Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Past, Present, Future
So another blog promised blown as I struggle to put together a little history of Steven’s memorable senior year on the Varsity Baseball Team. I’ll start with the future.
Steven had a tryout at Brevard Community College today. It was at 4 so we were unable to attend but his Pa-paw went with him. According to Steven and Pa-paw, he had a great tryout. Apparently 20 kids had been invited. Steven played 2nd and short and hit 19 of 20 pitches thrown from a pitching machine. Later the Head Coach came up to my Father-in-law and told him that Steven was the most impressive player at the try-out. He told Steven that he had a scholarship waiting for him if he chose to take it.On the last day of HW in which Coach Arnold told them that this would be the worse day of all, he surprised the boys by taking them all out to a local barbeque restaurant for breakfast instead of putting them through another day of running. It was a classic picture of the season to come in which Coach Arnold and his staff would mix a blend of demanding excellence, having fun, discipline, and being there for the boys when they were down. I know, they were there for Steven.
The first game of the season saw us play perennial 6A power, Winter Park High School. Steven displayed in that game what he would do time and time again, attempt to lead by example.
Steven ended up going 3 for 3 with a single, double, and a triple. He also played 2nd, Short, and he closed the game out in the 7th inning with 2 strikeouts and a ground out to short helping us beat Winter Park for the first time in my memory.
The feeling that night was electric for Barb and I and I know it had to be that way for Steven. He had endured 2 seasons of erratic playing time, personal attacks, and a basic stripping of his confidence as a player. Now, this may sound like a sports cliché’ but I lived it with my son – so much of the game is mental! You can have all of the physical tools you need to be successful in any sport but if your head, your confidence isn’t where it should be, and you will have difficulty being successful.
This is why we were so grateful for that Winter Park game. It started the process of eliminating some demons in Steven’s mind.
Thanks for reading. More to come.
Steven had a tryout at Brevard Community College today. It was at 4 so we were unable to attend but his Pa-paw went with him. According to Steven and Pa-paw, he had a great tryout. Apparently 20 kids had been invited. Steven played 2nd and short and hit 19 of 20 pitches thrown from a pitching machine. Later the Head Coach came up to my Father-in-law and told him that Steven was the most impressive player at the try-out. He told Steven that he had a scholarship waiting for him if he chose to take it.
It’s not Steven’s first choice but then, it’s a choice. We fly out to Oklahoma City next weekend for a tryout for the Oklahoma Christian Baseball Team. This is where Steven’s heart is so keep us in your prayers.
As far as the past with respect to this season, the arrival of Coach Arnold was nothing short of a blessing. The post entitled, “Friday, January 18, 2008 Abuse and End of Hell Week,” illustrated the style of our new Coach. Once the new team was chosen, they has to endure a week Coach Arnold fondly referred to as “Hell Week.” “HW” was basically a non-voluntary invitation to show up at the Cocoa High Gym at 5:45am, run through a hour of non-stop sprints and agility drills, make every effort not to barf, and then head home for a shower before returning to school.
On the last day of HW in which Coach Arnold told them that this would be the worse day of all, he surprised the boys by taking them all out to a local barbeque restaurant for breakfast instead of putting them through another day of running. It was a classic picture of the season to come in which Coach Arnold and his staff would mix a blend of demanding excellence, having fun, discipline, and being there for the boys when they were down. I know, they were there for Steven.
The first game of the season saw us play perennial 6A power, Winter Park High School. Steven displayed in that game what he would do time and time again, attempt to lead by example.
Steven ended up going 3 for 3 with a single, double, and a triple. He also played 2nd, Short, and he closed the game out in the 7th inning with 2 strikeouts and a ground out to short helping us beat Winter Park for the first time in my memory.
The feeling that night was electric for Barb and I and I know it had to be that way for Steven. He had endured 2 seasons of erratic playing time, personal attacks, and a basic stripping of his confidence as a player. Now, this may sound like a sports cliché’ but I lived it with my son – so much of the game is mental! You can have all of the physical tools you need to be successful in any sport but if your head, your confidence isn’t where it should be, and you will have difficulty being successful.
This is why we were so grateful for that Winter Park game. It started the process of eliminating some demons in Steven’s mind.
Thanks for reading. More to come.
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Good review so far, Cecil. Looking forward to more.
Am also praying about Steven's tryouts next weekend.
Much love,
Dee
Am also praying about Steven's tryouts next weekend.
Much love,
Dee
# posted by 
: 11:28 AM
: 11:28 AM
The scholarship with BCC ... full or partial? Just curious. We're anxiously awaiting the outcome of the OCC tryout as that's where he really wants to go.
Brady - Thanks brother. We are as well.
Dee - Thank you for the prayers. We'll need them on a variety of levels.
Greg - Don't know? We weren't there but we'll find out. It's just nice when any coach uses the word "Scholarship" with your boy.
Dee - Thank you for the prayers. We'll need them on a variety of levels.
Greg - Don't know? We weren't there but we'll find out. It's just nice when any coach uses the word "Scholarship" with your boy.
Great post brother.
I enjoy your blog more than anything. Keep up the fantastic work!
I have a prayer request on my blog that would love for you and your readers to stop by and encourage a family who is suffering greatly. Please...You can make a difference.
God bless you in all you do this week.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
I enjoy your blog more than anything. Keep up the fantastic work!
I have a prayer request on my blog that would love for you and your readers to stop by and encourage a family who is suffering greatly. Please...You can make a difference.
God bless you in all you do this week.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
Congrats on the scholarship. I hope OCU works out for him though.
How many times did Steven almost hit for the cycle in his career in high school? I also would like to see his line stats for his high school career. I love to look at the growth of kids like that.
How many times did Steven almost hit for the cycle in his career in high school? I also would like to see his line stats for his high school career. I love to look at the growth of kids like that.
Kinney - Man, that is awful kind of you. We will continue to lift up Lane, his wife, and the baby. They are all on our church prayer list. You hang in there as well.
Keith - He ended up batting .354 with 5 homeruns, 2 triples, 7 doubles, and 18 RBI's. His 5 homeruns were good for 4th place out of the top 50 batters on the Space Coast. Interestingly enough, the 3 kids that had more homeruns than Steven, all are 6-3 or taller with the homerun leader being 6-6. God gave that boy a lot of power in his 5-10 frame.
Judy - Thanks, we'll need them.
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Keith - He ended up batting .354 with 5 homeruns, 2 triples, 7 doubles, and 18 RBI's. His 5 homeruns were good for 4th place out of the top 50 batters on the Space Coast. Interestingly enough, the 3 kids that had more homeruns than Steven, all are 6-3 or taller with the homerun leader being 6-6. God gave that boy a lot of power in his 5-10 frame.
Judy - Thanks, we'll need them.
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