TEAM PLAYER

Baseball season is upon us.

Mark picked up our gear and player roster tonight. We are coaching AA ball again and this year we are......... wait for it........The Bowling Green Hot Rods!

People say, Who?

The Bowling Green Hot Rods- the Minor A team of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Vrooom! Vrooom!

But I digress.

Anyway, baseball is in our face and it's the little things in life that really fire us up. Two things, actually. First, we couldn't get over how nice and NEW our gear bag was. Last years was so old and tattered and the stupid zipper would only sometimes zip. This year our bag is multiple colors and NEW and sturdy with wall supports so that when you open it, it doesn't collapse into itself. Did I mention NEW? So what, are you wondering, could top a new gear bag?

NEW CATCHER'S GEAR, BABY!!!
2 sets of shin guards.
2 chest plates.
1 NEW mask and,
a SWEET! catcher's mitt.

Last year our catcher's gear was....... pitiful. The shin guards were too big for our kids, so to keep them up I had to cinch them so tight I was fearful I'd cut the blood supply off in my Catcher's legs. The chest plate's back straps were constantly getting tangled in all the fraying that was occurring on the straps themselves and we had no catcher's mitt. Pathetic would be another word to describe our shameful situation.

Upon seeing our new gear, insert two mildly overweight, 40- somethings completely losing their minds in the garage! There was jumping up and down; a high five so vigorous it may or may not have hurt my (delicate & feminine)hand; and someone exclaimed to the neighborhood: This is fkn AWESOME!
(Shame on all of you who immediately assumed it was me! You're right, of course, but seriously- shame on you for assuming the worst in me!)

Getting so worked up over the new gear left us with a mighty thirst, so we made ourselves a cocktail and commenced to looking over our player roster. We had three returning players from last year. Huh? I knew that 5 returning parents had requested Mark because they contacted me to confirm we were coaching again.

So I say to Mark: WTH is going on with this list? Where's Bill and Ted?
(Not their real names...minors. Protecting them....and cracking myself up in the process!)

Mark: WHAT? They're two of our best players!

Me: Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Who are not on our roster.

Mark (with a know it all smirk on his face): Well.....the director did say she had FOURTEEN families request me......

Me: FOURRRRRRRRRR TEEEEEEEEEEN?

Mark (cracking himself up): Did I stutter? Four. Teen.

Me: OMG! That has to be some sort of record for coach requests! I'm so proud of you, Mark..... you really are the best coach out there.........I guess they really couldn't give us every kid that wanted to be on your team.

Mark: Yeah, that wouldn't be fair. Still.......two of our best kids....And Bill's been with us for two years.

Me: I can't get over the number.....FOURTEEN. It's so impressive.......and such an amazing reflection of you and your coaching style.

Mark: Yeah......about that........ they told me what the number reason the parents gave for requesting me was......

Me: What was it? Patience? Skill? Oh! You're ability to relate the fundamentals of the game to the kids on their level?

Mark: Uh.....no.......

Me: Tell me! What was the reason everyone kept asking for you?

Mark: They said it was because of our communication style with the parents.

Me: Wait, what?

Mark (sheepish): Yeah.....the parents who requested me told the director it was because they either knew of or had heard about how we communicate with parents; all the information we continue to pass along throughout the entire season.....well the word is out and we are the best. So they all asked for me.

Me (incredulously): YOU?

Mark (starting to snicker): ME. But I told the director I couldn't take the credit for that.....I told her that was all you. I told her you run the show when it comes to information.

Me: So it really isn't about you. It's about ME! They just don't know it's ME! ME! ME! ME!

Mark: Hey now...... there's no "I" in "Team", Sister.

Me: No.....but there's an "M" and an "E" and that spells ME!