Innocence

 

Today was youth sports day near Matamoras, PA. It was two championship softball games, with kids as young as third grade participating. 

Nobody told me what to say. OK, maybe explaining what the outcue on the broadcast was but, beyond that, it was nice and simple.

If there were complaints, I didn't hear them.

Instead, there was a lot of smiling.

And, yet, as always, it was called professionally. I'm all about making these athletes feel like they're "big time."

A post-game interview with one of the players featured an upbeat young girl, simply happy to have participated in the game and to be on the radio.

And she was on the team that didn't win.

There were no losers today. No, everybody shouldn't get a trophy but, for those girls, there were no losers. Sure, two teams won championships but I viewed everyone as a winner because I want them to keep playing and keep growing softball. I want to encourage them. They'll figure out the winning and losing stuff, and something tells me they already have.

It was a long day, no question, but I felt such joy calling these games with my friend Kevin Halpenny.

See, it's not about prestige. Oh, sure, I want every call I can get my hands on (and let's not talk about Connecticut today, shall we*) but these games mattered as much to me as any.

* I've heard things. That is all.

I watched kids dance to walkup music that wasn't being used for their team.

I watched a player roll her eyes each time she swung and missed, expecting more from herself. I get it.

I watched coaches teach and mentor and do all of the good things that coaches do.

I watched winning players and those who didn't win all brush it off with, generally, the same goal: post-game ice cream.

Adults can learn a lot from these players.

Don't get me wrong. I love every level of sports that I call. I love the passionate, fiery player. I love how serious it gets. I love all of it and eat it all up.

But, sometimes, I need a recharge. 

And, as broadcasts go, it went really well. The games were played at Delaware Valley High School and, at first, I worried about weather and sunscreen, telling myself that a Walmart was literally next door. However, my initial concerns weren't necessary because I found sunscreen.

But, beyond that, Kevin and I discovered that we would actually have a booth. 

A booth!

Yes, the new field at Delaware Valley has a small booth attached to the third base dugout. No sun issues! We had power! We had everything!

Oh, and silly me, I thought these were to be Robcasting broadcasts but, instead, we were on the radio. Lite 106.9 carried our broadcast.

(OK, so did Robcasting, but don't tell anyone)

So, for roughly 4.5 hours, we watched 12 innings of softball, as the Gators and Bruins won their respective titles. The Tigers and Spartans were the runners-up.

The teams departed eventually. In the end, I was the last one to drive away.

By then, hopefully, all players, coaches, and officials were enjoying their well-deserved ice cream.

I took my time returning to Greenwich, following the two lanes of US 6 from Matamoras, PA to Peekskill, NY.

I even paused to walk around the mammoth Woodbury Commons outlet center, though to no avail. I bought nothing.

One more day of chaos awaits, as I hit the public address mic again tomorrow for the Renegades. That means I get to see Sean.

All good.

All put a little step back in my soul.

Refreshed.

I got a text at one point: "You sound happy."

I was.