Returning to coaching: A journey back to baseball

I was driving alongside Neville Island, on the Kennedy side of the river, when the “Flagger Ahead” sign appeared.

The day before I’d sat for 10 minutes at another spot, waiting for permission to pass, so I decided to yank a right and go up past the Sto-Rox Elementary schools.

As I went, I glanced over at the Sto-Ken-Rox ballfields, where I’d played as a kid and coached a bit years ago, and I thought, “We had some good times up here, built some great relationships… it’d be cool to get back up here.”

There was a problem. My youngest son, Sam, is married off and 22 years old now. Hanging out at the Little League field when you have no kids or grandkids there seems a bit odd. Maybe creepy even.

What to do?

As I drove up Ewing, I prayed.

“Lord, if there’s a way to get me back up to the field without me looking like the weirdo who just likes to watch kids play, that’d be great.”

The next Sunday, my friend Jai showed up for church, a fairly rare occurrence, as I believe he most often worships someplace else and we hadn’t seen him in several months.

After service, Jai hung around to talk.

After catching up a bit, he said, “Pastor, I’m coaching 11- and 12-year-olds up at the field, and we need another coach. Do you know anyone who knows some baseball and would be willing to help?”

Lord, that was quick.

I last coached 11 years ago. That was the 11- and 12-year-olds. After a rough start, we finished strong and won the championship, then fielded a strong All-Star team for the tournaments.

Of course, I offered my services. What else could I do? One prays and asks, God responds so clearly, and the opportunity arrives, you jump, gratefully at the chance.

It’s been fun so far.

Different. The team has only nine players, so it’s tight. 

I’m shaking off rust, and more limited by mobility issues that will see my knees replaced before the year’s out, and learning to relate to this new crew and its ways is trying sometimes.

Some of the kids are athletic, others not so much.

Some have never played organized ball before.

One has only dabbled a bit in video game baseball.

But we’re making progress and have had some good outings.

One kid, Jason, who’d never played before, went 3 for 4 in his first ever game. He hit a towering home run to center field in his first ever at bat.

I told him he’ll be telling his grandkids about that.

In a city where the local MLB team is squandering one of the best young pitching rotations to the point the young pitchers can’t wait to leave for truly greener grass, it’s no wonder there aren’t kids lining up to try out for baseball.

But, hey, if the sad sack Pirates can get the Yankees to come play them, maybe we can ask ‘em to come play us. 

Our pitching isn’t as good as the Pirates… but we’d get more hits.