, but the kids had fun each game. Conner was a magnet for getting hurt this year. He got hit by a pitch or something almost every game. I am so proud of my son though, he also grew as a person this year. He pulled the coach aside two weeks ago and told him to let other kids catch. He told the coach he knew that some younger boys wanted to catch and to give them a chance. He told me he knew what that felt like to be told "no" and he didn't want to be the cause of that.
Last night as we were leaving, I was almost crying again. Last year it was pain and this year it was sadness I won't see some of the people again. It was truly a wonderful experience to take part in. Thank you to everyone who made this season special for our family.
In the beginning of the season our team didn't win a whole lot, but the kids had fun each game. Conner was a magnet for getting hurt this year. He got hit by a pitch or something almost every game. I am so proud of my son though, he also grew as a person this year. He pulled the coach aside two weeks ago and told him to let other kids catch. He told the coach he knew that some younger boys wanted to catch and to give them a chance. He told me he knew what that felt like to be told "no" and he didn't want to be the cause of that.
Last night as we were leaving, I was almost crying again. Last year it was pain and this year it was sadness I won't see some of the people again. It was truly a wonderful experience to take part in. Thank you to everyone who made this season special for our family.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Organized sport's: the ongoing saga
So Conner left a playoff game the other night and we thought that would be the last game. Well, we got a call yesterday saying that there would be another game today at 6:45. So we asked Conner what he wanted to do and he said "I will go play.", So we told him "Go, play, bat but don't expect to play catcher."
Marty and I had dicussed at great length about whether saying something was fruitful or not. You know the momma bear in me wanted to say something, but the quiet half of this family did not want to rock the boat. So I just expressed my thought's, some of which were given to me by a friend and then I stayed silent. I did a lot of praying, including praying to forgive the coach his wrongdoings.
We got there tonight, I let Marty and Conner go over to warm up and stayed behind. I talked with the other catcher's mom who asked, "What happened? did my son say something?" and I told her the story, she was mad! She said she had no problems with them switching off innings, she was fine with that. She also agreed that this is minor's not major's and every kid should get a chance. She did tell me this was the worst team her son had been on so far, he has played every year since t-ball. So with the being the second time I had heard that, I came to the conclusion this really is just a bad team.
Conner played, he sat in a couple of innings, batted and played outfield twice. I cheered on the other kids and led the crowd in doing the same. I felt happy and good doing just that and being a good sport.
Marty told me on the way home that the coach came up to him and asked "How is Conner and his eye?", Conner had been hit in the eye and leg before the game the other day. Marty told the coach" That's not why he left?" and the coach looked puzzled" What do you mean?" and Marty said " You know that little conversation you had with Conner about catching the other day? well he thinks you told him that he wasn't "good enough" to play" so the coach says "That's not what I said or meant, I just meant he needs to work at it over the summer and get ready for next season"....Marty told him" That's not how Conner took it, you couldn't tell? he was almost in tears and when he went up to bat you could tell." and so the coach said " Well, I am sorry, I truly.." Marty stopped him and said " Look, you don't need to apologize to me, you need to apologize to Conner." so the coach did even getting down to his level. Conner forgave him and played well.
It is very obvious, that is what the coach meant. Not only did he basically say so, he basically has shown it by his actions. Obviously, the other mom didn't complain and so it has been the coach's doing. We have to just forgive him, learn the lesson and move on. Next year we will request he not be placed with that coach. Also we plan on working with him until next season and hope for better. He forgave the coach and I think has learned some valuable lesson's about life. I know that I have!
P.S. They won the game tonight and advance to the final championship round on Monday!
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