More than 600 kids involved this year
There are the late afternoon practices and the early morning
games. There are volunteer hours, scorekeeping duties, uniforms to
be washed, equipment to be hauled. Eventually, there is a game to
watch.
More than 600 kids involved this year
There are the late afternoon practices and the early morning games. There are volunteer hours, scorekeeping duties, uniforms to be washed, equipment to be hauled. Eventually, there is a game to watch.
Such is the life of a Little League parent – one that requires a dedication as important as the one their child shows on the field.
Becky Morioka, a Little League parent of two, is out at Veterans Memorial Park almost every weekend starting in February and lasting all the way through June. If either of her sons happens to make an All-Star team, the season can last until the end of August.
“I do it because my kids have fun playing,” Morioka said.
Another Little League parent, Deanna Quinby, has two kids in Little League and one in Babe Ruth.
“I keep coming out here because my kids love it,” Quinby said. “It keeps them active and involved with a good group of kids.”
Around 600 kids signed up to play Little League this season. With so many kids, there are many teams, which means lots of games.
Monday through Friday there are anywhere from 12 to 18 games played, with game times at 5:30 and 7 p.m.
On Saturdays there are anywhere from 18 to 22 games with games starting at 8 a.m. all the way through 7 p.m.
“Sometimes we have to get up at 6 or 6:30 in the morning to get our kids ready for a game that starts at 8 a.m.,” Morioka said.
To Morioka, it is not a hassle to get the kids up that early and get to the ball field by 7 in the morning.
“The kids are so excited in the morning that they pull us out of bed most of the time,” Morioka said, with a chuckle.
John and Heather Click have been Little League parents for six years. They try to make it to every game and practice together but if they can’t, they make sure that one of them is there to support their son.
“Participation is the key to being a Little League parent, whether it is bringing snacks, being the team mom, or just out their cheering,” John said.
Most parents do not just drop off their kids and then disappear. They watch the games as well. And the parents experience all the same feelings, if not more, as the kids out on the baseball diamond.
“The most stressful part for me is the anticipation,” John said, “Knowing what they can do at practice, and seeing what actually happens out at the game.”
For her, the most nerve-racking part is when her son is up to hit with “a full count and runners on base,” Heather said.
Others, such as Quinby, feel both excited and nervous for their kids when they are out on the playing field.
“No matter what, it is important to give them encouragement while they are out there,” Quinby said.
Part of the game of baseball, and any other sport is sometimes getting hurt.
Many parents have mixed feelings about their kid getting hurt during the game. All of them want to go out and see if their kid is OK, but some parents know better than to do that.
“You feel like you want to run out there, but I know my son would not like that,” Quinby chuckled.
“The coaches are out there and if anything were to happen they would make sure her son was okay,” Heather Click said.
“But I still show a little anxiety and panic,” she said, as she watched her son get a hit.
Every parent has a different reaction to the possibility of their kids being injured, but many share the same feelings when it actually happens.
“It absolutely takes my breath away,” Morioka said. “I freak out a little bit when my son gets hurt.”
Through all the injuries and early morning games, the importance of the kids remains the focus.
Parents such as Morioka feel it is important for other Little League parents to be involved and to show support for their kids because they are out to have fun.
“It is exhausting. We are out here all day sometimes,” Morioka said. “But I do it for the kids and that is what is important.”
