We had tee ball again today. At this age, they allow as many parents as would like to do so in the infield when their kid's team is fielding. Because I have two kids on the team, and because they have issues focusing on the task at hand, I'm always out there. Coach Scott tries to rotate the kids around so everyone gets to play in different locations on the field. Because every kid on the team (14 kids) plays in the field at once, there aren't really positions. Someone has to be the catcher, and someone has to be on first base to field "throws" from the fielders, but other than that they pretty much just get spaced evenly. So Scott rotates them around so everyone gets a chance to be in the front, which gives them the best chance to field balls. At one point Clara and two other kids were in the front row, which is nearly even with the pitcher's mound (even though there's no pitcher). Clara was messing around in the dirt, so I cheerfully reminded her to pay attention. That's ended up somewhat being my role as one of the field coaches. I try to make sure all the kids are paying attention and in the ready position. Joshua is one of the biggest culprits, but mostly because although he likes playing, he gets distracted by the infield dirt and how you can draw in it and play in it. Clara cares less about the game itself than he does, so for her it's mostly to pass time and to address her boredom. So for both of them, as well as for many others, I'm constantly reminding them to pay attention. It's partly so they can have the opportunity to field the ball if it comes toward them, which almost all of them like to do. But it's also for their own safety. At this age no one hits with power, and they're usually weak grounders, but it's still a baseball being hit off a tee, albeit by a 4- or 5-year-old. Today I specifically told Clara when she was in the front row, "Clara, you have to pay attention. Otherwise the ball could hit you in the face." She ignored me and continued to draw in the dirt with her shoes. I again asked her to pay attention, and she again ignored me. Well guess what happened right after that? An opposing hitter hit a bouncer, which doesn't happen often. And sure enough, it went right to her, and because she was looking down in the dirt, it popped her right in the nose. She started crying, so I ran over to her to pick her up. I held her and walked her off the field to console here. But then I looked at my shoulder, where she had been resting her head, and I saw my white shirt was covered in blood. I then ran her to the bathroom, all the while blood is pouring out of her nose and dripping on my shirt, which looked like a crime had been committed near it. I got her into the bathroom, where she was still crying, but I was able to clean her up. This is what she looked like before I cleaned her up, which is one of the saddest faces you'll ever see:
Another parent had seen what had happened, and she happened to have an ice pack, so she gave it to me to use on Clara. The game was almost over anyway, so we sat out the rest of it, and she was good as new by the time we got home. But I'm hoping, though not terribly optimistic, that she learned a lesson and will remember that, and next time she'll pay attention. But we'll see. I'm just glad it wasn't a more serious injury.
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