Archive for the 'on the path, posts & stories ' Category

on the path…Little League

Tuesday, May 8th, 2007

It’s been a fortunate month job wise.

Saturday’s I take care of a kid with autism who is signed up to play little league. Tough call because he’s 12 and the other 12 year old teams are very athletic and unforgiving according to his mom. Fotunately she found a team of 10 year olds with an incredible coach who would work on integrating him into the team.

He plays for “The Rockies”.

The first couple of practices went scary wrong. The kid hates being touched and when he got tagged, completely melted down; screaming, gnashing of teeth, meltdown. Including throwing his helmet and running away. My job is to make sure he’s safe and that the other kids safe. Clear bats away and stuff like that. Then find him and redirect again and again.

It was a beautiful day Saturday morning; cloudless blue sky, Southern California sun beaming down on the baseball field; there I am, and a bunch of 10 year olds.

So far they’ve refrained from asking what I’m doing out there with the kid. But they’re figuring it out.

They let me have a glove for protection in case I’m talking to my kid and end up standing under a fly ball.

Last Saturday they let me warm up with them and gave me pointers on how to throw better! At times I felt more like Billy Madison than an adult on job duty. Then it becomes a chance to practice letting go of my self conciousness. I find myself actually having fun and forget what it is I’m doing there in the first place!

My kid did very well last Saturday. Getting a base hit. Making a run. AND actually had a chance to pitch! He struck a player out before the coach brought in relief.

The rockies ended up winning 15-5. Guess who got to take home the game ball?

Thanks for checking in

Stephen A. Thomas

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