Boot Camp or Baseball

Trey's little league baseball coach is a man of few words. He knows the game. He watches the players and then briefly instructs them what to change. His goal is simply to teach them how to be a better player. He doesn't live through the kids, like some of the other men I've watched over the years. He is a professional hitting coach for a major league player who once played at UK. He still holds the 5th overall homerun record in a season at UK. He was a scout for the Atlanta Braves for 7 years. He's the real deal.

Yesterday at practice they finally took a break from their hitting instruction to work on their daily base running skills. The coach was teaching the kids how to properly run the bases. He said, "If you hit the ball and it goes to the outfield, you have to be aggressive and anticipate running to second base. A lot of the first baseman in our league, and even our first baseman, will stand on first base even if the ball goes to the outfield. If you as the batter, hit the ball into the outfield and you plan on going to second and you see the first baseman standing on first base, you can run over the first baseman because he is obstructing the runner. (Here's where it gets good....) You guys can knock the crap of out them. Of course it would help if after you run into the first baseman, you fall down too and scream. That's called selling the play. I'll then just walk out onto the field and tell the umpire- 'Mr. Umpire, that first baseman obstructed my runner.' And the umpire will say, 'That's right. Take second base.' And I'm pretty certain the next time we have a hit into the infield, I'm sure the first baseman won't be standing on the base. Most young kids don't forget the rule once they've been knocked down once or twice. Don't believe that baseball is a not a non-contact sport."

Then he had one of the assistance stand on first base and he showed them how to knock them over. Next, the kids took turn practicing running into the coach.

Trey thought all of this was AWESOME. Really, what little boy wouldn't? Isn't this what I have been teaching my kids for years NOT to do. Did I sign up for baseball, football or boot camp?

*PS Seriously, I think this the funniest things I've ever heard about in little league. Gotta LOVE baseball!