Preston's Calling . . . Coach

I decided to coach Brock's coach pitch baseball team this spring. I didn't coach last year because I thought my travel would interfere. I will never not coach again. I learned how much I enjoy being around kids and how much I really enjoy teaching baseball. Brock without question was the star, and I am speaking as his coach not as his dad. Brock was the most consistent hitter, he was one of two kids who could hit the ball anywhere I pitched it. My favorite moment of the season was when pitching once to Brock I put the ball on the inner half of the plate - Brock pulled his hands in and did what is called inside outing the ball with his swing and put it into right field. It was a line drive over the first baseman's head. Successfully taking an inside pitch and hitting it the "other way" is the hardest thing to accomplish as a batter. We have been working on it at the house but to have him do it in a game was awesome! I have been stopped at the grocery store, the school carnival and church by people calling me COACH. I honestly never thought I would like that title, but having these kids run up to me screaming coach, coach, coach! I got my ears pierced, or look at the Caterpillar I found, or my birthday is tomorrow, or this is my dad, etc. really touched me. My favorite part though was explaining things to the kids like hand placement on the bat, arm angle before a throw, etc. have them listen and repeat what I told them and then see their faces when they hit it, caught it or threw it. And once they had success by listening there was nothing I could tell them that they wouldn't do. It was a blast.

Paige had her last soccer game of the spring Saturday. It comes with some relief - we get our Saturday's back and with some sorrow - it may have been the last soccer game of her career. She is trading in her shin guards and cleats for a tennis racket. I'm not a big soccer fan and don't understand the game that well but it was fun to watch Paige play. She finishes her career with one goal, one assist, three saves (goalie) and three almost goals. It was always a little frustrating for me watching her play because she was always one of the fastest kids on the field but being one of the smallest she was always a little intimidated. Some of the girls talked a lot of trash on the field and Paige didn't appreciate it. She would always say after a game, see that girl, she said this or she said that - she wasn't very nice. I just don't think the whole soccer thing clicked with her. I am excited to have her learn tennis because that will be something I can share with her - we will be able to play against each other and maybe she will even talk a little trash with me :)