How much has your family sacrificed....

for your son to play baseball?

After reading Gitane's thread about "baseball economics", the following thoughts crossed my mind. What sacrifices have you made to allow him to play?

.....all of our vacations are to a ballpark in some exotic city that if you are fortunate, you might spot a palm tree behing the left field fence.
.....the biggest decision to make is to find a place to eat that caters to quick service and short lines.
.....that the hotels allow you to extend your checkout time.
....all of your friends know the difference between "flying out" and flyouts.
....that your best friends always have access to an ice bag.
....that one's commitment to be the company president is no longer a priority.

The Rewards:

My son has an opportunity to play, make new friends, learn life lessons without having to learn them "on the streets".

Finding out that our friends that we made through sharing our sons' joys and sadness is something unique, immeasurable and life lasting.

That the money we have spent would have gone to a new car, a new plasma TV (hmm..i forgot about that) perhaps an X-box to go with the playstation2 instead of the opportunities that afforded us to spend quality time with all of our children for a weekend or longer.

The bottom line for us is this. I really find it difficult to use the word sacrifice when the rewards far exceed the expenses. This has been our experience, but it may have not been yours.

I would like to hear your thoughts on this?

 

I had one more thought of a memory that I will never forget. It happened in Jupiter a couple of years ago.

My son pitched in a game that they lost to take them out of the tournament. It was certainly heartbreaking and magnified even more so because it was my son who pitched that game. Kids tend to get over losses like that much easier than a parent and a "special" parent recognized that and came over to discuss that point with me. What a magnificent gesture and a surprise to me that at a time when some parents treat a game as life or death and try to poison their kid's thoughts with "yeah, he blew the game", this parent took the time to recognize what a parent goes through....realizing it may or has happened to them.....to me..... that's one of the best moments of my life. To know that there are others that truly realize that baseball is a game, to be enjoyed by everyone, was a point reminded that I always carry with me when talking to a coach or parent.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. As parents we all make some "sacrifices" for our children to some degree, but the friendships and bonds that are forged through baseball are indeed special.

 

I just posted my thoughts on the "baseball economics thread". If you can copy it to this thread, you have my permission. I'm not smart enough to do it myself.

 

I sum it up like Jeremiah Johnson did when Bear Claw asked, "Were it worth the trouble?"

"Huh, what trouble?"

 

You guys have the coolest threads. With a daughter that plays tourn. softball I enjoy my "vacations" at the ballfield. Nothing pleases me more than to see her play especially since I've tried to have more fun with it than treating it as life or death. I know your sons have as much fun especially when the tourns. conicide with a girls fastpitch tourn. Boy, do both groups show out with the guys flashing muscles and the girls trying to be tough and prissy at the same time. I can't wait til next summer, I miss it. Later guys keep up the good work in this forum, I use some of the info myself just flip it into fastpitch.

 

Thanks acfan..we're big fans of Softball too. CFBall and dawgfan do a great job in their forum...thanks for participating..oh, and Merry Christmas!!

 

Our family has lived on the road since our son played AAU Nationals as a nine year old. We went to Fort Myers and had a wonderful week. In $$$ and time I coiuld not tell you how much we have spent on the road, but nothing can compare to the experiences we have had and the friends we have made over the years. We have traveled from Florida all the way up to Mnnesota and New York.... and I wouldn't trade anything for it. The greatest has been the past few years and watching many of the boys turn into these great young men. To name a few Ben Buchanan, AJ Mason, Patrick Adams, Chris Taylor, Elliott Arrington and many more that played at MARA and with the Charlotte Lightning, and then with OnDeck with Kyle. There are many more players that we played against such as Alex Sink, Carl Smith-Honeycutt.... players from Western North Carolina to the coast that we played against all season long in Concord, Sanford, Kinston. To watch these young men grow up through baseball and to become the gentlemem and leaders that they are has meant more than words can describe. Now these young men are seniors in high school getting ready to head off to colleges next fall, but first trying to reach that ultimate goal of winning a state championship. As parents we will savor the time spent with our children winning every game with them, and losing those few along the way. It's a special bond [/B] that only parents that have done it know what's it's like, and nothing can take these experiences away. One more note while I am on my bandwagon. Many of you remember James Quinn... he was a great player and even a greater person. His death affected the entire Charlotte Lightning family and to this day you will find the #8 somewhere on my son's hat honoring James. Even though it has been 8 years I know Kyle and others from that Lightning team will always hold a special place for James and what he meant to them. These are the life lessons that baseball has brought to many of us. "i LOVE THIS GAME!!!"

 

Thanks Sugarjet for your insightful and wonderful post