When insomnia hits, I believe ideas for this blog are not far behind. This belief hit another home run (pun intended) this morning when I awoke at 4:30 for no apparent reason. I started thinking about things I could put out there for Thursday’s Three and just a few minutes later this topic hit me like a Shea Weber slap shot.
As a former Dizzy Dean baseball coach, I’ve always been a fan of the Little League World Series and I look forward to August every year because of it. This year was no different and imagine my surprise when a team from Tennessee made it to the tournament! I made up my mind that I was going to watch as many games as I could.
The kids from Goodletsville, Tennessee didn’t disappoint. They were a very talented and well coached team. Although they didn’t bring home the LLWS championship, they were the best team from the United States. It just shows you that hard work and persistence does pay off. The experience these kids had, will be some they will never forget.
Looking at Southeastern Team’s run to the LLWS championship, I can think of three things that would be great teaching points to my kiddo. I hope I can convey them to him in a way where he can use them as he continues to mature.
1. Just because you’re from small-town Tennessee, doesn’t mean you can’t take the world by storm!
Don’t let the fact that you’re from a small town hold you back! Be the best you can be and let the world take notice. You can do anything you want, as long as you are dedicated to meeting your goals.
2. Never give up!
When these kids from Middle Tennessee gave up some runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning against the team from California, they didn’t give up! They came back the next inning and put more runs on the board. Just because your back is against a wall and it seems there’s no way to keep going, push harder!
3. You’re not going to win every time!
A great lesson in sportsmanship! There are times when losing happens. You can be a spoiled sport about it or you can suck it up and congratulate the winners. Use the loss as motivation to get back out there and try harder the next time. Just remember, nobody is perfect!
Have a great Thursday! Take care!
Stan
Good job and good life lessons.