Feel Good Moment - Welles Wins First Game

There is nothing more satisfying to a coach then seeing someone, or a group you work with, get better and have success. This story, however, is rather unique. I live on the corner of one of Chicago's biggest biggest youth baseball organizations (Welles Park). Its my neighborhood, I know the community, and I know a lot of the kids. Over the years, I've worked with kids and teams at this park whenever I can fit it in my schedule. One particular team, the Welles Park 12U part time travel team needed some help. You see, they haven't won a game going on 3 years. They are great kids, most of which I've known for 3 or 4 years, and they have somehow managed to keep a great positive attitude and outlook on the game through this experience.

This year, friends of mine who ran the team, reached out for help. I said to them, that to compete with suburban teams, you have to start training before March, which is what all of the suburban teams do. I started training them in January, doing team practices at the White Sox Academy on Sunday nights. Over time, the boys started to look and think like competitive baseball players. I placed them with a very tough pre-season schedule, playing some of the best full time travel teams in the Chicago area, such as the Homer Heat and Lisle Wolves. Although they were beaten handily, they competed, and never backed down.

Last night was their first regular season league game against the Skokie Indians. The confidence of the boys on the field, looked like a group of veterans. They looked and played the game the right way. Listen to these numbers. . . 0 errors and only 3 walks given up in a full game! If you pitch it and pick it up in this game - you win - at any level. And that's exactly what the boys did! With a 9-5 victory, they learned that hard work certainly pays off. To see 15 smiling boys running off the field for their first victory in years, in their first game was a true feel good moment. The parents, coaches and mostly the players, were and should be proud of themselves. I really believe that the best is yet to come for this group!