Boys of summer, men for life
Baseball has never been a game that interested me, that is, until my 11-year-old grandson started playing! And, I'm sure, all of you grandparents know that when your grandchildren develop a passion for something, so do you.
My husband Stephen and I head out to the ballpark at least twice a week now. As grandparents, we observe anyone involved with our precious kids. That starts with the coaches.
Pea Ridge, I'm sure, has a lot of fine men coaching their teams, but I would like to share what Stephen and I have noticed about one particular coach, James Iglehart.
My first thought was, "How is it that a hard-working man chooses to spend so much of his time and energy coaching a team of young boys? Surely there are other things that he would enjoy more? But, then again, is there?"
The more I observe this man, the more I see how much he cares about each one of those boys in his care.
Yes, he speaks to them with a strong voice, letting them know he means business. But, also, he speaks in a tender way, letting them know the bottom line is "Boys, let's play with passion. Let's give it our best. Let's enjoy the game. And, if we do that, win or lose, we have nothing to be ashamed of. That's baseball."
The way this man coaches, he's teaching them something much more important than how to win a baseball game, but how to succeed in life, how to work as a team. He's teaching them what it means to have "character" even when the calls don't go your way. Win or lose, there's a lesson to be learned. These are the principles that good coaches like coach James is teaching our grandson and yours.
You see, it's quite obvious that coach James is doing much more than teaching those boys to make "contact" with a baseball, he is making an "impact" on their lives.
Am I proud to see my grandson hit a home run? Of course I am. But, I am even more proud when I see my grandson turn around the very next minute and encourage the net batter who may have just struck out. Why does he do this? Because children have a way of watching then imitating what they see their coaches do.
Yep, I'm learning quite a bit about this game called baseball. But, even more so, I am learning about special men in small towns all across this nation like coach James Iglehart -- men with big hearts who are willing to give so much f themselves unto others.
For you see, he is not only teaching his team how to be boys of summer but how to become men for life. Bless you and yours, coach James. Bless you.
Stephen and Marylyn TrussellPea Ridge, Ark.
Editorial on 05/25/2016