Good Game Bronchos!

Last night was interesting! I knew this night was coming and I wondered how it would play out. It ended up with drama & tears but so much more growth of character than I could have ever imagined.

Ryan has played baseball 9 months out of the year for the same team for the last 6 years, the OKC Broncos. It is a team of homeschooled boys and they have become a second family for us. The coach is one of the most Christ-like men I have ever met and one of the best mentors I could want for my kiddo. Over the last 6 years, a friendly rivalry has developed between our team and the Bethany Bronchos, a team of boys from the Bethany Elementary school, whose coach is also the principal of the Elementary school. Both head coaches are AMAZING. Both teams are made up of incredible families. Both teams have been touched very closely by cancer.

Then a year ago, I moved into Bethany Elementary school district and Ryan started 5th grade there. Because of my situation, our coach said that Ry could stay with our team for the Spring season, but eventually, he will have to be homeschooled to stay with the team. We were grateful. So, last night the OKC Broncos played against the Bethany Bronchos. Ryan & I felt conflicted. A bit of smack was vocalized at school between the boys. The game was intense. Ryan struck out at bat the first time - that hasn't happened many times. The second time he was at bat, something was said and the umpire got into it with the Bethany Bronchos coach (Ry's school principal) and the coach got thrown off the field. The game wound down with the score 4 to 4 with the bases loaded and one out left. Our coach intentionally walked the last base runner to load up the bases for a force out & brought the players infield to get a quick out. The Bronchos player stepped up and hit an amazing hit to the fence. The game ended 8-4 with the Bethany Bronchos winning.

After the game, I found Ry and he was crying. My heart sank and all the parent pep talks started going through my mind. He pulled me aside and said, "Mom, I'm not crying because we lost. I crying because everyone of those boys on the Bronchos team didn't just say "Good game" as they walked past me. Everyone of them said, "Great job Ryan!" "You did really well.", "Awesome game Ryan." He couldn't believe how they were still his friends, that they lifted him up, that they were such great sports. After the game, we walked out with Coach/Principal Haws and it was wonderful to see this man reach out to my kiddo, a boy on a rival team, and make sure he felt good about the game.

Why do we pay baseball? It is so much more than the game. Good game Bronchos! You did an awesome job!