Our Baseball Season

"He's just an all-around good ball player," one of Destry's past coaches said to me after one of his ballgames this season.
I've been thinking about this statement, and as much as I (as his mother!) should probably just agree with it, the truth is, I don't think it's an accurate statement. Some people truly are just natural baseball players. They play effortlessly--as if they had a magnet in their glove and the ball were made of steel. Without even trying, they stick their glove off to the side when a hard-hit grounder bounces across the field and they just scoop the ball up as naturally as I breath.

But that's not my son.

He played several positions this year--pitcher, left field, catcher and shortstop. And he played each of these positions well. But here's my perception: his coaches like him because he works hard and he respectfully listens to them.
When he pitches, you don't have to worry about a 'walkfest' because he concentrates on putting the ball in the strike zone. It doesn't matter if he's tired or hot, he digs down deep to throw the ball where it needs to be. When the coach tells him where to throw the ball, he places it exactly where he's told. He doesn't question the coach's judgment, he doesn't get all cocky and think he knows best, he respects the coach and follows his direction. When the count is 0-2, for example, and the coach says throw it at eye level because the batter will be protecting the plate, he'll swing, and he's likely to miss. . .well, that's what Destry does. He doesn't complain about wearing the catcher's gear when it's hot and he's already caught several innings. He strives to catch every ball, and loves to get runners out as they attempt to steal a base.

Mike, his coach this year, thanked him for playing as we were leaving our last game Friday evening. "I appreciate the way you have hustled all season," he said. "It didn't matter if we were winning or losing, or if it was the first inning or the last, you always hustle and I like to see that."Destry took a hard hit from a wild pitch while batting last year, and his batting really suffered as a result. He worked hard and overcame the fear of the ball this year and had some good hits, including doubles and triples.

Courage. Respect. Perseverance. Hard work. Enthusiasm. Diligence.

I've had seasons with Destry when I despaired of him developing the character traits I so desperately wanted him to have. He's a lot like me, so of course I see the character flaws in him that I don't like about myself and we tend to butt heads. But through this ball season, I have seen some good character traits that encourage me and give me hope for the young man God is shaping him to be. I'm glad he decided to play.