A few mornings ago, I was walking the track at a nearby recreational facility here in Virginia Beach. The track is roughly 7/10 of a mile long and I managed to walk the circumference 3 times, as I am building up my mileage this year. After the first lap, I spotted two baseball players, perhaps a father and son, in the ballfields with gloves, about to play catch. I smiled as I walked passed them, thinking of my own sons and the games of catch we used to have. After completing another lap, I decided to take a snapshot of their game of catch, perhaps their first catch of the baseball season. Perhaps, their first catch of their baseball lifetimes.
For the adult, the parent, the guardian, the grandparent, the first catch of the baseball season takes on a whole other level of meaning. So, what goes through your mind as you have that first catch of the baseball season? What emotions are conjured up as you toss the ball to your catching buddy, aka your child or grandchild? What memories suddenly pop into your head as you snag the baseball out of the air? How hard or soft do you toss the baseball back? How far away should you stand? Do you critique or just play catch? I mean you don’t want to encourage bad habits from the first catch of the year, but maybe you can give it a few more sessions before the official throwing breakdown assessment. How many throws is sufficient for that first catch of the season – 10, 50, 100? Should I teach a curve ball this time or wait until April for that?
For the kid, it is much more simple. Winter is just about in the rear view mirror. Sunny skies, warm temperatures, Little League practice and games and tournaments are just weeks away, and you can almost taste the sweet smell of Spring baseball. You got your new cleats laced up. You got your glove out of the garage, dusted it off, found a baseball or two in the yard that look halfway decent, and you got time on a Sunday morning before re-writing that book report on “Gulliver’s Travels.” You catch the ball, you hurl it back, you catch the ball, you hurl it back. Your arm feels good, the positive baseball vibes are flowing, you might even throw that curveball you looked up on YouTube over the Winter.
The first catch of the baseball season (outside of a baseball facility) is memorable for both the adult and the child. For the adult, it is a deeper meaning exercise filled with memories of years passed and the hope for a positive baseball future for your child. For the kid, it is time to ramp up the arm, the legs, the baseball motions and emotions, and get ready for an exciting Spring and possible Summer of baseball on a baseball diamond. For the adult, don’t overthink it. For the kid, don’t overthrow it. For me, it will always be a special moment in time – the unofficial start of my child’s baseball journey that season.
Don’t miss an opportunity – head out soon for that first baseball catch of the season.
Discover more from The Baseball Storyteller
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
