Hi ya'll! I just had to take a minute to brag. I am gonna be smiling for days!

My 11 year old is in baseball. Their team came in to a tournament in 10th place out of 11 teams. It's a single elimination tournment in which we have knocked out even the second place team and tomorrow we are going for the championship game! We will either get a 1st place trophy or guaranteed to get the 2nd place trophy! WooHoo!

So here's how tonight's thrilling game went.

At the top of the third my son comes up to bat. The score is 2 to 2, no one on base unfortunately, but he wacks a fly ball to the fence. (By the end of next week I'm sure the story will grow to "The ball went over the fence and no one ever found it! hehe) Anyway, he gets a home run, making it 3 to 2.

What a thrilling game, he also had a few good stops of the ball on defense which held the other team from scoring. Of course, all the other kids on the team did their part, and our pitcher had an awesome game, but I am just one proud mom tonight!

I am gonna talk him into letting me bring the trophy to work on Monday and put it on my desk for the day! It will be better than any roses!

This now ends this brag session with a warning of more brag sessions to come!

ANNA

<small>[ May 30, 2003, 10:40 PM: Message edited by: Anna2000 ]</small>

I'll see your brag and raise you four!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="images/icons/tongue.gif" />

Wednesday was Honors Day at my son's school. I made sure I was there. I have NEVER seen my child so high on happiness! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

All the children at his school - at least in the lower grades - receive an award for something they do outstandingly well. They don't do the whole school at once so it only takes 1.5 hours and not forever. Every child there has a learning difference, they are all dyslexic, have attention disorders, auditory processing problems, you name it. But every child is gifted at something. So, they tailor the awards to suit the children.

Anyway, my son's main teacher gave him, for his outstanding math and science interest and ability, the Einstein Award. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> The computer technology teacher gave him the Class Techy award because he is so good and interested and creative and self-motivated in computer class. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> The head of the Chess Club gave him the Tournament Participation award because he was the only k-3 student who went to competitions, including the National Elementary Championship. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> The visual art teacher gave him an award for creative, visual, and technical abilities. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> And the librarian gave him a plaque and a gift certificate to a book store for having 96.3 Accelerated Reader points. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Cinderella,

Raising me 4....that just cracks me up! Typical mom! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Hey, my son is dyslexic as well. He is so creative and scores incredibly high with reasoning questions. Very smart boy!

We just have awesome kids! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

ANNA

Anna,

That is just fantastic! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

You have every right to brag.

It has been a couple of years since my daughter played softball, but I remember the feeling.

Watching her get up to bat, thinking "please, please, just let her get a hit..."

Watching her outrun the throw to first...if I might brag myself, the girl has wheels!

What a great time to be a parent.

Good luck in the championship!

Way to go Anna and the team. That trophy will sit on your desk all shiny and mom will be grinning from ear to ear with her shiny teeth. Way to go Mom.

Isn't it great when things like this just make you so proud of your kids.

I have one, my son plays the saxophone, and he gave me a hug yesterday. We talked, and I told him that I love him, and he hugged me. That is my brag from yesterday.

There has been many situations in our family, but that was the latest.

Hey there Cjack! I hope everything is going well with you. I think I read on a thread that you were dating. Too cool!

So, when this same son was in coach pitch at probably around 6 years old, I was so proud of him when he'd strike out. Alot of the kids would cry at this age but not my son, he'd walk pass the crowd of spectators and as they would say, "That's okay you'll get 'em next time!" He'd have this smile on his face, with the thumbs up sign and look at me and I'd yell something like, "Nice swings, way to go!" and the crowd would laugh so hard at his laid back attitude.

Now that he is older he gets a little more disappointed at himself with strike outs but never once cries over them, and amazingly to me there are still boys at 11 on are team that cry when they strike out.

Hi Faith4me, I am sorry you are having such a rough time right now with your animal dying. It is so thoughtful of you to come share my small joy on this thread. Thanks!

So, this morning I woke up with a pounding headache and feel hung over, and now I am just wondering if this is some sort of "intoxicated last night with pride" hangover. ouch!

The team we are playing tonight came into the tournament #1 winning 14 games, losing only 1, and winning most of these games with a 10 point spread. Last night their game was right before ours and again they won with at least a 10 point spread. I was thinking....they gotta lose sometime, and tonight is gonna be the night! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Gonna go get my mornin' Pepsi and chill.

c'ya'll

ANNA

Anna,

My kids don't play sports right now..but that is wonderful news..

My kids all made Honor Roll at School..and got awards for that..the two youngest got math awards
I was never very good at math so it makes me proud that they are <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Hi Anna,

Your thread title drew me in--I love to hear brag stories of any kind but the ones that involve kids are my favorites!

Good luck to your son's team in the championship game!

Thanks TR and thanks LovingB, I think it shows you are a loving mom to be drawn in to this type of thread.

Now for the tournament.....

We came in runner up. Final score 7 to 8.

I was proud knowing this team usually wins by a 10 point spread and have beat us twice already by a 10 point spread each time early in the season.

Here a small recap of the last inning...

It was 7 to 8, my son was on third base, there were two outs on the board, there was a player on 1st as well, the kid batting, made a great hit but they stopped it and got him out on first. Therefore, my son's run didn't count and it was over.

Now the sad, disappointing part...!!! The embarrassing way our parents and the coaches acted.

The umpire wasn't the best umpire, and he did make a few calls that seem to go against us, but still, our team was acting like sore losers. I video taped the whole game, I am anxious to go back and look at the tape and see if the umpire was as bad as our team said it was.

At one point I thought we were all going to be thrown out of the game for yelling at the ump. One guy especially, he was really out of line.

The coach always says chest to knee....that's your strike zone...so this one guy was making fun of the ump and kept saying, "Chest to dirt, that's your strike zone guys...chest to dirt..." Okay, so it was a little funny, but at the same time so disrespectful.

Then there was the pressure on the pitcher. The pitcher was the coach's son. The coach was so hard on him. He kept yelling, "Why are you holding back? You aren't throwing hard enough. Throw harder." This went on the whole game. Then to top it off, at the end of one of the innings his mom and another lady had the nerve to come up to this kid and say, "You need to throw harder, you want to go to Salt Grass (a popular Houston restaurant) too...Right? You don't want Peter (made up name, he's our star pitcher but couldn't pitch tonight) to be the only one we take to Salt Grass, now do you? IT MADE ME ALMOST VOMIT!

What the heck are these parents thinking! That was it, for me, I couldn't take it and not say anything so later I went up to the kid in private and said, "You know what, you are doing an awesome job throwing the ball, you are throwing it hard, these kids are hitters, and I don't care who it is, don't ever believe it when someone tells you that you aren't doing your best when you know you are." He smiled at me and said, "I won't!"

This is just little league, this stupid coach is going to wear his son's arm out by the time he hits majors. What a dummy. On top of that, this kid is not going to love his dad for coaching him, he's going to despise him for being just a jerk to him.

Well, as you can tell I'm just frustrated.

Although, very proud of my own son and the players!

ANNA

P.S.

I forgot to tell you about my decorated van...

On my drivers side window we put with shoe polish, "The champ's mom sits here." Then put an arrow pointing to me. His older brother's window we put, "The champ's brother sits here." and put an arrow pointing to him. Then on my younger son's window, the ball player we put, "The champ sits here, Go (son's name) Go," and put an arrow pointing to him...hehe...corny but funny! Then of course your typically "Go team go! #!" stuff.

AND, BTW, don't think for a minute this is the end of brag threads just cause the game is over....Monday we have our first swim meet for the season! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> Oh yea!!! It never ends!

c'ya'll,

ANNA

Hi Anna,

I was in the neighborhood and thought I would drop by your post....

Was that convincing? I really came by (again!) looking for an update on today's game LOL I told you I love kids' brag threads!

I'm sorry to hear about the adults' behavior, but I'm sooooo happy that you talked to the pitcher--it really does make a difference!

Now to the game--

The score of that game is a victory in itself!! You said that your son was on third base for the last out and that tells me two things. 1) he adjusted to that particular ump's "generous" strikezone, and 2) he is a smart baserunner. These are two very important skills for a basball player to develop! Please give your Little Leaguer a "Thumbs Up and Good Job" from me <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

A big Thumbs Up to you too Anna! What you did makes more of a difference than you probably realize, but don't be surprised if coaches and other parents disagree <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> . (I guess I should explain that my ballplayer is older so I have seen the results of different styles of "sports parenting") Your son is blessed to have a mom with your attitude. Thumbs Up for Anna!!

P.S. Many times after a disappointing loss my son watches "The Sandlot" and one by one everyone else ends up watching it too. Have you seen that movie? Still funny after the 50th time watching it!

Geez, lets add to the list,

my d who is 11 has just started taking horseback riding lessons at a stable behind my house. . . and the stable has a spring horse show, as a way to get the girls interested in shows, and understand what shows are about. . .

my daughter placed 2nd in her division, winning one event that she has never done before on the horse. . . so she is pumped. . . and of course, the mom couldn't make it. . .

so way to go MB parents who care and make time for their kids as important in their life!!!

wiftty

<small>[ January 26, 2005, 02:10 PM: Message edited by: hanora ]</small>

Anna,

How wonderful!! The score itself says they played awesome..

About the parents, I've seen them like that too, and I wish they would ban them from the games until "they" learn to be good sports..and understand these are JUST little boys having fun..

I've seen coaches here who are going to the championship games take their sons who play on other teams (whose team didn't make it to the championship) and replace players who they don't feel are the 'best players' on their own teams..
just so their sons can play..

A few of the parents who complained..were told..
well..if you don't like it..take your kid some where else to play..we don't want them here..

Hey there Wifft,

Glad to see your daughter is doing so well and I'd be bragging too!!! That is so awesome for her to finish 2nd when she is a beginner. She must have a talent with horses.

Loving boundaries,

I hope you stop by more often, the way you write reminds me of a very dear friend. Stop in any time!

Hanora,

So neat that your daughter was invited to meet an author! WOW! I am glad this thread touched you in the way it did.

TR,

I think it's so neat that your children do so well in school. That is more important to me than sports are.

We sure have a lot to be proud of!

ANNA

Anna,

keep your kids in sports, its a great excuse to avoid drugs, because you can't play as well if you smoke, do drugs, etc. . .

as far as the coaches go, i was extremely tough on my son, much tougher than the other players, although he was one of the better players on the team. I hate the way certain coaches play their son over more qualified kids. . in fact my X was unhappy with me because of it. . . but he turned out to be a great competitor, and now,with other coaches, does not complain to them, (yes,he complains to me, but that will end soon.)

see if you can find a better coach. . .

wiftty

Anna & others:

It's great to read about the your son's and others' achievements! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> Here's one from the HoFS household. My 10 year old had earned the right to compete in three different 'vehicle/kit' races this weekend with other cub scouts from our district. He won not one but all three of the events he entered for his rank! Nothing could erase the smile on his face on Saturday. He kept the trophies pretty close all day! You know what I might be more proud of though? Soon after we arrived at the event, my son struck up a conversation with a couple of the other scouts from other Packs that he had never met. They ended up cheering each other on throughout the day.

HoFS (happy dad!)

I guess I need to brag about my daughter, too, huh?

She brought home year-end averages of all A's and B's. I couldn't have been prouder. And she's requested to be in honors Language and honors Science next year. She'll probably take Algebra 1 for 1/2 a high school credit - in 7th grade. And she is the only French horn player in her school - one of the hardest of the horns. And she is loving softball. Doesn't always get a hit but, if she gets a hit, she gets home if at all possible. Says she loves stealing bases.

This week she is involved in something called Work Camp. A service project involving young people from about 20 churches where the participants pay to participate and the purpose of the program is to scrape and paint houses for low income or elderly people who can not, otherwise, afford to take care of their own homes. They also do some yardwork. FREE for the recipients. This year the approximately 400 participants are painting 28 houses and one church.