Last Saturday we were at the closing ceremonies for the little league and they announced the All Stars, they called out the names of the older kids and they did not call Javi's name. He was looked over for the second year. I can tell you right now that my heart broke when he tells me that he wasn't surprised and that what is the use of playing hard if they will never recognize what he does. I let him sit with that feeling for a bit, since he has every right to feel that, I mean, we all do at times. I know that it probably stung a bit more because his little brother got selected as an All Star and we all had high hopes as we saw what he did this year.
Javi was the most consistent player on his team. He was the starting catcher. No one else wanted to take on that role, but Javi knows that he goes where the team needs him. He caught 15 out of 19 games, only played 2 games at a different position (9 innings at 3rd base and 3 innings in right field) and when he did he did great. He was one of the fastest kids on the team and on of the most reliable hitters. He made countless defensive plays that saved the teams runs and when his teammates were being lazy and crying about what was going wrong, he stepped up and took it on himself to get the outs when they needed them.
But as with a lot of things in life, it's not what you do or know, it's who you know. His coaches focused on players that are the kids of their friends, or that play travel ball as if that is some type of right to go to the All Stars. The kids that were picked had ok seasons, both played travel ball and you could argue for both the spots for them. But for the way that they are making it seem, they did not have the impact that they thought.
Javi's team won 3 games this season, those 2 kids pitched in mostly all the games, got lit up and threw wild pitches that Javi would have to adjust to and get. While they were dealing with their own emotions and tears, Javi was behind the dish hustling to get the ball and trying to get the outs while they didn't come down to help. Even the parents and other coaches gave him compliments, but again, since we are not kiss ups to the coaches, he got looked over.
When some time had passed, I talked to him and told him that he did deserve to be there in the All Stars. But in life, we often get looked over by people because we don't kiss up, or get over friendly. I reminded him of my own experiences where I have been passed up for projects or promotions because they went to someone's friend. I reminded him that things like this cannot stop us from being the best version of ourselves. We have to continue working hard and being the best we can be, because at the end of it all, baseball, work, life, whatever it is, our work ethic is what will define us.
I know he will slowly get over it and hopefully it fuels him to get better and prove everyone wrong. He will continue to play and get better, not for the recognition of these people that really don't matter, but for himself. He will help my little son's team with coaching for the All Stars and our coaches really want to win that flag so he can sign it. He has helped us all year as a coach and although these other coaches don't want to be fair with the spots (and yes, it happened through all the divisions, kids that did not earn the spots were given them to make coaches and their friends happy), my fellow coaches appreciate him and all his help and he will be on the staff as an All Star coach.
It's tough to see your kids hurting like that and being disappointed. It's really tough to see them start to realize how the world works. Whatever type of person he becomes in the real world, I hope that he stays true to himself, works hard and is fair. One thing for sure is that I know he will be great and do much better than me. That has always been the goal.
