Remember to bring your camera to each game to take action photos
Forward these pics. to cubspics@westsidecubs.net
New Images Available under Image area
2008 Game Schedule Now Available
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Remember to bring your camera to each game to take action photos Forward these pics. to cubspics@westsidecubs.net New Images Available under Image area 2008 Game Schedule Now Available
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Father and Son Game(See Game Results) Our Cubs have been under a great deal of pressure this year with high expectations from parents and coaches to exceed their accomplishments of previous years. It seems we have spent more time telling these boys what they have done wrong, rather than telling them what they are doing right. We always forget that early each season, the boys must relearn some of the things they have forgotten. While our first goal is for the boys to have fun, this is difficult when they hear only what they are doing wrong. As the season begins, our teaching philosophy will change from pointing out mistakes to recognizing positive accomplishments. This is where the team-building process begins. As part of this process, we are trying to schedule a father-son game this year to have a fun game with fathers/mothers and boys. The game has been scheduled for April 13th. The whole purpose of this activity is to have fun. We need for all players (parents) to be present for this fun outing, in order to accomplish what we hope to accomplish. if this date or time will not work for any parent, please let us know, so we can reschedule. The team will be divided into 2 squads. Squads were primarily selected based on Catchers and pitchers, so that each squad would have two pitchers and at least one catcher. We also wanted a right-handed and left-handed pitcher for each team. This criteria narrowed our squad selection. Squad A will have:
Squad B will have:
Each player should select a father/mother to play on their team. If a mother or father is not available, we will open the selection to others, but each boy must choose their teammate.
The 5 boys on the team (collectively) will choose the positions that mothers/fathers will play.
We will play a four man outfield.
Fathers (if selected) will be handicapped. We are not sure how we will handicap them at this point, but we want them to suffer.
If they normally bat right; they will bat left.
We may require them to wear a right or left eye patch to eliminate their depth perception (while batting). Our first priority is the safety of the boys, of course.
They will be required to use their son's bat. (if a father can't hit with it, we can't blame our boys.)
Fathers should be aware that our arms are stronger than these boys are accustomed to catching, so make sure our throws are not 90 MPH.
There will be no walks. If a player (parent or Cub) has not either: struck out or hit the ball after 6 pitches, it will be counted as a strikeout. There are no "free rides". Hopefully the boys will learn to go up to the plate looking for a pitch to hit; not hoping for the opportunity to get on base through walks.
We are open to any other handicapping suggestions from mothers.
We will ask for volunteer umpires, so if a grandparent or other family member is available, please ask them to volunteer.
Hopefully, the boys will learn from this experience, but the objective is to have fun.
Or first annual Father/Son game ended with no injuries (to players), but the Tunnel Hill MedNow location was forced to close early on the following day due to a backlog of sore muscles, back aches, bruises and other aches and pains suffered by the fathers. One father came to the Sunday Association meeting sporting a nasty bruise to his right elbow (simply from swinging the bat).
Most fathers jettisoned the eye patch after the first at bat (it's harder than it looks) but some of the more stubborn fathers continued to use them just to show us they could do it (they went hitless).
Due to a protest that came in after the game had concluded involving a bad call by all the mothers behind the plate (nobody's perfect), the game ended in a 2-2 tie. The protest was referred to elected officials, who decided a tie was the fair thing for all constituents.
All in all, most of us enjoyed the outing. The quote of the day came from Dakota Ware after Kenny had finished batting - "Kenny, you stink", but batting left-handed with an eye patch isn't that easy.
Maybe when the weather warms, we'll have the opportunity to do it again. Maybe the next time, we'll make it the Cubs vs. the Moms and the dads can sit back and enjoy. We'll get the Hamilton Medical Center ready. It sure takes some of the pressure off the dads.
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