Our six-year-old ballplayer

Levynn started the Chicago Park District Cubs Care baseball program tonight, and she made us proud (not that she wouldn't have anyway) in the mayhem that we're learning is typical of the CPD experience.

After the coach's long-winded oratory about the realities of the program (in short, there are so many kids that, as of next week, we'll only get one day per rather than the two we signed up for), Levynn went to work - er, play.


The kids warmed up first, including this run back and forth across the gym (the field was a mud pie).

Then they went to stations: hitting (off a tee), running bases, catching (big soft) ground balls (with bare hands), and throwing (wiffle balls). Levynn looked like a veteran at each one.


Check out the positioning and footwork here!

And this form!



Levynn didn't get any of that from the coach, who wandered from station to station giving encouragement most of the time. And Dad didn't have to tell her or show her much, either, to be honest. She just did it!

There will be another "instructional" night Wednesday, at which time we'll be told whether to come Mondays or Wednesdays in future weeks. The kids will be divided into four teams, and two teams will be assigned to each night and will play against each other over and over again.

If tonight was any indication, Levynn will make the best of it.