Batter Up - Part I

Claire and Chloe really love their gymnastics, but I really wanted them to try out some other things before they drift toward a single activity.  We are giving soccer another shot this fall, but I saw there was a summer baseball league through the Y that both girls could play for.  Claire's 6-7 year old age group is called "Super Tee Ball" where the kids get three strikes at the plate from their coach's pitch and then they get to hit off a tee.  My kids have never touched a baseball or a bat, but they were excited about all the accessories that come with playing baseball.  After a trip to the store, we were heading home with balls, a bat, a tee, shoes, pants and gloves.

We did manage a few short sessions in the yard practicing with our new gear before the drama set in.  A few times even attracted several other neighborhood friends - and we had a good game of Under 7 baseball going for a bit.

Game day arrived after a couple practices, and Claire was nervous the entire week leading up to that Saturday.  Her biggest fear was the three strikes and being left to hit off the tee.  Hindsight now says that the fear for every kid on the team should have been fielding ground balls.  I'm just sayin'.

Claire's team, the black and yellow Pirates, took the outfield first at the start of the game.  Kid after kid on the other team blew through their three strikes and had to move to the tee.  Hopefully that relaxed Claire some.  Most of the hits went right through the holes in their gloves, and one kid even tried to tag out a runner kickball style - throwing the baseball at the runner.  Mental note: need to have a discussion on that one later.

Playing Third Base

Daddy, "Coach"

Finally the inning changed, and Claire was second up to bat.  Strike 1..2..3 and the tee was out.  She whacked it off the tee right up the first base line where a kid picked it up and stomped on first base.  She was out, but didn't look too crushed.  A pleasant change from some of the tears in our neighborhood games.

In the 2nd inning, Claire again hit it off the tee but this time dashed to first base in plenty of time.  She was pretty pumped to advance bases and score a run for her team.

Running hard to 3rd

Safe!

The high light came during the third and final inning when she came up to bat.  As I was getting the video camera in place the pitch came in and she drilled in towards 2nd base.  Away she went to first base with a huge grin on her face.




She scored a run a few batters later and the game ended.

Ten minutes after we arrived home and she changed clothes, she had her bat, balls and tee set up in the back yard - ready for some more practice.  I think she's hooked.