4 Eyeopening Lessons Parents Can Learn From 1 Hour Of T-Ball Practice

The spring months are here and although we are dealing with snow this week, spring and summer sports have begun! Our son Hank has started his first ever t-ball season and we couldn’t be more excited for it!
This past weekend was Hank’s first practice, ever, and it was not only a great experience for Hank but for me as well. I forgot how much fun baseball is and how exciting it is to join a team and meet new friends.This past weekend was more than a lesson in bats, balls, helmets and bases. There were a few other takeaways that I left with after just one hour of practice.

A new respect for coaches….good coaches at any level are important. But for a team of kids who are between 4 and 6 years old, a good and PATIENT coach who knows the game and how to explain the basic rules, is incredibly valuable. The ability to get the new ballplayers to pay attention and learn is not easy to do and having the right coach makes the experience that much better.

Little moments have big rewards...many kids are introduced to baseball for the first time at t-ball practice. A kid may hit or throw a baseball for the very first time and seeing the smile and excitement on their face will make you realize how special even the smallest of accomplishments can have a great reward! Just being outside and getting fresh air and laughing with others is something we may take for granted the older we get.

Learning never ends...I played some baseball when I was a kid. I even enjoy watching games to this day. But I actually learned a few new things in that hour of t-ball practice and brushed up on some of the other things I had forgotten. You are never too old to learn and it is never too late to refresh your memory on things.

F U N...before we , er the kids, started the practice, Coach Mike has a few comments and informed us what we would be doing and among them was the most important and “last but not least” thing that the kids would and should be doing is having fun! As adults, it is easy to get caught up in the mundane things that we must do. But that doesn’t mean we can’t look for the FUN in things that we do.
I guess it may be because I am getting older and I am around my kids nearly 100% of the time, but I have a new outlook on life and new appreciation for the things I have been overlooking for the last 30 years. Work, money, stress, it will all work itself out in one way or another. But one thing that we can’t get back or replace or manufacture, is time. Time has gone by and many of us have left or missed great opportunities. Life is about making the most out of any experience no matter how dull. T-Ball practice may sound like an annoyance or drag to many parents but it may be an entirely different experience if you seek to learn something besides the rules of the game.