Almost certainly, though, this fall is the end of the line for the Dodgers. Although I coached JP's Dodgers through the fall after all of the boys turned 13, I don't see that happening with Joe's group. I don't want to say JP's Dodgers (and parents) were more committed but I do think those boys had less going on across the board than Joe's Dodgers. Honestly, though, as I think about it now, I can recall having to scramble to get players for JP's last team, just not as much as I've had to with Joe's baseball team this fall.
Several of Joe's teammates are also playing travel baseball, so there are conflicts with fall travel baseball tournaments. JP's group didn't have any boys playing travel baseball, right or wrong. Joe plays club soccer. I have a boy who has missed baseball games to play flag football, which absolutely kills me. I have had boys miss games for birthday parties, camping trips, and a bar mitzvah. I've had a boy with Covid-19 and another with foot problems. I had a boy injure his ankle at school when he fell on a set of stairs allegedly because his backpack was too heavy.
I didn't have those type of attendance problems with JP's Dodgers, as least as I recall those times three and four years ago. Understand, I am not saying it's better or worse with Joe's Dodgers, just different. And you know what? That's okay. It's a different group of boys and parents, obviously, but just as with JP's Dodgers, I have a nucleus of boys that I've coached since they were four and five years old.
Joe, Ram, Nico, Trey, George, Elias, and Bennett. I have Walker, who left the Dodgers early on - that was a mistake - and returned to us the last year or so. I have Huck, one of my all time favorites, who left the Diamondbacks to play for me. I have newer players I've imported from Joe's time with the Braves - Harper, Paul, Keaton, Lucas, and Daniel. I'd ride with this group in a double header any Saturday, fall or spring.
Seven of these boys are committed to travel baseball for the 2024 - 2025 season, so it's highly unlikely they will play together as a group after our final game this Sunday. Which, of course, marks Sunday as the end of the line for the Dodgers.
All of this makes me incredibly sad, yes, but incredibly grateful, too, for the opportunity to positively impact so many boys and families - through baseball - over the past 12 years. Every boy (or girl) I have ever coached, even if it was only for one or two seasons, changed my life in some small way or left me with at least one memory I will carry with me until I die. My life has been enriched immeasurably by the boys who have put on a Dodgers' jersey and practiced or played for me.
So much of my non-work life has revolved around coaching the Dodgers, first JP and his teammates, then Joe's, as well. At times, I had two groups of Dodgers, of course, JP's Dodgers and Joe's Junior Dodgers. Those were heady days, for sure, and scheduling wasn't always easy, but I loved every minute of it, rushing from one game to the next. I've also had years where I coached expanded rosters - enough to have two teams in the same age group - also a challenge but one I relished, for sure.
This fall baseball season has been disjointed, at best, with more practice time than actual games. It's an abbreviated baseball season in the fall, anyway, and we lost three games to rainouts and four games to forfeits. One of the doubleheader forfeits was our team, which is not something I recall ever happening with a group I coached.
One of the most rewarding things about this fall baseball season has been watching several of JP's Dodgers - JP, Benton, Wes, Cyrus, and JK - coach Joe's Dodgers, at practices and games. I've given the big boys more and more responsibility, having them coach first and third base, visit the pitchers on the mound during games, and address the team before and after games. Yesterday, JP handled the meeting between coaches and umpires before the second game of our doubleheader, which was really cool.
Joe's Dodgers have really responded, I think, to being coached by older boys actually playing high school baseball, just like I had hoped they would. It's been good for the big boys, too, as they have had the opportunity to spend time together, again, and reconnect while giving of their time and energy in a way that really matters. It's just been really special.
For me, too, spending time on a baseball field, coaching with JP while Joe is playing has been, well, tremendous. It's something I will never, ever forget.
I'll write about yesterday's games later because, for now, I want to see the bigger picture and appreciate the gift that coaching youth baseball has been to me.
Dodgers forever.
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