ds11 had been picked for the All Stars.  He's been practicing quite a bit lately.  2 times a day, 3 hours a piece.  Making good use of that energy.  We were so excited and honored that he was picked.  It always seems as though it's always the coachs' sons that are picked.  DH has never been a sports man and has no desire to coach, but we like to encourage the kids to play.  We were quite hurt and upset one day when dh came home.  ds's coach had informed my husband that although ds was in All Star's, he was the alternate player.  It wasn't the fact that he was the alternate... it was the fact that he'd been practicing for the past week and a half assuming he was playing.  Then to find out that when they signed him up, they signed him up as the alternate.  I feel they should have told him that up front and gave him the choice to continue to play or not.  The great thing about being the alternate is... you don't get to play games unless someone is hurt and can't play or someone doesn't show up!  Another added bonus to being picked as the alternate is...you can't sit with the team and you have to sit with your parents in full uniform and wait to see if someone gets hurt!  More or less he is the insurance plan!  Don't you wonder who comes up with these rules???  DS took it well, or as well as he could I suppose.  He was hurt, there was no doubt about that.  DH and I gave him the choice of whether he wanted to continue on or not.  Unfortunately, he could have went through the entire season without ever playing a game or allowed sitting in the dugout with his "team".  DS's response was possitive.  He knew it was his responsibility to continue on.  His only fear was that he would be made fun of. 

Thursday was the first All Star game.  I didn't realize how much anxiety I had let build up over all of this.  The pain that I had to think that my son wasn't even aloud to sit with the rest of the team was almost unbearable.  I prayed on the way that God would let something happen that would allow my son to be part of the team.  No, I didn't pray that someone would get hurt!  But that someone wouldn't show up.  When we got to the field, I made sure I sat my blanket as close to the dugout as I was aloud.  (The bleachers were on the opposite side of the dugouts!)  I didn't want him to feel like such an outsider.   My dh was parked up a ways... and I wasn't sure if he seen us or knew where exactly we were so I took a walk to find him.  The coach's wife had asked me what was going on with Dylan being the alternate and I broke down in tears.  (I didn't realize how much it had bothered me)  They agreed how awful it would be and they didn't understand the "rules".  Apparently the person that decided on the rules didn't have a heart or didn't have a child that would have to be the alternate and not allowed to sit with his team.

DH had found me and we walked back to the blanket.  When I got back my friend asked me if I had heard the news.  DS was playing!  The coach came back and informed us that he called the bigwig's about the whole alternate thing.  Somehow, someway (my prayer was answered) ds was allowed to play.  He only played a couple innings and batted once, but he was included.  That was my prayer!  God is good.  The time he did bat he hit a wonderful hit!  It was one of the best hits all night.  Unfortunately, they lost.  I believe their heads were too big.  You see, they played the 12 year olds which are undefeated.  They beat them.  So, I believe these kids thought they were hot stuff!  The other team was afraid and knew that our 11 year olds has a good team.  They prepared themselves and were ready to play hard against them.   It was a good game.  Now they only can lose one more time and they are out of All Stars.  Their next game is Thursday.  I'm thrilled that ds will be included.  We won no matter what because he was able to be part of this.  Below is a picture of ds in his glory!