Most improved award

Well Jeremy is doing great. He practices baseball as much or more than he plays video games. Anyone who knows Jeremy understands that statement. The Red Sox have one there last three games in a row and are starting to be a team. Jeremy scores at least a point every game but has not hit yet?!?! It seems his job is to get walked. It’s kind of frustrating because the coach is all about winning not helping the kids improve their game. He is told that he is not allowed to swing until he hears the word strike. Sad part is his strike zone is small. He is so confused when he can and can’t swing that it’s starting to tick Dana and I off. $In the game yesterday when he was at bat he was in position and confident (like we have never seen before) hungry for a hit. He just wants a chance to show his coach how much he has improved.

He has been practicing pitching at home EVERY day and really wants a chance to pitch. He has actually gotten pretty good. He’s not ready to pitch a game yet but at the rate of improvement he will be n a few weeks. He started by putting a lawn chair in the yard to pitch in to. He was about 1 out of 5 hitting the mark when he started. I went out and got him a pitching net/ball return and he goes non stop. Last night when I worked with him he pitched two strikeouts two walks and then another strikeout to end the inning. Confused? Strike zone is a strike, missed is a ball and we keep a count as we pitch.

Now I apologize because I am going to do a little ranting. Yesterday the coach set him out three of the six innings because he was not paying attention to anything but winning and the infield. The outfield does not get a lot of attention or action. At the end of the game i approached the coach and informed him in a "non little league parent" way (in other words nicely) that he sat out three innings. Coach said he didn't realize it because he gets caught up in the game. He then pulled Jeremy aside and told him he won’t sit the bench at all the next game. We as a family, including Kylie, are having a great time with baseball. We are unfortunate that we have the coach that we do but it hasn't kept Jeremy for striving to be the best. When we go to practice besides warming up he touches the ball about three times in the hour. The coach bats his best batters first and then if there is time he lets the rest hit. He works the infield the most while the outfield stands in ready position. Last practice they hit one fly ball Jeremy's way and he caught it. Of course they didn't pay attention to that. Catching a fly ball is about a 1 in 4 average in this age bracket it. He has not let a ball get past him in weeks in practice or a game. Last night we won the game by mercy rule but we played it out. Did the coach try kids out in different positions? Of course not. He reminds me of the coach from mighty ducks “It’s not worth winning if you can’t win big". OK enough of that. Just so you know, most of the coaches we see are good to the kids and work on there skills as much as winning. They move the kids around, encourage them when they mess up and are stearn when they need to be. We have the only coach that we have seen so far that runs out on the field screaming and yells at kids enough to make them cry. (No he has not done that to Jeremy and he wont because I a m right there and he knows that I won’t tolerate it)

To end on a positive note Jeremy loves baseball. I love working with him in baseball. He is doing great. I really believe he will get the most improved award for the season.