Mother's Day 2022 looks very different than the past two years. For me, in particular, it is turning into a really wonderful day. I mean who wouldn't want to go to a single-admission double header at Yankee Stadium with your two kids? But on a day-to-day basis I believe it is my role to guide and support my two twenty-something kids as they navigate the sometimes-rough waters of life. The role of a parent, in this case a mother or someone that has served that role for you, cannot be underestimated or undervalued. Behind the scenes of every good player is a champion and many times it is your mother.
Recently Aaron Judge was in the spotlight for his kindness instead of his lingering contract. Recall that in Toronto last week, a Blue Jay fan handed a Yankees fan wearing #99 on his back a home run ball blasted by Judge in the series against Toronto. A day later, the young fan got to meet his hero and Judge signed his ball. Kindness is not something that is automatic. It is learned. It is witnessed. It is carried into practice after observation through the circle of people around you. Baseball is more than just talent, it's personality and humility too.
"I know I wouldn't be a New York Yankee if it wasn't for my mom," Judge said. "The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff. She's molded me into the person that I am today," reported MLB.com.
One of baseball's best players Christian Yelich, almost gave up the sport of baseball in Little League. Now he leads his first place Brewers at the top of the NL Central Division and credits his mom for keeping him committed all those years ago.
"Almost everyone in the big leagues can say that if it wasn’t for their mom they wouldn’t be a professional baseball player. Baseball moms offer so much love and support and encouragement to their sons and daughters. They go above and beyond the call of duty, and they’re almost never recognized for it. They do it out of love, plain and simple," Yelich shared in a 2019 Players' Tribune post.
According to a 2018 Washington Post's article, "He wanted to play professional baseball. Here’s how his parents helped him get there," journalist and MLB mom Edie Ravenelle share the heart of preparing your child for a career in sports. Beside repetitive practice and countless hours of playing baseball and watching yourself and others play baseball, she provides a list of other learning that needs to take place and modeled by mothers and others close to a child:
- How to graciously lose or to handle not getting the playing time you think you earned
- Self-reflection and resilience following a poor performance
- Overcoming setbacks such as getting injured and then having to work your way back
- The ethics of true leadership in doing your job, the right way, even when a coach or a teammate might not be.
When a baseball player makes it to the big leagues, they cite that in order to be at their best, they need support. Support comes in various ways, from fan to coach support. But there is also a family behind a big leaguer who has also committed time and effort in helping to prepare that young man for a future in baseball. Sure there is the countless hours of driving to and from practices and washing and prepping uniforms for the next tournament. But there is also the wisdom that mothers and guardians can give impressionable kids during their formative years which is a huge part of that player's future success.
So, when I step into Yankee Stadium for the first time in more than two years Sunday afternoon, Mother's Day, I reflect on how I got here. You see it was my kids that planned the day. They collaborated and bought the tickets. They know my love of the game and wanted to make this a day filled with things I love. There is so much behind their success as not just athletes from elementary through college, but as people. Never underestimate what you do for others, from kind words to teachable moments. They all have value. Because behind the scenes of every good person is a champion that helped them get there. Happy Mother's Day to all of you who have shared your wisdom and kindness with others who need it.
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--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
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