Baseball Season, finally ending?

Fairbanks Baseball has gone on and on and on this summer. My outfielder is on his way with two other players and his Dad/Coach to Anchorage for a final weekend of baseball. He's thrilled and excited and can't wait.

I can't even count how many times he has ventured off to Anchorage (400+ miles and 5+hours) for a sport. Mostly hockey until now. This year with high school hockey and baseball, and comp hockey and then Legion baseball, he will be traveling A LOT! He even gets a Seattle trip to Seattle over Christmas break. That one, along with most others, he will be going solo.

I don't feel like he is growing up too fast. I don't feel like one of those mom's that say, "I can't believe . . ." He is ready. He's at that point in his life. He enjoys his parents and family and enjoys telling us about his life. He can't do that if we are up his a** all of the time.

That said, I did something last night I DID NOT want to do. I sat in on part of his comp hockey practice. I stayed to the side and out of the way, not in the bleachers with the mounds of other parents who just can't let go. I stayed in the car most of the time, reading and totally enjoying myself, but then I had to pee.

I was happy to see my son is no longer the smallest kid around . . . and happy to see his "killer" instinct pop out going after the puck, not just other kids. I got to see how the practice was being conducted and see that it involved much hollering, push-ups, and white-boards. New coaches are always interesting to observe. He has a coach back that he had three years ago. Three years ago I'm pretty sure Jason was nothing but an extra body to him with with a bunch of sarcastic remarks and injuries.

I am hoping this year is different. He has such passion for the game. He loves and hates everything about it, but I think his soul would shrivel up if he didn't have it. It is different with baseball. Playing the field is easy. Its like breathing. So is running bases. Hitting is, well, hit-or-miss. But hockey, its what drives him to take that breath. That is probably much to intense for an 14 year old to feel, but I think that is really the only way to describe it.

So, in one weekend, it is so long baseball season and hello hockey.

Oh yeah, and high school is going well. ;o)