Monday - game 1

This was a tough game.

A gut check really.

The boys had to play one of the best teams there that week.

The San Diego Stars.

Come to find out,

they've had a team at Cooperstown for YEARS.

And they won ... a lot.

There were lots of homeruns.

Lots of hard hits.

Did I already say it was a tough game?

However, there was a HUGE bright spot.

Because the man who created Dreams Park, affectionately called Coach by everyone,

stopped by to watch.  

And chat with the parents as we watched the game.

Jacob especially made friends with him ...

and he gave Jacob one of his special pins.

He was a lot of fun to talk to.

Ends up that, though he's from the area of Cooperstown,

he only spends summers here.

As soon as the last week is finished at the park,

he and his wife head south to Charlotte to spend the winter!

Because as beautiful as the summers are,

the winters, he said, are BRUTAL.

Anyway, he watched the game, saw how badly we were being beaten,

and tried to give an encouraging word.

When the game was over,

the boys were upset.

Jarrett was in tears.

So Coach called the team over and gave them a speech that was ON POINT.

The main thing he said (and I LOVED it) was:

if you aren't upset right now, 

then you obviously are playing the wrong game,

should go home, get a tattoo and ride a skateboard.

Seriously, that's what he said.

And I loved it.

Because my boy LOVES the game.

And he wants to win.

And he gets very upset when he doesn't.

Not in a way that makes him a poor sport,

but in a way that says he gave 110% and came up short.

So what Coach said - it was a huge high five to all the boys that wanted the win so badly.

Coach talking to the boys -

Had to get a pic with him!

And then, as we walked back to the car,

we passed Coach's wife.

And I had to take a minute to tell her how much I appreciated her -

because Coach talks about how his wife totally supported him in starting this park,

even though failure would mean being completely broke.

She believed in his dream because she believed in him.

And I love that!

She was super gracious too.

Just a few more shots as we walked to the car.

Gorgeous day.

Gorgeous scenery.

Nothing but baseball and green and wide open spaces.

LOVE!