The Real Moms of Baseball Season

I came across a website a couple weeks ago that contained an interactive quiz for moms to determine what kind of baseball mom they are.  Naturally, I took the quiz to see where I fell on their rating scale from ranging from “The Green Monster” to “Riding the Pine”.   While taking the quiz I started thinking about the different types of baseball moms that I've seen through the years. 

Baseball moms dedicate themselves to the sport, gladly spending time watching their child play baseball and each mom brings her own distinct flair to the lineup.  Here is my lineup of baseball moms:

Team Mom:  Usually, but not always, the head coach’s wife. She is the glue that holds the other families of the team together. Part cheerleader, part organizer, she spends baseball season with a phone to her ear—calling other parents to let them know about schedule changes and uniform pickup.

Nurse:  Even though she has no real medical training, she is prepared for any boo-boo, small or large. She carries a traveling drugstore complete with sunscreen, bug spray, Benadryl, Band-Aids, Ace Bandages, hand sanitizer, and baby wipes (and maybe even toilet paper). She shows no boundaries and would even help a hurt player on the other team.

Cheerleader:  This mom encourages team spirit, even making colorful pom-poms.  She is an expert at writing on SUV windows with shoe polish.  She wants anyone associated with the team—fans, parents and siblings—to match, from T-shirts to footwear. Team colors are a must!  After she yells herself hoarse at games, she resorts to her signature ear-splitting whistle.

Jock:  She played every sport growing up and was good at all of them. She’d be a more than sufficient standby for one of the “real” (male) coaches if one of them should happen to get hurt.  However, most of the time, she’s sitting in the bleachers, wavering between hurling suggestions at the bench and muttering criticisms of the testosterone-filled dugout under her breath.

Snack Mom:  This mom always offers plenty of great things to eat.  She’s so equipped that she offers both healthy snacks (carrots, grapes, and sunflower seeds) and junk (M&Ms, bubble gum, and chips). Like the Boy Scouts, she supports the motto “Be prepared.” An expert shopper, she finds terrific deals—like Gatorade for 30 cents a bottle and granola bars 10 for $1.09.

Scorekeeper:  She keeps the official scorebook and knows not only official baseball terms, but also slang baseball terms as well.   She can score a base on balls, a triple, and an error and can fit a number of items in the tiny square provided in a scorebook.  This mom can remember the players’ names just by looking at their numbers. She can discuss the rules of the game with umpires and coaches, and though they might argue with one another, they probably won’t argue with her.

Organizer:  She assists coaches by sending out texts and/or e-mails about practices and game changes. She prints up rosters, rules, and copies of the season schedule. Never one to be caught off guard, she keeps stadium seats, ponchos, umbrellas, and blankets in the car.

Socialite:  This mom would rather mingle than watch the game. Immaculately dressed with perfect makeup and manicure, she’s the envy of T-shirt and short-clad moms who've sweated off their make-up by the evening game. Her accessories—ranging from earrings to handbags—match the team colors. She manages to look and smell good, whether it’s 39 or 99 degrees.

Party Planner:  She lives for the end-of-season party.  This mom spends hours searching the internet for baseball themed party items.  She outdoes her efforts from the previous season, making cakes shaped like baseball bats or and cookies with each player’s number.   She orders trophies, puts together treat bags for the players, and buys gift certificates and team pictures for the coaches.

Photographer: She is one of the easiest to spot each spring. She holds either a still camera or a video camera as she paces the sidelines during each game. She snaps photos at a frantic pace, preserving forever images of freckle-faced boys scooping up ground balls or red-cheeked players swinging away.  A more experienced photographer mom will even take the time to place all the pictures on her Facebook page and tag each parent. 

There is no right or wrong way to be a baseball mom and most likely most of us are a combination of one or more of the above types of moms.  As much as we are different, we all have commonalities that make us baseball moms a special species.  Baseball moms stress the importance of schoolwork and make sure homework is done before practice. We make sure our baseball player arrives at practice fed, safe and on time. We make sure our son’s uniform is always clean and laid out nicely the night before a game.

Baseball moms support all of the players on the team.  We stay positive and are a constant source of encouragement for our sons and his teammates regardless of the score. We are our son’s number one fan no matter how well or poorly he played that day. Lastly, as baseball moms, we constantly nurture our son’s love and passion for the game of baseball.

As for the interactive quiz I mentioned above, I fell in the “All Star” category.  What about you?  http://www.the-baseball-mom.com/2013/08/25/what-kind-of-baseball-mom-are-you-2/