Nearly a mile away from a youth all-star game, the shrieks of undeveloped vocal cords and tiny stomping feat carry well enough. The reason for the cheering might be a grand slam home run that wins the championship, or it might just be that the right fielder dropped the pop fly to let another runner reach base safely. For many of the players, the difference is not so much. They began playing with tee ball, a throng of players chasing the ball around the field as if it were a prized Easter egg. As their understanding of the game increases, the stakes rise with them.
Games mean more.
Winning becomes more important. The games become more of a way to define the players as people. And too soon they are grown and watching their own child win the chase to the tee ball without a clue of where their new prize should go. It is just a game to the kids. They want to do well.