The fun of sitting on a Maine small town bleacher side by side with other parents hooting, hollering and supporting a local little league baseball team.

In a small Maine town you watch the kids grow up. Know their brothers and sisters because your own kids are in the same mix. Raised together by the entire village.

Little league baseball coaches help shape the good sportsmanship gene in the rag tag collection of players they lottery pick each spring.

Who start out the season pretty scattered but by the end of the schedule are a tight group. Win or lose, lessons of competition and focus, determination to work as a team are planted firmly. For each and every team member to apply to their lives. To remember when they pick up the clipboard, laced up the sneakers and slide on the same color hat to coach a team of their own in later years.

It is rich enjoyment to be a sponsor of a Maine little league sports team. Here’s a video of a Maine little league team game I enjoyed a red snapper hot dog and soda at this week.

Win or lose, the little league team rallies around the parking lot of local Maine dairy bar ice cream take out establishments.

To relive, do the play by play according to their recollection of the events of the innings just played. That are now in the history books. With someone the most valuable player. That sometimes takes home the game winning leather stitched ball. The one with the coach’s hen scratchings, shorthand of the date inked, branded on it. To be placed on a dresser top, bedroom night stand. Cherished, treasured, remembered as the little league game’s hero of the day.

Lessons learned on the little league ball diamond. To see the improvement of being beaten twice by the eventual league champion team. But knowing the guys and gals in your dugout almost won the second meeting. After losing the earlier season contest in a lop sided, high scoring game by the talented opponent, victor. Winning is sweeter when you have lost many games. When you earn the win, work hard to achieve it. And are a gracious winner because you have been on the other side, experienced a loss. And win with grace, class.

It is only a game, it is supposed to be fun. Make sure all the little league parents got that memo.

And you used to trust the coach of the other team to rein in the horses if the game winner became obvious early on. When the two sport teams were mismatched. The other coach pulls out the white flag of surrender. Waving it as a sign to be charitable and to try not to demoralize his team members too badly. Now there is a five run limit on runaway innings. When pitching goes south, the opposing teams bats get hot. And the hits, run production, score starts to take off like wildfire.

If you are looking for some outdoor exercise, considering laying down grounders at a little league game practice. Helping the emotional, exciting young team of new recruits settle down, gain focus and discipline. To not get in the habit of who does the team member blame when the chips are down. That there is no “I” in team.

To discuss what just happened with the little league team all eyes and ears in the dugout after a loss.

Beat by a better team or was everyone a little over confident because of expectations of a win that did not pan out discussed, pondered. And checking the schedule to remind the players to let Mom and Dad know the next game is Thursday night. To have you dropped off earlier or to ride their bikes to the park ball diamond at a new time. To be here at 5pm for a little longer practice going into the next game on the Maine little league roster.

Maine, you’re here, made it. Roll down the window, relax, fill your lungs with some fresh air.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com