RP...Very nice post.

Regina,

God bless you and your family. Your story breaks my heart in one sense but offers great hope in another. You have my deepest sympathies for the tragedy that came upon your family yet, at the same time, you have my utmost admiration for how you and your son have handled things. What a story

Regina,

Your post will bring a tear to many eyes (including mine). Thank you so much for sharing your son's story. My deepest sympathies go out to you and your son and family, but I am thankful that he is finding this source of joy and inspiration again. Thank you.

Regina

Glad to know it is all coming together

Regina,
Thank you for your post. This is what the HSBBW is all about.

Your son went through a difficult time, and his heart was not in it when he decided not to play. But as time heals us after a tragedy and things return to normal, we begin to feel good again about ourselves and we return to the things we love that give us meaning and purpose in life.
Please consider this as a belated condolence and best of luck to you and your family!

Regina:

Thank you for sharing your story with us...your son is moving forward and that is both healthy and a blessing.

You said it very well Tiger Paw Mom...thank you for the post.

Regina ~

Thanks for the post and I'm glad your son has found his way back to baseball.

I will be pulling for him the remainder of this week and next. . . except when he is the opponent!!

I am overwhelmed by everyone's response.
I just hung up the phone with Mike (At the PG Tourny in Ga) who excitedly told me he went 2 for 2 with 2 RBI's. This is the last phone call I would have been expecting to receive just 2 months ago when baseball was nothing but a fading memory....

In the past, either my husband or I were at every game and tournament he had played in. It's the first time he is in Georgia without us. I sure hope he is doing laundry and not wearing the same baseball pants every day!

Now that I am a single Mom I had to stay home with my daughter in So Cal. She will be a high school sophomore and is a volleyball player and needs to be practicing with her HS team this week. Now I am a very active VB mom but I do miss being in Georgia. She also wishes she was there so she could check out the cute baseball players!!!

Regina,

God Bless you and your family. And thank you for sharing your story with us.

Regina,

Best of luck to your son - and you. I hope he continues to get great enjoyment from the game he so obviously loves - and for many years to come.

My best to you and your son.

Regina - As the others have said, thanks for sharing your story.

We had a recent thread in the ladies forum where the topic was giving up baseball. I truly believe that sometimes a player just decides he's ready to hang it up. Obviously, your son was facing some emotions that most of our kids don't have to deal with. However, regardless of the reason, the most important thing is for them to know they're loved because of who they are - not because of how good they are on a baseball field.

I, too, am a single mom with a volleyball playing daughter! It can be a challenge being pulled in two different directions all the time. I'm positive you're up to the task though. You have my respect!

Regina, God bless you,and your family....as Lafmom said....you have my respect, and best wishes too.....

Regina,

I can't say anything any better or add anything more to the responses to your story. Thank you for sharing it, my sympathies, and God bless you and your family.

I’m new to this baseball board, but was very touched by the stories on this thread. They hit close to home. My older son (now in college) was a high-caliber ice hockey player with a realistic chance to play college hockey. In his junior year of high school, he quit playing.

Shortly after my older son quit ice hockey, I posted the following on a local hockey web site. My younger son is about to enter high school as a baseball player and I hope I enter those years with a little more perspective.


“My son’s words struck hard. “Dad, I’m done with hockey.” Twelve years, thousands upon thousands of dollars, countless miles, and untold precious memories later, my son has decided to move on. His heart is no longer in the game.

He quit while playing Midget AAA hockey for one of the top clubs. He was never going to make it to the NHL, but Junior A and even college hockey were on the radar screen. He had been scouted and noticed. He was pretty darn good, and had a chance to reach the proverbial “next level,” at least for a while longer.

Injuries ultimately did him in. In the past two years alone, he suffered a concussion, whiplash, back injuries, and finally, a badly torn knee ligament. (This does not include earlier injuries including a torn rotator cuff, fractured wrists, and other dents and dings.) He played a hard physical game with guts and determination, and he paid for it. Physical therapy was hard and grueling. But at least he is still young and likely will not suffer any permanent disabilities.

What he discovered being away from the game was life beyond hockey. He finally had time to spend with his friends at school. He discovered surfing. He got a girlfriend. He learned what it is like to live without pain. He found himself without the grueling and time-consuming pressures of competitive hockey. He found his smile and contentment.

I sorely miss watching him play and practice. I miss seeing my friends around the rink. I miss commiserating with other parents about the coaches and refs. I miss the hot rink gossip. I miss cold pizza, fast food, and my parka. I miss it all. I realize, however, that the disappointment that he is finished is solely mine; he is well over it.

I still have a bucketload of wonderful memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Most importantly, I have a happy, healthy, well-adjusted young man for a son, who is a better person for having played this wonderful game for all these years.

Enjoy the time while you can, and most importantly, keep it all in perspective. After all, it’s only a game and the final buzzer will come sooner than you think.”

DB - very nice post and welcome to the hsbbweb

DB Cooper is an interesting name to have. I believe a guy of the same name parachuted out of a plane many years ago with 200,000 dollars in cash. He was never heard from again. If that's you, maybe we can have a beer sometime for that sounds like a great story to listen to Seriously, sounds like you raised a fine young man.

ClevelandDad: Thanks for the welcome. I have to say I’ve never been fond of the idea of jumping out of airplanes. I hear the name thing all the time. My mother, Minnie Cooper, has it even worse!

Seriously, I should add a little update to my post. My son will be starting his freshman year at USC in a few weeks. While he was playing competitive hockey, he worked just as hard to excel in school as he did on the ice. The result was an excellent GPA and all kinds of solicitations from colleges based solely on academics. The admissions officers didn’t care what teams he made at tryouts, how many games his teams won or lost, how many goals or assists he recorded, how many bodychecks he dished out, how many calls the refs blew, how many coaches failed to recognize his talent, etc. The only thing they cared about is that he dedicated himself to an outside activity which he loved, and that he excelled in school at the same time.

It became very clear to me that sports can’t be expected to be a ticket to college. Too many things can happen along the way. Sports can, however, very nicely round out a student/athlete on a college application.

Welcome aboard the HSBBW D.B.

The last place anyone remembers you is on that flight to Reno when you stumbled out of the exit door under the tail of that Northwest Airlines 727. Someone said you took a swim in the Columbia River east of Washougal,WA. I'm glad to see that you're back with us D.B.

Thanks for the post...it is important to keep things in perspective...and you are testimony to the fact that it is often tougher on the parents than the player when the player decides to hang it up.

u still up gotwood

Since i started this thread back in January 06 when my son decided to "retire" from baseball during his sophomore year of college, some of you have been kind enough to contact me to see how he is doing.

Well, I'm thrilled to report that in two weeks he is graduating college (on time in 4 years) and has found what I would truly call his dream job that he is starting in June. Grad school is on the back burner for now but he may attend in a year or two.

Since his baseball retirement he has truly not looked back and has gone on to do all the other things he had always wanted to try but just never had the time given his (then) devotion to baseball.

He has won two grants for his art work. Served one year as the music director for his school's radio station and as an "on air" disc jockey. Became a staff member for the school paper. He has also taken up mountain bike riding and served two summer internships that lead to the job he is starting this June.

He's gone on camping trips, the proverbial college "road trip", had some romantic "entanglements", done some traveling and other assorted adventures that time never allowed when he was playing.

We still take in a ballgame now and then and he still has two friends still playing from his highschool/travel/club/scout team days (one in the Yankee chain, one with the Phils).

Interesting of the 15 freshman he started with on his college team as a freshman, 7 are still on the team now in their senior year and he's still in touch with most.

He still tells me he doesn't regret one momemt of all the time he played baseball and equally, has no regret that he decided to move on. A few weeks ago, he was home for the weekend and asked if i wanted to play catch but, with the "warning" to not get any ideas, he just wanted to play catch.

His graduation is May 18 and all things considered, all I can say is

quote:

His graduation is May 18 and all things considered, all I can say is

Amen! Sounds like he wrung every drop out of 4 years. Best of luck!