Tag Archives: Achievers League

365 Day Photo Challenge 148/365 “Feeling Old”

30 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Photography

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

_1TH5598

I did another shoot with the Achievers League today.  It was hot but the occasional breeze gave us some relief. We had somewhat of a different crowd this week.  Some showed up that had other plans last week while others stayed home because of other plans that came up at the last minute.  Regardless, everyone had a wonderful time.

The gentleman pictured here is with his daughter.  I’m not sure what her disability is but it was obvious that she needed help and her dad was more than happy to oblige.  He showed her how to hold the bat as I’m sure he did a hundred other times she went up to bat. She took a couple of swings as the ball went past her before she finally nailed it and the ball flew over the third base line.  “Fair Ball” the announcer said as she and her dad took off running the plates.  I wished everyone felt as good as she did as she made it to home plate.  The look on her face was priceless.

As she made her way to home plate from third, I had a flashback when I could remember watching her dad run the plates in high school.  He and I went to the same school from the 7th to the 12th.  I would never have guessed that he would have had kids especially one with disabilities.  Same with me.  I would have never guessed that I would be married for 23 years and have one kid in college and two that will be seniors next year in high school.  Made me feel real old.

My wife and I took my girls to a nearby state park after the ball game and I took some senior pictures of my girls.  It was an emotional day seeing them wear my son’s cap and gown for the pictures.  Where has the time gone?  It doesn’t feel like they should be this old.  Again, I feel old.

365 Day Photo Challenge 141/365 “Achievers League”

23 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Photography

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

_1TH4748I stood between home plate and 1st base.  I watched kids step up to the plate, most of which needed help of some sort.  Some were in wheelchairs, some had walkers while others needed no help at all.  Regardless of their abilities, all made a home run and you should have seen their faces once they hit that ball.  It was funny watching these kids
“run the bases”.  Nearly all kids ran to first but second and third would always seem to be missed but they always found their way to home plate and managed to “jump” to score.

There were no outs and no scoring involved.  Although I did hear the announcer say that the blue team scored 732 points during their time at bat. “Could the green team have a come back and win the game?”  All team members had a chance to hit the ball then it was the other teams turn at bat.

Each player had a specific song that was played as the child’s name was announced.  It made the kids feel important.  Some gave high fives and waved to the crowd as they stepped up to the plate.  A couple even danced a jig when they made it back to home plate after their home run.

Only two innings were played but in the faces of all these kids it might as well been twelve innings.  These kids didn’t care, they got to play baseball, they got to hit the ball, they got to run the bases and they got their names called out over the intercom system along with their favorite song. There were no parents fighting with the umpires or among themselves.  Both sides cheered for all the kids not just for their own.  For about an hour we lived in a perfect world, at least in these kids eyes.

For now this is the only picture I’ll post.  I’ll have to get permission to post the link to where the rest are located.

“Life Goes On!”