Front Row - A Baseball Post

I have been watching Jaron play baseball since he was five. It's funny how watching your kids grow older makes you think more about when they were younger. During this Senior Season, when I look at Jaron out on the baseball field sometimes I can see him at 10 years old with surprising clarity. I made several observations during this Final Fall Baseball season, and it occurred to me that many of them don't really have that much to do with baseball. A mom can see a lot of things when she pulls her chair right up to the fence in the front row.  

I should write about all of the pitches that didn't get by him or the runners he caught stealing. I could tell some stories about his hits and stolen bases and diving head first everywhere he goes. I love watching all of those things. I should definitely mention their Atlanta Tournament Championship. Athletic successes make me happy, but my focus has shifted somewhere along the way and the things that stand out to me the most are different than they used to be.

When Jaron and his classmates were eleven, their coach taught them to tip their hat/helmet to show that they understood the sign he had given them. I always liked the way this gesture ensured everyone was on the same page. Several years and coaches later, all three of them still do that...and I still think it's adorable. 

After a rainy game at home, I watched as Jaron headed out to the flag pole in his catcher's gear. He tucked the flag beneath his chest protector until he delivered it back to the shack in his efforts to keep it out of the rain.

I have had multiple moms and grandmas approach me to tell me how much they appreciate how nice the seniors are to the underclassmen this year. I have seen them pat the freshmen on top of their helmets, put eye black on their faces, and encourage them. I can't get enough of that.  

I noticed this season that when Jaron is catching, he always picks up the bat and hands it back to the opposing team's batter when they come back from hitting a foul ball. It may not seem like a big deal, but it impresses me that he wants to be helpful no matter how hard he has been working behind the plate.  

He says thank you to his grandparents for watching him play. 

I should apologize for all of the bragging, but in twelve years of baseball, I have never seen Jaron be disrespectful to a coach or an official. He has never lost his temper, thrown any of his equipment in  frustration, or yelled anything negative at a teammate. He has been open to playing different positions from an early age, earning the "Most Coachable" award when he was younger. This season alone, he played catcher, first, second, and third bases, centerfield and left field. He has played the remaining three positions in the past. He goes with the flow.

We have shared many memories with teammates, family, and friends over the years and I am grateful for them all. It makes my heart happy to watch him and I will be sad when he is finished playing, but my favorite things about Jaron will stay with him and serve him well as he makes his way in this world throughout life. Adaptability. Kindness. Patience. His ability to stay calm and steady and go with the flow. I really love this guy. I am proud to call him my son and I can't wait to see where life takes him. I hope to pull my chair right up to the fence so I can root for him from the front row.