What is your routine at games?

What do you do on game days?

What time do you get to the ballpark, do you talk to your son at the field, do you sit with other parents, do you have a favorite spot to watch from, how mad or nervous do you get, do you hang around after games, do you get jealous, do you keep stats, how do you sulk or celebrate, etc etc etc.

Be honest now!!!!!

 

Two different perspectives: As a parents watching a game that my son pitches or watching the game when he is not.

- When he pitches, I don't talk to him. In fact, he doesn't want anybody talking to him. He is totally focused on the game and what he is trying to do..and that emotion is all day, not just game time.

Parents of pitchers know exactly what another parent goes through. It's a fraternity that is shared only by those parents. They are emotionally involved in every pitch and every play. Each parent conducts themselves differently, but they all share the same stomach churning moments. And to be honest, they don't want others to come up asking them about the weather, the stock market or any other inappropriate questions. You can ask them something when your team is hitting, but leave them alone when the son is pitching. That's the truth and if anyone disputes that, they are lying.

- When he is not pitching, I'm walking around talking to everybody, including their dogs.

 

Walkin' the path

At my son's old high school the baseball field is tucked in a corner of the school property. Up hill, behind home plate and the stands are two picnic tables that are unofficially reserved for "dads". We did have some moms move in in the past few years... I guess it was some of that Title IV crap...
Anyway, there is an opening in the fence behind all that with a path used for cross country. It is on land owned by the county but is not considered part of the school grounds. With the "no smoking" rules on school campuses, it came in right handy when my son pitched. Over four years of baseball I don't know how many miles I put in on that path... I probably should have gotten a "letter" in cross country!

 

Levi Garrett and a Lawn Chair

Fellas!

Whatever he bought to the park that day is what he's gonna use.

I'll be (way) down the RF or LF line in my $40 lawn chair with a nice chaw.

No amount of last minute coaching will do any good anyway. Actually can have a negative consequence.

I guess I understand the pacing and the like but mine does better "on his own."

We use Monday's for correcting mistakes and giving lessons.

 

See me when Logan is pitching for Providence against AK for the Conference Championship. I'll note if you are still in LF sitting in your chair

 

Finger nails and sunflower seeds

2-4 hours before arriving at park a complete manicure(knawed off), upon arriving at field i usually switch to sunflower seeds. Once game starts i sit behind home plate by myself and do very little talking to anyone, except the man they call "blue".

 

I'm much like Braves. Normally I'm very social. I enjoy seeing the other parents. I enjoy pulling for every kid because we all came ghrough youth ball together. All of our boys playing HS ball together is like a dream that came true. I seemed so long ago but it's not.

As to my son, I don't say much anymore and even less if he is pitching. I'll ask a couple of simple questions on the way to school. How do you feel? Are you excited? Maybe a little encouragement when he facing a good hitter or two that we know. Tell him to stay positive, dig deep and fight. After school but before games we do not talk. Once they enter the gates parents are not to approach kids. I like this rule. If I catch him after school I'll maybe give a drink and a sandwich (he's usually hungry) and I move on.

When he pitches, everything changes except the letter. I never approach him. I watch games by myself. I go visit with others between innings only. I usually stand out near right field and pace a little.

Something I do frequently is write him a short note and put in in his bat bag. I'll tell him how much I love him or how proud I am of him, tell him to go have fun and to compete to the very end. Tell him a joke. Play each game as it's your last. I wasn't sure he cared until I found all the letters in a wooden box in his room.

One thing I preach to him is, every time you take the field somebody is seeing you play the game for the first time and somebody is seeing you play for the last time. What impression will you make?

 

routine

Get to the field about 1/2 way thru the JV game. Gives me a chance to ask 2 questions..."how's the arm" and "how was batting practice"? Sit in the bleachers right behind homeplate and talk very little. Just before game time I have to give him a pack of seeds(BBQ...Lance of course), tape his wrists and make sure the Gatorade is there. Thinking about moving down the line somewhere this year though so I don't have to be involved in any conversations. I have a hard time sitting still when he is up to bat. Mom usually gets there right at game time.

 

I learn something new every day. I like the notes in the bat bag and I like the last 2 sentences in your post.