Taking One For The Team

Regular readers will know that ol' Robbo is coaching softball again this fall.

I still have a great many things to learn in terms of coaching skills, but one motivational technique has turned out to be pure gold: the promise that when taking batting practice in the cages, if one of the gels hits a line-drive back through the net that hits Coach R, he'll buy her an ice-cream. (I reserve the right to try and duck, but even then if they hit it hard enough I can't always get out of the way in time.)

You should see the way their faces light up, the greedy little brutes. Nonetheless, it certainly makes them focus on smacking the ball. I've already been popped a couple times, once by a gel who was none to sure of her batting skills going in.

What's a bruise or two if you can get results like that?

(BTW, the other night as I was trying to organize my little herd of cats just prior to game time, I muttered "Good thing they're paying me so much for this." A couple parents in the bleachers overheard me and practically fell off their seats laughing.)