Blind Squirrel wrote:1. I don't think you sound like a jerk and I would enthusiastically argue against anyone that would make that assertion.
2. Before I heard about the book on my kid, I honestly never gave it any thought. As incredibly stupid as that may sound. And I have never known what bat my kid was using at a particular time, I have no idea what hitting philosophy she uses, etc. etc. I do know that she is well adjusted, respectful of others, working hard to get a degree and a million other things that will ultimately have a far greater impact on her life than her batting average.
I have supported my kid's interests in sports and other things. My family's lives were happily dominated by their participation in sports for over 15 years. They played various sports because they had fun, kind of like the reason I played sports. But I have never taken their performance as seriously as most parents because I simply don't consider, for example, how well my daughter hits a ball to be nearly as important as so many other things. I enjoy their sports accomplishments and help them with failures as needed. I love watching them play.
So, no I wasn't kidding. You have simply underestimated my capacity for ignorance and/or my level of focus on things like my kid's batting average. No problem. You don't know me. No worries on my end. I posted what I did because I thought it might help other, similarly ignorant people, avoid repeating what may have been a mistake in an area that is more important to them than it is to me. Trust me, I don't beat myself up over this at all.
JP
People who care about what they're doing will often do things to help them be more successful at it. For coaches and pitchers, this often means studying the tendencies of opposing batters and making the necessary adjustments to improve their chances for success. They won't always achieve the goal, but knowing 'the book' can tip the scales in their favor if the plan is executed effectively.
Being a successful parent means different things to different people as does being a successful parent to a young athlete. You've been able to view your child's growth from a perspective no one else had. You weren't required to care how well she hit or did not hit. All you had to do was to support her along the way. It sounds like you were a successful parent.
I want my DD to learn and to grow and to take something of value from every experience she has. Her performance at the plate - good or bad - in a meaningless fall rec game will likely be forgotten by the time Halloween rolls around. But for me, how she felt at that moment did matter. Maybe it didn't matter much, but it mattered. She always cares most about where she is at any moment. Rarely does she get ahead of herself and I think that's one of the personality traits that helps her to be successful in whatever it is she's doing at the time.
The main reason HB has gotten boring, though, is a lack of pole barn controversies in Indiana. It also doesn't help that the TX AggieDad(?) "D1 player coached team" never seemed to gain any momentum.
