Put Me In, Coach!

What a t-ball game taught me about confidence, adaptation, and aging well.

Not the actual game, I didn’t want to be the stranger snapping photos of the kids. Photo by Nicole Green on Unsplash

Oh, put me in, coach
I'm ready to play today-John Fogerty

I finished my morning dog walk at the park last Saturday and spent a few minutes watching a t-ball game.

Seriously, is there anything cuter than t-ball?

If you’re not familiar with the sport, it’s the first step toward Little League baseball. The players are usually four or five years old, and instead of trying to hit a pitched ball, they hit one sitting on a waist-high stand called a tee.

The game I watched was the last of the season.

The actual play was hilarious.

Half the kids were watching anything except the batter. One child wandered off to chase a butterfly. Another sat down in the outfield and announced that he was “watching the sun move.” There were adults stationed at every base, running alongside the players as they made their way from first to second to third and finally home.

When a ball was hit, the entire field of players would chase after it because nobody could actually catch it.

It was chaos.

And it was wonderful.

After the game, there was a small ceremony. Every player received a certificate, and watching their small, proud faces brought tears to my eyes.

And I didn’t even know anyone playing.

Later, being myself, I did a little research. (Ok, who is surprised by that last statement???)

I learned that t-ball helps children build confidence, coordination, teamwork, and social skills in a low-pressure environment.

As I read that description, it occurred to me that maybe t-ball has something to teach those of us in middle age and beyond as well.

For starters, there’s the tee itself.

In t-ball, nobody expects a four-year-old to hit a fast-moving pitch. The tee removes some of the difficulty so children can learn the fundamentals, experience success, and enjoy the game.

As we age, we make adaptations too.

Maybe we trade running for walking. Tennis for pickleball. High-impact workouts for water aerobics. Sometimes we resist these changes because they feel like limitations.

But what if they’re simply our version of the tee?

Not giving up.

Not quitting.

Just making adjustments that allow us to keep playing.

Then there’s the celebration of small wins.

In t-ball, getting safely to first base is a victory. Nobody is focused on statistics, rankings, or championships. Every success is acknowledged.

Imagine if we did more of that as adults.

Finishing physical therapy.

Walking an extra block.

Trying something new.

Recovering from a setback.

Too often we focus on how far we still have to go instead of appreciating how far we’ve come.

And perhaps my favorite lesson: t-ball is supposed to be fun.

The children I watched weren’t worried about being the best player on the field. One was chasing butterflies. Another was tracking the movement of the sun.

They were simply enjoying themselves.

Somewhere along the way, many of us start treating everything like a competition. Aging may be the perfect opportunity to let some of that go and remember that participation, connection, and joy are worthy goals all by themselves.

So now I’m wondering...

Is there such a thing as adult t-ball?

If there is, put me in, coach.

I’m ready to play.

Are you?

Peace + Clarity

Much love!

Thanks for stopping by Leaving Middle Age! If you found this interesting, please share it with friends, family, or anyone who’d appreciate the journey.