Baseball parents typically begin their journey when their children are in Pre-K. Not me. My child was 9, and I thought it was a passing phase; so I signed him up on a rec league. He is 17 now, and is still playing (we are playing "select" baseball now); more determined than ever to go to college on a baseball scholarship.

I have gone to multiple practices and games, traveled many miles and paid LOTS of money for him to have pitching, hitting, and fielding lessons; not to mention all of the equipment and gear. I never knew how expensive baseball bats were until I began this journey!

I can tell you now, though, I would not trade the past 8 years of being a baseball mom for anything! I have loved the journey as much as he has. Doing something that he loves, my son has made lots of friends, traveled many miles, and his commitment to the game has given him direction in his life.

He has learned how to look up when he did not play so well; there is always tomorrow. He has learned that it is not just about playing the game, but about the people that you meet and play with along the way. He has learned that there are some things that you just have to figure out yourself - no one can help you. He has learned patience and resilience.

More than just having fun, it is a drive that keeps him focused. It is all in the attitude.

And where have I been? Sometimes beside him, but always in the background supporting his efforts and praising him on to another day. I have washed many loads of grimy laundry; listened while he vented (Mom, I know I need to throw strikes - that is why I am out there! They don't need to tell me..); made the hotel arrangements for the out-of-town trips; and the list goes on. Yes, we have the net in the back yard. No, I did not plant that tree - it was in the way of playing catch.

All that I ask from him in return...if you are going to do this and we are going to put the time in - please do your best. He has never let me down.

This is not a part-time effort. This is every day. It is weight lifting, running, throwing, and hitting. It is the right diet - yes, my 17 yr. old son is more committed to eating right than I am most days. We must have the right amount of protein and carbs, right? It is all in the attitude.

My friends ask me what television programs I watch at night. Are they kidding? It is baseball. 24/7 - it is all in the attitude.

And while I see other teenage boys wandering around without any direction - I know where mine is and I know where he is going. He is not concerned about the latest fashion craze. T-shirts, baseball hats, and mesh shorts make up the majority of his closet. Tennis shoes, and baseball cleats are what he wears on his feet.

He will be a senior this next year. One more year of high school baseball. It has finally sunk in. Time to take the ACT and SAT tests, sign up for the NCAA clearinghouse, and decide what the college major will be. Decisions, decisions, decisions. But, he is preparing himself. Academics did not take a backseat along the way. His commitment did not end on the baseball field; but, carried over to the classroom where he has exceled as well.

Will he play college ball? I have no doubt! I am supporting him all the way...IT IS ALL IN THE ATTITUDE!

That was my question? What is select baseball? After all, we had been playing rec league baseball for several years at this point. Everything seemed to be going along fine, didn't it? Yes, but Mom all the "other guys" are signing up for select leagues.

As I write along, you will find out that, even though I support my children in all of their endeavors, when they tell me they want to do something, they have to do some of the leg work too. That tells me if it is important to them or not.

And, nothing happened for awhile. Football season showed up with the new school year and the term "select baseball" faded into the background. Then football season ended. There were then big dreams of playing basketball. The coaches had other ideas (don't they always?). I have never seen a child so angry as when he was told that he would be in football offseason workouts - not basketball. Oh, it had nothing to do with ability. He was just better suited for football.

They had gone where I had not. They had decided for him which sport he would play. In his anger that day, he came home and told me that it did not matter what they wanted. He would stay in that offseason class since he had no other choice; but, if he could not play basketball, he wanted to play baseball. Select Baseball. There were those 2 words again.

I told him that was fine. This time, I knew he was serious so I asked him what the difference was in select and rec league. A very serious 7th grader told me that you had to try out and be "selected" to play on the team. Before, he had simply signed up and been "assigned" to a team. This time, it was indeed a serious matter.

The first step was to find a team. Have you ever witnessed a middle school child who really wanted something? No stone must have been left unturned as he headed off to school the next day. He came home with the name and phone number in hand. I was not to go to bed until I had made the call - which I did. I explained to the coach that my son was most likely not the best player, but he would not find anyone who WANTED to play more than he did. I was given a date and time to show up for the tryout.

We showed up, he was "selected", and we moved upward to another level of playing baseball. He was ecstatic and his basketball career was left in the dust. He occasionally shoots a few hoops; the goal is still in the driveway. But, his love for baseball far outshines what was left behind.

We have tried out for several select teams now. The drive to the tryout seems to be the same - Mom, I am out of my league with these guys. Well, son, we will not know until we get there. He has been turned down by a couple of teams. He was not what they were looking for; not the right fit. Who does not need a left-handed pitcher? But, his skin is thick and he knows that to succeed one must keep trying.

So, after you are selected, what then? We were introduced to the world of paying quite a bit more to play. After all, there were league fees, tournament fees, coaches fees, etc. And, the equipment is not cheap! And there is travel - quite far beyond the back yard travel. Just this year, we have been to Little Rock, AR, Austin, TX, and Stillwater, OK to name a few. There are pitching and hitting lessons.

Yes, there has been a lot of time and effort put into this wonderful game of baseball. My son hopes to be seen by that one scout that will think he is good enough to come and play for their college team. And until then, we keep on playing "select baseball".

I have been doing this for enough years now to have seen some players that are totally dedicated to the game, some that are "somewhat" dedicated, and some that are in it because they are naturals or because Mom and/or Dad wanted them to. If you have read the first 2 entries that I wrote, you know that I have not pushed my son to play this game. This was something that HE wanted. I am just along for the ride.

As I have mentioned before, when a child wants something really badly, they will stop at nothing until they have it. That being said, his days are wrapped around playing baseball.

All days begin with the first breakfast at 5 a.m., and an additional protein bar before heading out the door to work out. (I will discuss diet in another section). Monday, Tuesday and Thursday there is summer workout at the high school from 7-8:30 which includes running and weightlifting. There is another small snack (usually a protein shake) once he returns and sits down to rest for a bit.

Then there are daily chores. These change a little daily, but he is responsible for the following: the lawn, (mowing, weedeating, trimming shrubs, etc.), loading/unloading the dishwasher, folding laundry, keeping his room clean, and writing articles for Mom. When school begins, this will vary somewhat since he has to make time for schoolwork.

I do not give him a specific timeline for each day. What order he does his "chores" in is up to him. I only care that they are completed. So, if he hooks up with a friend in the morning after workout - that is fine. BUT, anything that he is responsible for must be completed in a timely manner. In this way, both of us benefit. I don't have to keep reminding him, and he has his free time as well.

He will sit down at lunch time for another meal - eating consistently is a very important part of his day. Around 5 or so - dinner is served! On days that there is not team practice, you can find him in the back yard throwing balls - yes, we have a net!

Tuesday night and Thursday night is baseball practice with his team. Once he is back home - he has another snack, showers and is typically in bed by 9 or so. Rest is very important in the life of a dedicated baseball player. And, sometimes, he naps during the day (especially on Tuesday and Thursdays when he has practice at night).

The normal reaction that I get when I share this with people is a little bit of shock. Most teenagers are not in bed by 9 and they do not get up at 5 in the morning. Typical? No - but I am very proud of the dedication and commitment that he shows on a daily basis.

Wow! What a subject! I have been hearing more and more from some other players that their baseball instructor wants them to gain weight. While it is true that you do not have to be as big as a football player, you cannot maintain your strength and build muscle mass on a poor diet. So, eat up! But stick to a diet that will help to build muscle and energy.

I mentioned briefly above that my son does get up early and head for the kitchen. One of his favorite snacks is a bowl of cereal (he loves frosted mini wheats) with skim milk. Protein bars and shakes are for after the workout. He sticks to high protein and high carb meals as a general rule. Chunky chicken noodle soup or an entire can of tuna (packed in water)as a sandwich - no salad dressing or mayonnaise - for lunch. He eats an apple EVERY day. It is a staple for him and has natural sugar. He drinks LOTS of water. No soda!!! They are wasted calories. He has at least 1 glass of juice in the morning for vitamin C. Vitamin C is water soluble and washes out of your body on a daily basis, so you should have some each day.

If he has eaten something that is not quite so healthy, he hits the road to run a couple of miles. Those foods are pizza and hamburgers. He is happiest when I fix hamburgers at home so he can control what is on them. No extra stuff! And no fries!

We eat spaghetti with meat sauce at least once a week. It is one stop shopping! You get the protein, veggies, and carbs all in one meal. Sauteed chicken is popular at our house. I serve it with rice, steamed broccoli, and fresh sliced tomato on the side. Like Mexican? I make my own enchiladas or soft tacos with the fresh vegetables and rice on the side.

Need extra protein before a workout. A peanut butter and honey sandwich works great! All sandwiches are on whole wheat bread. Need extra calcium, grab a cup of yogurt.

There is not any skimping on the calories, but they all have to count. They cannot be empty. Empty means they do not have any vitamin content. No chips. He eats beef jerky. No regular ice cream, he eats frozen yogurt or sugar-free, low fat ice cream. No store-bought cake with the frosting. We opt for a homemade carrot cake with the veggies and nuts or a pumpkin bread.

I always cook extra so that he can have the leftovers for lunch when possible. Not all kids do this, but he has never minded.

He does LOVE fried chicken with mashed potatoes (no gravy) and green beans. BUT, it is high protein and the potatoes count as a carb for him. Homemade beef stew is a favorite. I fix a big pot of it during the winter. Chicken pot pie - meat, veggies, and carbs all together. There are all kinds of options to have in place of the "junk food". I will be posting some recipes for some of these things later.

Stay Tuned!

Well, it is time to get ready for the senior year. There is so much to plan for! Senior pictures, class schedules, picking out what college you want to attend, and of course, finding that college that wants you on their baseball team. How do you mesh all of this together?

It does not all happen in your senior year. If playing baseball at a D1 school has been your dream, the plan should have began in grade school. Maintain that 4. GPA, take some of the harder classes (you will be glad that you did later on!), practice baseball, play on teams that will put you in the spotlight, and STAY FOCUSED ON THE GOAL!

My son is in a good position academically, but he does not have that golden spot on a college baseball team yet. How do you get there? I don't have all of the answers, but the immediate goal is to be accepted by a better select team...one that can make sure you are in front of the scouts and help to develop your athletic skills, one that has a major league scout as a coach! So, he is now trying out for other select teams. So far, he has gotten some good feedback. Stay tuned for where we head off to!

School starts Aug. 25th and he has a schedule in hand, and a plan in his heart. Determination to succeed is key. He is in the baseball class this fall and will be a part of the high school fall baseball team as well. This is his chance to spend time with his friends...socialize. They are a part of his support system. That is important to. I support him in EVERYTHING that he does, but he also needs his friends and his friends need him. They are a TEAM. This is yet another important element in his success.

Stay Tuned! More to come!