Kids’ sports – Jocelyn Rau

Morrison hit a home run during the spring/summer baseball season this year, so he was eligible to participate in the Little League home run derby after the championship games. Their team didn’t make the finals, but that didn’t dampen his excitement for the derby at all! The kids and I got home from our Canada trip the very day of the derby, but then it ended up getting rained out and postponed. No big deal, it was just a few evenings later. On one of the hottest nights of the year. 🥵

The kids had the option of choosing who they wanted to pitch for them – parent, coach, friend, etc. – and Morrison chose Ryan. They both needed to warm up in batting practice beforehand that night! Then unfortunately they waited directly in the sweltering sun of the dugout until Morrison was up to bat. We may decide to have his coach pitch to him the next time he’s in the derby, but they both did great. There was a full opening ceremony where each of the kids was introduced, which was so fun to watch. And most importantly, Morrison was SO excited, because he hit a home run that Ryan and I both got to see this time!! I was thrilled! He and a couple other batters hit 1 each, a couple hit 2-3, one kid hit 7, and the winner hit 10! There were only 6 batters in all, so I was SO PROUD that Morrison was one of them and so happy that all of them hit at least one home run. And his team had 3 boys in the derby, the most out of any team – I’d say their coaches did a great job! He still claims that he’s waiting for track to be his breakout sport, but I truly love watching him play ball. His athletic skills are pretty amazing. Incredible job, kiddo!

Morrison’s Minors team won the Fall Ball playoffs! I couldn’t believe it! He was on the Dodgers this fall after starting his Little League career on the Marauders in Pee Wees this spring/summer.

Minors started off so much different than Pee Wees, it was almost disheartening. Kids on the team made fun of his stuff, the coaches were far less engaged than the ones in Pee Wees were, and I was afraid it was going to turn him off from baseball completely. I came to find out this unfortunately isn’t unusual in Minors so it wasn’t just Morrison, but that’s still stupid – it’s kids’ baseball! But in typical Morrison fashion, his kind heart and sweet attitude triumphed and he did awesome. When he told me about the dumb comments, I told him how sorry I was that it happened and that generally when kids make fun of other kids, it’s because they’re actually jealous so don’t even listen to them. And that turned out to ring so true. He said he didn’t let their comments bother him, he just ignored them and focused on the game, and all he wanted was to have fun. I about cried when he said that, because that was all him. A heart of gold and spirit of pure joy this one has, and my pride is endless.

He is SUCH a natural athlete, it’s incredible. His Pee Wees coach said he was by far the most improved from the beginning of that season to the end on their team, and he just kept getting better and better this fall. His confidence was through the roof, and when his teammates realized that the new kid was ready to kick their butts, they quickly shut the F up. Go Morrison!

So that was a fun and very unexpected end to his first Fall Ball season. The playoffs were a one-day, three one-hour-games event. They won their first one and I was like oh fun, we’ll just stay up here and I’ll get him a cheeseburger for lunch from the ballpark grill (which he’d been wanting all year!), then we’ll see what happens in game #2. Then they won that one, too! By this time I saw his Pee Wees coach and told him how they were doing and he came over to cheer Morrison on during his at bat, which totally made Morrison’s day. Then they tapped a keg of local beer for all the parents, so that was awesome, too. And then they won the second game! I was giving Ryan the play-by-play the whole time, and he got too superstitious so said he’d better not come up to the park so he didn’t jinx it. But by the end of game #3, when it looked like they might actually win the thing, he hopped on his ebike and got up there as fast as he could. He arrived just in time to see them win it all! I don’t think we’ve ever seen Morrison smile so big and so hard. They got medals, they got ice cream, and his young life was made.

This kid fills my heart, and everyone who knows him can feel the happiness he carries through life. Great job, my love! We are SO proud of you and can’t wait to see the greatness that lies ahead of you on the baseball field and off.

Tag: Kids’ sports

Back up – heavy hitter!

Fall Ball Champs!