This may bore you, but I think it's a cool story. Plus I'm a proud dad and am bragging a bit, hope ya don't mind.
My kids have always been playing sports. They've been on bad teams, good teams and average teams.
This year, as you know for little league they do a draft. My kid was bummed out cuz he only had one player on his team from last year. Then, after two practices, he told me, "dad, were terrible". He said they could barely hit, couldn't catch, couldn't throw, he was bummed. I could tell he was so bummed that he wanted to quit, and he's not a quiter. I told him to stick it out, he committed, and had to stay on the team. Well, their coach was new, from Minnesota. He kept at them, taught them how to play the game well, was aggressive, and very patient. The season started and they won their first few games. We had a kid on the team who had never had a hit in two years of little league, he had 3 in one game once this year and had many hits over the season. The coach loved the game and love winning. Half way through the season they were undefeated, then everyone started gunning for them. Soon they just thought they were gonna win. Then they got behind pretty good in a couple games in a row and came back and won.. They would cheer each other on, they were the ultimate team mates, and listened to their coach. They were not the most talented team though. Well they ended up finally losing a game, but then won the last one. They ended up 17 and 1. Pretty darn good. It was totally cool to watch, especially how they were good buddies and the love of winning the game. Some of their not so good players got timely hits. One time they were behind, and a kid who had a batting average under 150 got up to bat in the last inning (6th) with 2 on and bopped a home run. Should of seen his smile. The winning hit. I said to my kid, not very good huh?
This is the bragging part. They were 17 wins, 1 loss, my kid had the highest batting average in the league, over 770, not a walker, a hitter. He was a pretty good pitcher too. Just being a proud pappa here, but I think it is cool. Now they've been invited to a big tournament.
Second part of the story is my daughter plays soccer, she's in 2nd grade. Somehow she got put on a 12 and under team, she's 8. So she was the only second grader on a team of 5th and 6th graders. She was scared and wanted to quit. We called the head of the league and he told us he put her on that team because there wasn't any more room on the younger league teams and he thought she could handle it. Jennifer and I told her to stick with it. She could quit if she really wanted to, but that she would learn a lot and be much better for playing against and with the older girls. Well, she was apprehensive at first, but really got into it, got aggressive (wierd for her) and is having a blast. She's never cared about winning. Now her team is 8 and 1, with one game left. She is not the same, she wants to win now and is always wanting to practice. She even got a goal in the last game.
Oh yeah, Jeff D's daughter is on the team too. You should see how much she has improved too.
I just think it's cool to see them in a great learning experience, having fun, sticking with it, enjoying it, having good coaches who actually want to win. Just seems like a good story to me that will stick with them for a long time. And sometimes watching your kids will inspire you too. Plus as I said, being a proud pappa now too.
_________________________
Have pole, will fish.