The Best Father Ever

For years I have coached my children in every sport they have been involved in. Basketball, baseball, soccer, whatever it is I have been involved and have enjoyed it immensely. I am not one of those parent/coaches that is under the delusion that their son or daughter is the best player on the field. I am a realist. My children are athletic and each of them have gifts that make them excel at certain things in the sport that they are involved in. At no time have they ever been the most gifted athlete on the team that they are playing for. I recognize that and only ask from them that they provide their best effort.

In saying all of that, it has been somewhat embarrassing as a baseball coach to have a child who can't catch a pop fly ball to save his life. If Caleb has had one severe deficiency in his baseball game, it has been his inability to catch a pop fly ball when he plays the outfield. As a coach you realize these things and instead play a player at a position where they can excel, like first base. At first base, he is close to the action, has a good glove, isn't afraid of the ball, and most of the time can catch a pop-up in the infield. He just cannot play the outfield.

Last week Caleb got contacts for his eyes. Turns out he can't see anything far away. We realized we had a problem a few weeks ago when a large sewage waste truck came down the road and Caleb said, "Here comes a bus." Maybe I should have asked a few years ago while coaching him if he could actually see the ball coming at him.