Oh - Noah! You and your sports! I love that you keep wanting to play and try different sports. I love how excited you get for your first practice. I love that you love talking to other people about your sports and making connections with them. I love how after the games you love to talk about how the game went and that you think you tried your best and did a really great job. I love that you love being part of a team and making new friends. I love that you like to talk and bond with the coaches. These are the things I love.
I won't go into the things I hate. But there are a lot. There are so many things about sports that are hard for Noah. We have to struggle and struggle and struggle to just limp our way through each season, practice, and game. Every season I swear to myself that it will be the last because it is so miserable. There are a lot of tears - from both me and Noah. But it is so hard when HE thinks it was great and wants to do it again. In the moment he doesn't think it is great though. He cries, and wines, and refuses to go out on the field (he always does though). He gets so frustrated when he doesn't do things perfectly - but refuses to learn and practice how to do them. But sometimes he will take advice and try a new trick the next inning. We taught him how to "look ready" in the outfield - so his coaches and teammates won't get frustrated with him. Noah's definition of "ready" and everyone else's is VERY different. We had to explain that to him and tell him sometimes you have to do things how other people want them done - even if you don't think it is necessary - just so they learn to trust you. He took this to heart and "looked ready" almost the rest of the season. He also REALLY wanted to hit the ball. He had 12 games and 8 games in had never hit (he would hit at practice quite a lot - but after about 10 pitches - he didn't have that many pitches during games :) Noah's processing speed is VERY slow - so hitting a ball takes a loooong time and a lot of pitches. He had some great coaches who worked really well with him and met him where he was at - his head coach came up with this stance for him. He looked ridiculous - but the coach said he was "half way to hitting it" with this stance. He hit a ball every game after this stance.
Noah "looking ready" in the outfield
He is not the one closest - but the one in the middle.
His team and coaches.
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