by: Bob Howdeshell
High School Baseball Web
As freshman student-athlete baseball players all over the country
head off for their first year of college: I offer these comments
and thoughts. They were prompted by the fact that I could see the
floor in my son's room!
I opened the door to our youngest son's room this morning and was shocked ..... there was carpet on the floor!
As much as his mother would try to make him keep the room neat, it was a wasted effort on her part. My son is a "pile person." Everything in its pile and every pile in its place.
But this story is not really about whether or not I could see the floor in his room, it is about a right of passage. The time when a young man leaves home for the first time.
I was fine when our oldest son went away to college to play football ... I guess because the youngest was still around. But this hit me hard.
I watched as our youngest worked hard all summer to get in the best physical and baseball shape of his life. This was no small feat given the fact that he has always been a "workoutaholic." Even to the point of not really having any steady girlfriends in high school. "Too restrictive and confining" is what we were always told.
His older brother helped some ... putting the "fear of the unknown" in him. Telling him that he was going up to the next level, "where everyone was an "ALL SOMETHING" player."
Even though he will only be about 3 hours away from us it seems like a world away. For the first few nights I'm sure that it will seem the same for him too.
Is he ready for the challenge? ABSOLUTELY!! He's worked his entire life for this opportunity. Will he succeed? As with all things in life ... only time will tell.
I'm betting on him and believe in his abilities and desire.
To every parent in the same situation as we are .... Don't wait for him to call you. Pick up the phone and call him. Sometimes they try to be "tough guys" and don't want to look like they miss Mom and Dad. They worry about what the other players (room mates / dorm mates) will think if they are seen calling home very often.
After all they have grunted and mumbled to their friends on the phone for years, now it's our turn! They owe us that.
For those of us addicted to the message boards ... tell them to leave you a quick note in there. Ha Ha
To all the player's that have left home and started the first year of college. Work hard both in the classroom and on the practice field. Then in the games "have fun."
You are about to experience one of the best times of your life ... college.
Good Luck and may each player's dreams come true.
Bob