Baseball Season 2012

Life may be busy with house building but we still decided to put the kids in sports for the summer anyway.  The oldest 3 play baseball and really love it.  RJ is still in the Rally Cap program, which is an introductory program teaching the kids the basics of hitting, catching, throwing, running the bases, etc.  RJ has been in the program for 2 years already and this is her last year before she moves up a level.  She is the only girl in her age bracket so she is a little disappointed with that.  But, in typical RJ fashion, being with only boys on her team, she is pushed to hit harder and throw farther, showing the boys she can keep up with them.  It is what she does with her brothers all the time!

The boys are in one level up from Rally Cap, called the Rookies.  They are both on the same team, at our request, so we wouldn't have to drive around to too many different places since all 3 kids play baseball on the same night.  This is AJ's first year at this level and Pepe's second year.  Being one of the oldest on his team and the biggest in size, Payton is showing leadership and excelling at the game.  He is an excellent batter and can catch and throw with accuracy.  He enjoys playing various positions on the field but seems to like batcatcher the best!  Though most other kids struggle with keeping that equipment on (it is a little large in size for most of the kids, Adlai especially), it fits Payton perfectly!  He seldom lets a ball get past him and can return them to the pitcher with ease!  I love watching him play with excitement and passion out there. 

Since this is Adlai's first year at this level, this is his first year playing a game setting so he is still getting used to the basics, like running after he hits the ball.  At the Rally Cap level, he had a hitting station so he never ran after he hit the ball.  Now in Rookies, he actually has to run!  He is getting used to it and will do just fine.  He also has to get used to hitting from pitches instead of just from the tee.  But it is fun to watch him enjoying himself rather than playing begrudgingly, as he did with soccer.  He is not an athlete like his brother but being the youngest on the team, he will be pushed to rise to a higher level, which is good for him. 

I love to see our kids involved in some sort of sport and to play with a team, meeting new people, listening to other adults, and learning a new skill.  We don't have them in activities all year round since it would make us far too busy.  But, for now, the soccer and baseball season is just 2 months long and is very affordable, so this is the route we have taken for our kids.   This year RJ is playing both baseball and soccer, each only 1 day a week.  AJ and Pepe are only playing baseball which is twice a week.  Though we have had the boys in soccer in the past, AJ really did NOT like it so he is not continuing.  Pepe would enjoy soccer but it has conflicted with baseball in the past and with his sport-induced asthma, running for soccer caused a lot of coughing attacks.  Baseball is better for him physically and, though he complains about not being able to do both, once the season has started, he enjoys baseball thoroughly and doesn't miss soccer at all.  I am one of those noisy moms that yells out encouragements to the kids and insists on being at every game possible.  I want them to know I support them and am there for them every step along the way! 

Did you play sports as a kid?  How was that experience for you?  Maybe someday I will share about the one and only year I played basketball as a grade 8 girl!  Memorable, for sure!  :)

PS:  1 WEEK!!!!!