I was very nervous about signing Colin up for a team sport and I had really decided against trying it this year. It takes Colin a while to warm up to new people and places and I had a hard time imagining him joining a group of kids and listening to coaches all of whom he does not know in order to learn something that he has never tried in a place that he has never been. That is quite a lethal combo for Colin! I figured that we would try it next summer and give him another year to work on his anxiety. Then over dinner one night in February, my friend Tanya told us that she had signed up to coach a blastball team and she would put the team together herself. This meant that all 7 players on the team are Colin's best friends. AND the 3 coaches are all our adult friends who Colin adores. It was the perfect situation...Colin gets introduced to team sports with the people he loves. I am still beside myself with gratitude for Tanya! :-)
Even with the "ideal situation", I had no way of knowing if Colin would like blastball, so I was a bit nervous as we pulled up to our first practice. Colin absolutely blew me away!! We practice at an elementary school field that has a playground attached. When Coach Dave (who is Hayden's grandpa) called the boys to start practice, they all came running with no problem. They got in a long line and did jumping jacks and then did sprints back and forth. It was ADORABLE. I literally thought that I might melt from it. The boys were instructed to make a lap around the park and Colin ended up holding hands with his buddy Jack. Oh my lord, it was sweet. Then they started learning the game and Colin was 100% into it! I could not believe it! His focus was right on and he listened to everything Dave and Nate told him. Coach Nate is Hayden's dad and Colin loves him, so that helps! He had no problem with wearing the helmet in order to bat and he was actually really good at it! He hit the ball on the first try each time he came to bat. He never got upset or frustrated, didn't cry and had a smile from ear to ear the whole time. He LOVED it! The boys were all so precious and seeing them playing a sport together as a team made my heart so full. I love these kids like they are my own family and there were times when I wanted to run out and just wrap them all up in a hug. I refrained, I swear. ;-) This experience made Colin seem so much older to me and it gave me a window into our future...I will miss the "baby days", but I am so excited to experience the rest of Colin's childhood with him!
Here are some of the super cute pictures that I got of the shenanigans!
Colin made it to the base! Look at how excited he is!!
Coach Nate showing the boys how to catch.
He hits the ball!
I love this one...he is SO happy and Dave is so incredibly sweet!
LOVE THIS! Getting "blastball ready" with Coach.
3 comments:
I am SOOOO glad that you are back to blogging, and I am even more excited that Colin loves Blastball. It's going to be such a fun season, and I can't wait for our first game. If the practice made you cry, just wait til the kickoff parade when they line up all of the teams around the big field and they play the national anthem. It was a moment that I will always remember, and I can't wait for this year :-). Go LONGHORNS!
Chalna - I too am SO impressed with the boys. It's going to be the best season and I'm so thrilled that Colin is enjoying himself :) GO LONGHORNS!
Aw, so cute ^-^
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