So many of us forget...

My friend Heather posted this video from YouTube on her Facebook account, and I had to share it. It makes me happy and makes me cry EVERY time I watch it. I'm too dumb to get the video to post on my blog from YouTube, but trust me, it's worth your time. Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZtU676jA_k


Anyone, and I mean ANYONE that knows me, knows that I love sports. There is nothing I love more in this world than watching my kids (or anybody else) play ball. I love a good ball game. Usually baseball and football.

But, the thing that I HATE about sports is that we easily forget what they can really mean. We always hear about someone signing a huge contract, or being recruited by the best college teams. The focus always on "getting" something. We forget so quickly what sports really can mean to someone.

99.9% of kids that play ball (in any sport) will never play professional ball. That's just a fact. A few are lucky enough to play in college. And some will even play on their local high school teams. But how many can say that they play because they truly love the game they play?

This kid, by most peoples definition, would never be successful at his sport. Even his parents and coach will admit that. But seeing pictures of him at those basketball games he really, really loves basketball. He was given the opportunity to play in that game because HE EARNED IT! He was dedicated and devoted. He earned his chance.

I remember when Katie played in her first season of baseball. She played with the boys. Our friend Dan was her coach. Heather was her biggest cheerleader. Katie learned a lot that season. But the biggest thing she learned is that she loved to play. Katie became a "special" project for that team. The goal of those coaches, (and her special cheerleader) was to get that kid a true hit, and get her on base. The team also because supportive. So many boys just wouldn't care, but this team did. When she would go up to bat you would see every member of her team crossing their fingers, their arms, their legs, their eyes, and anything else they could for luck. One of her coaches ever promised her that if she got a hit, he would wear a pink belt to their next game.

The rest of this story, I'm sad to say I didn't personally witness. I was running somebody to practice. But Katie got up to bat, against the best team in the division. And she got her hit. She got a HOMERUN!!! Her entire team ran out to home plate cheering. And coach Dan ran over and picked her up and swung her around. I think her special cheerleader might have cried. And her coach wore a pink belt, just like Katie did for every game she had.

A year later, Katie was playing in an older division. She was the only girl on the team (again). She didn't have coaches that were as dedicated, but she did have an umpire that would promise that he would buy her a corndog if she hit the ball. He would tell her: "You show these boys real girl-power! You show them what a girl can do!" Almost every time Umpire Colby said this to her, she would hit the ball. And everytime she did, he would buy her a corndog (even is she hit a foul ball).

Since then, Katie has fallen in love with softball. She sets goals, and does her best. She truly loves playing her sport. I love that about Katie.

Am I perfect at remembering what sports are really about. Absolutley not! I keep score, and follow stats, I have even been known to yell at umpires and a few coaches. How many of us really remember that sports are about having fun and spending time doing something you love? How many times do you see dedication like this kid has? How many times do you see an entire gym cheering and going crazy because something truly special has happened?

The kid in this video is special. But he's not special because of his disability. I think he's special because of his ability. His amazing ability (that so many of us forget) to find something that we are truly passionate about. Finding something we love.

My goal this season is to try and remember what sports can really be. Helping kids learn and grow and love the sport they play.