Glove & Grace

Have you ever had a feeling that you’re supposed to be doing something and not 100% sure what it is but it’s definitely “something”? For the past several years, I’ve been wrangling with this gut feeling for some time but I never took the time to really sit with it. But, in February 2024, this changed. On a flight from San Diego to Chicago, I finally had the opportunity to focus. I was with my son, AK, headed to the Prep Baseball Report Super 60 Pro Showcase. The trip was going to be quick – less than 48 hours – but somehow I was able to draft an idea of what that “nagging something” could look like.

On the plane ride, I decided to be intentional with my time. Instead of watching a movie, I brainstormed ideas on what a blog on being a baseball mom could look like. The phrase, “Glove & Grace”, stood out to me so I asterisked it as a top choice to name whatever it was I was crafting. Interrupted by the plane landing, I put “Glove & Grace” in my back pocket and focused on the trip. We arrived just in time for AK to pick up his swag, get interviewed by PBR’s Shooter Hunt and grab dinner before getting some rest for the next day which was the actual showcase. While AK slept, I was on my computer mapping out what “Glove & Grace” could look like as a blog. Up way too late, I was still somehow energized the entire next day at the showcase with the thought of actually writing about experiences such as these as a baseball mama. After the showcase and less than 36 hours of arriving, we were back on a plane headed home to San Diego. My ideas from my late-night brainstorm sesh didn’t leave the Chicago tarmac. It took me nearly a year to take the first step in starting, what I hope, can be a resource for other baseball parents coming up through the ranks of Little League, travel baseball, high school baseball, college and hopefully, one day, pro.

So, how did baseball infiltrate my life? Before we were married or had kids, my husband played in a San Diego adult baseball league – one of the largest in the nation – where he ended up winning MVP of the entire league. I attended all of his games, met other players’ wives and girlfriends and even learned how to keep score “the old-fashioned way.” I knew little about the rules of the game and even less about what made someone a good player. But, as I sat in the sidelines with his parents and family, I began to learn more and more about the sport that would eventually, unbeknownst to me, become a major part of my life.

Fast-forward several years and two kids later to attending my sons’ Little League games, then travel ball games, then high school and now college. From team mom to coach’s wife to co-founder of a travel baseball club, I’ve always wanted to have a mentor who could share her experiences with me. Someone who had already been through it all and could give me sound advice and personal perspective on how to handle any curve ball the baseball life was destined to throw my way. While I’ve been fortunate to have amazing friends and family on the sidelines to share in my experiences, I have always felt a void when going through some of the more unique situations our family has faced – the good, bad and ugly. I have yet to find this unicorn of a baseball mama. But, I continue to search. And in the meantime, I believe that the phrase “Glove & Grace” was whispered into my ear so I could create a community where others could hopefully benefit.

I know that I don’t know it all, and I know that my experiences are simply my own. I also know that I’m not an award-winning writer (not even close). Yet, I feel compelled to share. And, as one of my best friends said to me, “You never know who might be going through the same thing and needs to hear that story/perspective/situation/solution.”

My goal with Glove & Grace is to share personal experiences on raising athletes with love and grace. To focus on the philosophy and core values that my husband and I have used throughout our sons’ lives to help them accomplish their dreams – no matter how big or small. I hope to help others better understand the ever-changing college recruiting process, NCAA updates, name-image-likeness (NIL) and even the portal. I’ll probably share some tips I’ve learned along the way — like I never take off my son’s belts when washing their pants. And, I’d be happy to share what I’ve learned about nutrition, including protein-packed meals ala Instagram and snacks to make for your athlete. Most importantly, I want to provide a positive perspective on the many wins and losses athletes (and their families) face.

So, thank you for helping me work toward a goal I’ve had for some time. I hope this blog provides a playbook of sorts to help you and your family navigate the baseball diamond and beyond.

If there’s something in particular you would like to know, feel free to use the “Contact” page to submit your topic or question.