Three Games in One Day; Gotta Love 10u Baseball

What a day!!

The boys played well in the first two games today. But they played their best game of the season in the third game!

Our third game was an elimination game which if we won would allow us to advance to Sunday's play. This was our first time to make it to Sunday.

Great pitching, amazing defense and timely hitting were all keys to the win. The competition in 10u baseball has been very impressive this season. It is encouraging to see the skill level that these kids are able to achieve.

One area that was quite a bit behind the skills development of the 10 year old's was the umpiring. Most people would describe me as being laid back in my approach to coaching (and life in general). Rather than arguing calls, I like to overcome bad calls. 

Ever since I got married 14 years ago, I have kind of adopted a non-confrontational approach to "stuff". Umpires are human and they make mistakes. So my usual approach is to let a bad call go and battle through the adversity.

But this afternoon was different for some reason.  I lost it. For the first time in my baseball life, I got ejected from the game.

When umpires punish the kids by "tightening the strike zone" just because a coach asks for an explanation to a call then you know you have ill-qualified, arrogant umpiring. 

On the drive back from the park (1hr 15min.) I had plenty of time to ponder my actions. A couple questions that I had to answer...Am I becoming a "cry baby" coach?... Have I put my interests in front of my teams?...Even if they were (a series of) bad calls, did I damage my influence as a mentor by arguing with the umpire?

I came to the conclusion that it is o.k. to get fired up at injustice. Now the word "injustice" is probably too strong for a 10u baseball game. But the idea that someone mistreating my boys really got me riled up. And I don't think that is wrong at all.

But the bigger question, from tody, is why don't I get as fired for real life injustice that is much more important than a 10u ball game? Investment. I have more invested in my kids on the ball field than I do in other "real life" situations. 

Today taught me that it is ok to be angry at injustice. However, the biggest realization is that there are injustices everyday in other people's lives that I need to be more aware of and more invested in. 

My investment in others lives (situations) is the only way that I will get passionate about standing up and defending people that need defending the most.

A scripture keeps coming to mind...Jam 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. 

Here is a second thing I will have to battle through tomorrow...1 Corinthians 13 describes love as:... "It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

Quite honestly, the "keeping no records of wrong" will be a bit of a challenge tomorrow. But I think I can do it.

Go YANKEES!!