Dealing with Disappointment

This blog has been my release valve this tournament. There has been great moments and there have been moments of crying this week - from a completely unexpected source. I'm glad I've had this to talk.

Now I'm probably going to make myself too vulnerable here. I'm ok with it.

The assignments came out for tomorrow. The first game is the Southern California vs. Northern California for the California State Championship. The second game is Washington vs. Alaska. I have the plate for Washington vs. Alaska.

I get another plate, which is exciting, but this means that I will not get one of the semi's or the finals plate. Upon seeing the assignment, I was disappointed. I wanted a semi or the final. It was hard work getting here. Tons of games. Tons of time away from my family. Tons of study. And... I'm on Washington/Alaska. It'll be a good game but the dream isn't fulfilled.

I knew this was a horrible attitude to have. It is not the attitude I expect myself to have. I couldn't feign excitement so I went to look for a broom. Why a broom?

In 2 weeks, I will be out here as a Little League volunteer sweeping trash in the stadium. I swept two sections of the stands tonight. It was a good amount of trash. Why? Tonight I was sweeping trash. Tomorrow, I'll be umpiring a quarterfinal game at the Western Region Little League Softball Tournament. These girls have played hard to get here and deserve an umpire who will give as much as they do, if not more.

Next week, this tournament will be done and the boy's tournament will be right around the corner. I will be out here sweeping trash again. Why? Because I'm a Little League volunteer. I could be sitting at home watching TV or helping clean up out here. Sure, 6 am is awfully early in the morning but it is worth it it because I am with my friends and with people who are pushing to a common goal - to teach boys and girls respect, character, courage, and loyalty.

So I swept trash. It was pretty hard as I didn't have a push broom but only a house broom. There were no blowers, no gloves, no one else to help. I did sweep up 2 sections. I swept trash because I needed reminding that there is no small job not needed in Little League. Whether it is trash, or announcing, or umpiring, I am part of the family here in San Bernardino. Am I going to walk out with my music playing as two teams fight for a spot in Alpenrose? Not this year. There is no shame because the other umpires here worked as hard as I did and studied as hard, worked as many games and spent as many hours away from home to prepare for this tournament. I don't have a monopoly in hard work.

I will run out of that tunnel with my head held high because tomorrow, my little part of making this one of the best places to be in late July and early August will be behind the plate making sure that no one gets an unfair advantage contrary to the Little League Rulebook. 

This is the cherry on top. I'm doing a quarterfinal game in San Bernardino at the end of July. This is the dream come true.

Day 7 recap tomorrow. I know my walkup music for tomorrow's game already and it's not a repeat of the Imperial March from my first plate. You'll see.

Schedule:

Wednesday: 7:30 pm - Washington vs. Alaska - Plate

For my love, Trina Escarzaga.

First 3 Days Schedule

Quick note:

Friday:
9:00 am - 2nd Base
7:30 pm - 1st Base

Saturday
5:00 pm - Plate

Monday
9:00 am - Alternate
7:30 pm - 3rd Base

Assignments were taken out of a hat a few days ago. I have the 5:00 pm Saturday plate. Nor Cal/Utah. That may be an amazing game with a great crowd. Time to show what I can do!

First Weekend

Temperatures in the Inland Empire have been intense! Probably those in Arizona can laugh and point and say that I should just deal with the cool temperatures, but after a spring of pretty mild temperatures, this weekend has been killer. Saturday, my first game started at 9 am and went 4 hours. I was the second base umpire so I didn't have the gear but I did go through a ton of water. Temperatures by 1 pm hovered around 105.

Saturday afternoon I went up to Grand Terrace to start helping with District 21's softball tournaments. Temperatures up there were around 95 at 5:00 pm, and then the humidity started. The 8 pm game wasn't bad temperature wise (high 80s) but the humidity kept rising.

So then I had 2 games behind the plate on Monday night. The 5:30 pm 8-10 yrs Softball ended up being 23-13 after 4 mercy rule. The second game, starting about 8 pm, was the Major Softball championship game. Grand Terrace had a fantastic pitcher. She was perfect in the bottom of the 4th with 2 outs. Batter #12 for the game was at the plate with a 2-2 count when the pitcher grooves one down the middle. The batter lifts the ball into centerfield, straight at the fielder. She lifts her glove and... the ball bounces out. A few throwing errors later, the batter rounds the bases for their first run of the game. Perfect game and shutout are gone in one error. No hitter is still possible.

The next batter comes up and hits a 1-2 fastball to the right side between the first baseman and second baseman, ending up with a double. No hitter is out the window. Next batter strikes out. Game over. 14-1. District championship to Grand Terrace.

I have been chugging water like crazy this weekend though. I need to keep up on my body temperature regulation. Even though the games are in the evening, I need to remember my towels to keep my core temperature down. While I love umpiring, I don't really want to die out on the field. I did have to pull out of a game a few weeks ago because I could feel myself fading. I don't like that feeling - first not physically, and then not mentally where I left my partners hanging. That isn't fair to them or the kids. Have to pay more attention to that. And it's only going to get harder as we head towards the end of July in San Bernardino.

Upcoming schedule:

Tonight: - District 21

5:30 pm - 8/10 Softball Semi-finals

8:00 pm - Junior Softball Finals

Tomorrow: District 21

5:30 pm - 8/10 Softball Finals

8:00 pm - Junior Softball (If Game)

Thursday: District 21

6:00 pm - 8/10 Softball (If Game)

Saturday: District 28

1:30 pm - 8/10 Baseball - Wildomar

Monday: District 71 - Section 8

5:00 Junior Softball Section

7:30 Junior Softball Section

Tuesday: District 71 - Section 8

5:00 Junior Softball Section

7:30 Junior Softball Section

Wednesday: District 71 - Section 8

Time? - Intermediate Baseball Sections

Thursday: District 71 - Section 8

6:00 pm - Junior Softball Section

Sunday, July 2 - District 49 - Section 8

6:00 pm - 9-11 Softball Section

July 5-7 - District 71 - Section 8

Various finals TBD

July 10 - District 21 - Section 8

5:30 Major Baseball Section

7:30 Major Baseball Section

July 13 - District 49 - Division 3

6:00 pm Major Softball Championship

July 19 - Report to San Bernardino

Mid January Update

I said the biggest challenge for me on the road to San Bernardino is losing weight. The day I got the letter, I was at the highest weight I had ever reached, 350 lbs. I have been doing some stepping but mainly, I have been watching what I eat. I have cut down portion size tremendously. I have cut out snacking, or if I do grab a snack, it's something like a Fiber One bar or a 100 calorie pack of almonds.
This morning, the scale read 325.4. That's 25 pounds in a month. I know 25 pounds a month won't continue as the beginning is the easy part but it's a good start.

Upcoming events:
January 28-29: Level 2 Rules Clinic in San Bernardino
Februay 3-4: Umpire training for District 28
February 11: 5k with the family at Lake Perris

That's all I really wanted to get out there. Weight update.