How did we get to this point? It seems that I was just holding him after the doctor handed him over to me the day he was born. Fast forward nearly five years and boom, he has his first day of T-ball practice. My youngest son is now an official member of a T-ball team.

For the last few weeks my wife has helped him out, preparing for practice and just today I was rolling him balls and working on his glove work. He is very excited about the start of his journey.

He recently had his first practice and the little guy was nervous. That changed a few minutes later when he met his coach and teammates. He really enjoyed hitting off the tee and fielding balls. My personal favorite to watch is how after a kid hits the ball; all (and I mean ALL) the outfield and infield rush to the ball. The bonus is when the hitter even tries to chase the ball down as well. Always worth a laugh.

His coaches were very welcoming and patient and that is truly important in T-ball. You want to make the players (and parents) feel welcomed and safe. The three coaches were patient and truly helped out the team in the first practice. I know it was a very small sample size of the 10-week season but I am convinced that the team is in good hands.

When I asked my son what his favorite part of practice was, he said: “Running the bases and calling out each base as we passed them.” He also said that he learned a lot and can not wait to go back out there. I was very proud of him. For about an hour until we headed to practice, he was nervous and doubtful. My wife and I were trying to convince him that it would be fun and he would be making new friends. By the end of the practice, he did not want to leave. Even as I type this he is running around the house with his ball and glove and throwing to me. Only time will tell how he likes baseball but for now I am excited for him. T-ball for my oldest son was a great experience and I hope this time is just as fun. Let’s play ball!

Dennis D. Cruz is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. He may be reached at drcruz@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 209-847-3021.