No More Baseball Games by Sharon O’Donnell
Since 2006, one of three boys has played middle or high school basketball and/or baseball — not to mention recreation teams in city leagues. Throughout those years, my husband and I definitely saw the good, the bad, and yes, sometimes unfortunately, the ugly. The sports took a huge time commitment from our sons and also from us. Alas, those years are now officially over. I’m both disappointed and relieved.
My youngest played on the high school JV baseball team last year, even though he sat on the bench a lot. It was a stressful season followed by a summer baseball season that was also stressful, so this year I actually suggested to my son that he not try out this year and instead enjoy more free time and more time to study. However, my son decided he wanted to try out anyway — but he didn’t make the team. I still feel that my son could have contributed to the team as well as some of the others that were chosen, and I hate that feeling a parent has when your child is being treated unfairly. But I have to admit that a big part of me was relieved that we wouldn’t have to endure that again this year. My son was initially disappointed, but even he has quickly seen the upside to not being on the team compared to the hectic schedule of being on one. Since this has happened though, he has said he is totally done with baseball — he doesn’t even want to play rec ball this season.
And suddenly when he said that, I realized I would never see a son of mine play baseball again. Those sunny days spent in a folding chair with sunscreen and a water bottle, cheering for my sons, were over. It’s a sad feeling I can’t shake. I wish there were some kind of transition period or something — not just a blunt, brutal ending. It was sad when each of my sons stopped playing in competitive baseball, but this last one means so much more. That part of my life is done. Complete. Finished. It’s like I’m stepping into a new role in my life. My youngest is now registering for high school classes for his junior year, and I swear he was in elementary school just yesterday.
So forgive me if I get a lump in my throat when I happen to drive by a field where a game of Tee Ball is going on. How I envy those moms.
