Building A Champion

It’s 1:45 minutes until first pitch. The water jug is on ice, the cooler is full of drinks and snacks, I have two batting lineups ready just in case someone doesn’t show up. There is music lined up, and other than changing my clothes and the girls getting dressed, we are ready to cap the season off tonight.

We finished first in the playoffs. It was a tumultuous road on the path to the final evening of the season. We are the home team in the championship game. Winner takes all. Second, looks across the diamond at the celebrations with that feeling of ‘almost’.

We finished the season in second. The only team we didn’t beat was the opponent waiting to face us tonight. We won games with 7 players, played a few with only 8 fielders, had many call-ups, and we might have only had a full squad once or twice. Even tonight, we will be missing a starting catcher and possibly two, but we showed up big time last week when we faced this team without both these players, and led at the end of every inning except the 7th where a tie match sent us into overtime. 

This team has worked hard to get to this moment. They’ve faced a lot of adversity from injuries, drama from this opponent twice, and a few games were postponed due to rain – pushing us into a rare last week of August matchup.

I have only coached one championship game. My girls do not know what it’s like to win it all. That sense of accomplishment and the celebration of the heart, the blood, bruises and tears you put into each game and practice, resulting in that final and much desired win.

For one of our players, this is his last game. I know they have at least two such players also aging out. It is my hope that all players can find a way to finish tonight, with fond memories of their time within our baseball association – two of which have been here since they were little tykes. It won’t be easy given the animosity that was left on the diamond last Tuesday. I can feel the temperatures rising as I type this. 

Of course I want to win. I’ve played sports all of my life. I have won many championships and as a dad and a coach of these amazing kids, I want them all to know that thrill of throwing their gloves in the air to celebrate that final out and the sweet taste of victory.

I have talked these kids ears off before and after 14 games now. I’ve hammered on about things we need to work on, and done my best to inspire them and help them see the talent I watch each week. I’ve told them the good things kids and parents from all over our league say about our squad. They have kept their cool when our games were unraveling so bad, that it would have been hard to get mad had our players finally blown their tops. 

My speech tonight will be short. I promise. They’ve seen this team. They know what to do. We’ve practiced and prepared as much as we could and the result of our efforts is that we get to play to hoist that championship trophy high. 

They deserve it. They have the talent. They just have to believe in themselves and the ability of their teammates. Support them, and they will be clutch for you.

This is it. I’ll be on the diamond in less than an hour to set up, and take a deep breath, as I do my best to lead these amazing kids into battle. 

Win or lose, what an absolute privilege to have been able to coach this squad this year.

Let’s go A’s!

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