Chalk up another reason why everyone — and I mean everyone — needs to coach a youth sports team or some related youth group endeavor (e.g. scouting, drama, whatever). Coaching a youth team brings countless priceless moments that you can’t script and that bring you back time and time again to what really matters in life.
This weekend’s example came in the context of our team (the Twins) suffering through a lambasting by the White Sox. After each inning on defense we group up the kids and get them in for a 1–2–3 cheer to get them amped up for our turn at the plate. Well, after the 3rd inning we were down 12–0. (Yes, you’re actually wondering how I am keeping my job as the head coach but that’s a separate topic.)
So during the lead up to our cheer I said to the players how lonely I was coaching 3rd base since none of our players had made it over there yet while we were batting. You know, a little light humor in the context of getting our butts kicked around. Later that evening, after the game had ended I was at home with my daughter who is on the team and she mentions how she and one of the other players were concerned that I was really lonely coaching 3rd base. She said they thought I was really serious. Then she says the other player looked over in my direction just as I was bending over in a light stretch.
Then my daughter says to me: “We saw you doing yoga and then we said that you were probably ok.”
Priceless.
Originally published on Medium on April 18, 2009. This Substack version is maintained as the canonical archive.