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Is baseball played in the Fall?


I was heating up my lunch yesterday and someone asked, "is baseball played in the Fall?"

 I laughed for several reasons, but more so because baseball has become a year-round passion of ours.  

 Note:  I fully believe and subscribe to the school of thought that kids should play several sports.  My kids play several sports.  Baseball just happens to be the sport that we use for life lessons.  Baseball is always, and I mean always, around us.

 Yes, I replied, we play baseball in the Fall and we love it.  But baseball in the Fall is unique for so many reasons.  We don't usually keep that close of an eye on the scores.  We emphasize fundamentals and the process -- not the outcomes.

 Fall baseball has become how I'd like to treat all of baseball.  I follow a number of youth baseball organizations and they tout their success winning tournament after tournament.

 To some extent, I just don't care if you won that tournament or not.  I care more about developing the person and the ballplayer.  Are we giving our kids enough of the tools to succeed on the diamond and in life?  Granted, I'm "just" a little league coach, but I take that opportunity seriously.  

 Build the kid.  Encourage them.  Challenge them.  Praise the process, not the results.  That is what Fall baseball is all about.

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