"10 Things I Hope My Baseballer Learned This Season"

1.  Success Is More Than Winning
 If I am better prepared for tomorrow because of what I learned today, even in defeat, I have succeeded.  It is from some of lifes most disappointing moments we learn the most about others; and more importantly ourselves.  Most importantly, we learn that God still walks with us, even carries us, after we fall.  THAT is certainly success.

2.  It Certainly Does Take A Team
 The mistakes of others, and our own mistakes, added together hold back the team.  How we come together, how we lift each other, how we push on through what bogs us down, all these will define who we are.  When each of us does what we are trained to do, this will also define who we are.

3.  Be Forgetful
One bad play HAS to be immediately put behind us.  A call that goes against us immediately HAS to be put behind us.  The home run we hit HAS to be put immediately behind us.  There will be time after the game to reflect on all of our successes and failures;  but that time is not in the middle of the game.

4.  Nobody Is Perfect
We are not perfect.  Teammates are not perfect.  Opponents are not perfect.  Umpires are not perfect.  Parents are not perfect.  The girls playing the softball game on the other field are not perfect.  NO ONE is perfect.  And where there is imperfect people, don't be surprised by mistakes.

5.  Sacrifice Is Necessary   
The players who make what most consider the highlight reel play are the ones who are not afraid to use there body in the process;  a short stop who uses his chest the keep a ball in front of him, an outfielder diving to make a catch, a first basemen running into the fence after a foul ball, a runner sliding into a base, a catcher blocking home plate...  The pain in the moment may be tremendous, but the outcome of the sacrifice will be the difference in the end.

6.  It's Still A Game
The fun of the game;  the rules of the game;  the results of the game;  we're going to play a game.
IT'S STILL A GAME!

7.  Be A Sponge
GOOD advice should be absorbed, listened to and applied.

8.  You Have To Want It
 Our nature is to want to sow a leaf and hide.  Leading by example is wanting to be the one who has to make the play, get the hit, throw the strike that makes the difference every moment.  And even it we fail at a moment, we want the next play to come to us.

9.   Go Crazy
Mostly fun, partly mind game; never rude, crude or obnoxious... GO CRAZY.  
Yell for your teammates... congratulate an opponent who makes a good play;
Kick some dirt around, get dirty... chant, cheer and lift each other up. 

10.  My Dad Is Crazy About Me
That not matter what I do, if I hit the game winning homer, or walk in the winning run, my dad is my biggest fan.  That love is not conditional because of success;  but that HIS love is unconditional because He loves me.