COMMUNITY SPORTS COMMENTARY: Channeling the force a chore in T-ball
By ERIC BREIER - Staff Writer | ∞
There was never any question that I would face challenges as a T-ball coach. I just expected most of them would revolve around baseball.
Little did I know that George Lucas would be the biggest challenge.
Forget about teaching kids the fundamentals of baseball. The real key is getting them to forget about George Lucas, or, more accurately, the "Star Wars" phenomenon he spawned.
Don't get me wrong, I love "Star Wars" as much as anybody. Well, maybe not as much as those 40-year-olds who dress up as Yoda at Comic-Con. But I enjoyed the movies, at least the original three.
But I never figured on "Star Wars" fanaticism becoming an issue at T-ball, especially since this isn't 1977.
The problem isn't that there are 12 kids on the Escondido National Little League T-ball Padres who are obsessed with "Star Wars." The problem is there's one kid who acts like Darth Vader, and he's doing his best to recruit 11 Luke Skywalkers to the Dark Side.
Naturally, that one kid is my son.
You might wonder how a 6-year-old can be obsessed with a movie made more than 30 years ago. Well, it seems Lucas has infiltrated our schools and used his Jedi mind tricks on our youth. Before starting kindergarten nine months ago, my son didn't know George Lucas from George Costanza. Today, he can diagram the entire Skywalker family tree.
And now it's his mission in life to recruit others to his very own rebel alliance.
At the beginning of the season, I let him indulge in his "Star Wars" obsession while we waited for his teammates to arrive for practice. Summoning his inner dork, he practiced his Jedi moves by using his glove in place of a lightsaber. Despite his pleadings, I wasn't crazy enough to let him use a bat to do it. Besides, I was glad to see him getting some use out of his glove. It's not like he uses it in the field.
Unfortunately, as soon as one of his teammates arrived, he went from Jedi-in-training to Sith overlord in charge of recruiting. It usually started with a casual Darth Maul or Qui-Gon Jinn reference to see if he could get a positive reaction from one of his teammates. Before long, it was like watching Olivier perform Shakespeare as he did his best James Earl Jones impression while reciting passages from one of the movies.
Eventually, I had to implement a rule for my son banning all Star Wars-speak and lightsaber maneuvers until after practices and games. But the ban didn't come before he found a kindred spirit in teammate Mickey Chew.
Mickey is a year younger than my son and finishing up his final year of preschool, but he's like the Mel Kiper Jr. of the "Star Wars" world. He can break down the differences between Stormtroopers and Sandtroopers like Kiper talking about an offensive lineman from North Dakota State. Mickey even brings his "Star Wars" gear to practice and games on occasion so he and my son can work on their technique afterward.
At one recent game, Mickey worked in a few subtle lightsaber moves as he jogged to the plate to bat.
"Use the Force," I said when he arrived at the tee to hit.
Mickey didn't crack even the slightest hint of a smile. I'd say it's because he takes his baseball very seriously, but I'm pretty sure it's because he takes his "Star Wars" very seriously.
I didn't learn my lesson about making "Star Wars" cracks and gave it another shot during our game Saturday. We were in the field and Mickey was looking bored, so I suggested he use the Force like General Grievous. It was a major faux pas on my part. Mickey admonished me for thinking General Grievous had the power to use the Force, then completed the lesson by giving me a list of the "Star Wars" characters who have the ability to use it. Fortunately, there weren't a lot of baseballs being hit in our direction.
For the most part, my son and Mickey have learned to keep their Jedi maneuvers limited to after games and practices. Sure, they need the occasional reminder, but I really don't mind that my son has developed such a fondness for the "Star Wars" universe. However, it hasn't stopped me from warning him that such an intense fascination with "Star Wars" could have serious implications later in life ---- namely trying to get a date. Or, worse, he might still be living with me when he's 40.
But if it makes him happy, I don't see any harm in it. His sister might disagree given the number of lightsaber shots to the head she's taken. I loved baseball cards as a kid ---- still do, to my wife's chagrin ---- so what's a few hundred "Star Wars" action figures lying around the house waiting to be stepped on in the middle of the night?
Besides, it could always be worse. He could be a Trekkie.
Staff writer Eric Breier will chronicle his experience as a T-ball manager with occasional columns throughout the season. He can be reached at ebreier@nctimes.com.
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kevin wrote on Jun 2, 2008 10:55 AM:remember, he's your son, and i can tell you love him very much. don't quit telling him either. let him follow his path in life, if he wants to be a fan or a baseball player its all the same. keep encouraging him to be unique, being normal is overrated. i honestly wish i had a dad like you when i was growing up, being there for your son no matter where he goes in life. peace!
Dave wrote on Jun 2, 2008 11:08 AM:If he's still living at home when he's 40 it's not because of Star Wars, but because his own father calls him a dork and uses him as the butt of his jokes.
Dad rule #1: Never make a joke at the expense of your own child. Especially if it involves something he's passionate about.
That comment about your son not using his glove in the field made me ill, coach.
Kevin wrote on Jun 2, 2008 11:56 AM:Wow Dave, lighten up! He was interjecting humor into the article for our enjoyment and benefit. He didn't say he yells profusly at his son for his play on the field during T-ball games. How many fathers can relate to his comment thinking about their own son's time in T-ball?
More to the point, his son living at home when he is 40 is more likely to be from being a fanboy than it is from being used as the butt of his fathers jokes. Being the butt of the jokes is more likely to make him angry or violent and want to move out as soon as possible to get away from him. As a fanboy meself, trust me on this.
Enjoyable article.
Lighten up Dave wrote on Jun 2, 2008 1:28 PM:As a former T-ball coach I see the writers point. Joking about your son isn't as damaging as you might think and sometimes leads to him having thicker skin when he's older. T-ball is about making the kids laugh and if they learn any and I mean ANY baseball skills during the season you did your job. It's a blast and should be fun for all, don't be so sensitive about humor, it's just a joke.
Garrett.king wrote on Jun 2, 2008 2:23 PM:Yeah, my grandfather was disappointed in me when I quit T-Ball when I was 7 because I found sports so boring and unimportant. I eventually fell in love with star wars which has lead to me knowing my place in life and ultimately knowing who myself and my friends are.
Sports fans who mock comic book or movie fans are walking, talking contradictions as they follow their favorite sports teams, wear their jerseys and build their own sports shrines, live as bachelors for 60 years then die alone.
Fun talk.
SW-Sports Daddy wrote on Jun 3, 2008 6:02 AM:I'm a rare breed in that not only am I a HUGE Star Wars NERD but, I also LOVE sports of all kinds (especially football which I coach). I'm also MARRIED with 2 Kids!!!! AHH! Stars Wars nerd got a girl!!!! My son is 5 and played T-ball last summer and has done soccer last fall and this spring. It is very hard for me to watch my son play sports since he has no enthusiasm at all. During soccer he just runs around the field not even knowing where the ball is 85% of the time. As soon as the game or even practice is over he starts asking, "Can we go home and play my Lego Star Wars game" (which is a really fun game for him and my wife and me). He has all 6 movies as well as the Clone Wars Cartoons and even all of the music totally memorized. He has more Star Wars knowledge than most adults who were alive to see the first movie in 1977! I feel the same way as this coach does when I watch my little "dork" playing sports. We tell my son he is a nerd just like his dad when it comes to Star Wars. I havent given up on him in sports yet but so far it's been more comedy than action. And we still enjoy watching him play and run around aimlessly. And yes, we tell him we love him many times every day. Star Wars nerd and all!
Linda E wrote on Jun 3, 2008 10:54 AM:I so enjoy these articles!! I am going to miss them when the season ends!!
Growing experiences are the best!! We live and learn our whole lifes!! The memories of my son's T-ball days are back with me and I can't get the smile off my face.
Thanks
Susan wrote on Jun 3, 2008 4:58 PM:Come on Guys, the writer seems to have a great sense of humor and much experience with children. Much of his humor is "tongue in cheek", lighten up. I'll be sorry when baseball season is over. Hopefully he will follow his son into soccer and write more stories.
Carol wrote on Jun 7, 2008 7:50 PM:I really enjoy these articles about T-Ball and the children. I know first hand that the children had a top notch coach and the child he refers to as the little dork couldn't find a better father. This coach Eric Breier not only works full time as a sports editor but he also volunteers in his sons classroom and is an A #1 husband!!!!!I know his father-in-law would be so very proud of him, for Eric has a true love of the sport and his son. Signed Carol P
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