Baseball - Easing In

Today I stood on a pitcher's mound. The first pitcher's mound of my life. Yep, there was that rectangle of rubber the pitcher touches with his foot when he winds up to pitch. I didn't know that thing existed until I read my rule book a few weeks ago. It was smaller than I thought it would be.

Where was I? Not on a professional field. No, it was on the infield practice field at the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Florida, Puerto Rico (about an hour outside of San Juan). Talk about the perfect start for my baseball introduction - at a high school. Something I know a bit about. Well, except I have never been to one like this. It is only 3 years old and has only grades 10, 11 and 12  (it will add 9th next year). The building is one vast space broken down into classrooms, lunchroom and all things baseball - lockers, showers, weight room, sports medicine rehab and offices. The nicest office belongs to Carlos Beltran.  Outside we toured batting practice areas, the practice infield and the pool. We also saw the overgrown meadow they hope to turn into a complete baseball field someday. "Hmmmmm," I thought, "Build it and they will come." 

I most enjoyed watching the boys at batting practice. We watched the fastball practice - machines spit out the balls at an incredible speed and they hit most of them. Some practiced bunting. What most intrigued me (and made my shoulder tremble in solidarity with the boys) was watching them swing bats at huge tires hanging from the ceiling. The sound of each hit reverberated through the room. The coach said it was an old fashioned technique but one that has made their players stronger. After watching a Puerto Rican boy demonstrate the technique the coach asked if either of the young men in our group wanted to try. Nathan, a senior, stepped forward. He missed hitting the sweet spot on the tire on his first tries and then their coach stepped in. It was the look on the coach's face that stays in my memory. The intentness of his teaching, passing on how to best swing the bat, no matter who the player was - Puerto Rican or Californian. It was love of baseball, pure and simple. Nathan improved.

The Puerto Rican boys were pleased to show off in front of our 12 California girls.  The girls, baseball lovers all, were equally pleased to run the bases on the practice infield, take photos on the pitcher's mound and enjoy the stares of the boys.

Tomorrow?  My first game. Can't wait.