“Respect for Your Teammates. Respect for Your Opponents. Respect for the Game.”

by Valerie J. Calderon

                The Omaha Pacesetters ushered in their 23rd baseball season this week inspired by rich history and hope for the future. Harley Schrager, Omaha Pacesetters’ visionary founder, reminded players, parents, and the coaching staff what inspired the building of the organization — a zeal for excellence and a desire to provide a context for young boys to build their skills and in the process grow and learn to be respectful and respectable young men — respectful of their teammates, their opponents, and the game. The Omaha Pacesetter 13’s will build on this mantra under the leadership of Pat Merrill, head coach, and his new coaching staff addition, TJ Merlitti, who brings a keen ability to refine technique to improve performance. We have all of the ingredients for a successful season, including three new players who bring power, ability, and strength of character to our team—welcome Logan, Mitch, and Drew. I’d now like to add a few things to Mr. Schrager’s good list for what we would like to see developed in our young men as they begin the next chapter, and for some, possibly the last chapter, of their Pacesetter careers.

I wish for our sons to learn the value of words. An odd wish for a baseball team perhaps, but learning the value of words is critical for a successful future. Words have the power to influence performance. Words are treasure to be spent intentionally, not carelessly. (Feel free to quote me to me when we are in a slug-fest with the Frozen Ropes this weekend.)  I would like our sons to master the fine art of winning gracefully and dabble in the soul challenge of losing honorably. (Granted, I am definitely rooting for a lot more of the former.)

                Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m all about the W’s. I like to win, so it stands to reason, I don’t like to lose nor do I like my teams to lose. (I’m an Ohio State Buckeye fan still in mourning. I’m glad March is over.)  It’s genetic. My family is competitive. My daddy says, “Losing feels worse than winning feels good.” In other words, on the emotion spectrum, losing sends you spiraling into depression with more thrust than winning rockets you into elation.  Competitive people expect to win, so losing always comes as a bit of shock. So I think my dad is right, but either way, there is huge potential for exaggerated emotional swings in this crazy culture called select baseball. But here’s the thing. In the end, baseball is just a game. And that is fortunate. Our kids have the opportunity to practice the tough stuff in an environment that’s simultaneously risky and relatively safe; one that is challenging on many levels, but laced with success. The learning environment for many growing young people in the world is at best chaotic and at worst dangerous. Our sons are privileged to practice important skills and hone key character traits on freshly mown grass with crisply chalked lines and with the finest in canvas-crushing engineering in their hands. Our sons are wildly fortunate. They get to learn some tough stuff while playing the game.

So, boys, here’s my pep-talk as you gear up for our first tourney out of the gate in Bellevue this weekend.   “Let’s approach this 23^rd Pacesetter year as if every day, every game, and every relationship is a gift. Let’s be toughest when we’re losing miserably. Let’s guard our words when a teammate disappoints—or when we disappoint. Let’s build friendships that are true and tested and under girded by the fundamental belief that we should consider other folks to be more important than we are. (That one is tough. ‘Cause we’re all pretty doggone important to ourselves.) Let’s be grateful that what we are playing is a game, and that you can learn to be men where there’s just enough risk and just enough reward. Let’s determine to win gracefully and lose honorably together—(but preferably much more of the former). Let’s do everything we can to win, but as Mr. Schrager noted, not at all or any cost. Be respectful and respectable. Let’s have fun. Let’s play hard. Let’s play ball!”
 

A comment from a fan:

Great introduction. Always remember it's a privilege to play this great game, not a right. Apply the valuable life lessons you will learn to your future. All the best, Brian Hockemeyer (Jonathan Leach's uncle)