Take a break from the electronics and dust off your sports gear. It is time to play catch! It does not matter if it is an old pigskin, softball, or baseball. Just grab a ball and go outside. There’s always someone yearning to learn and another yearning to share some skills. Playing catch is an excellent way to burn off some energy while spending time with family, friends, and coworkers.

The third week of June is National Play Catch Week. Writer and filmmaker Rhett Grametbauer rediscovered his passion for playing catch when he embarked on a road trip in a VW Bus to visit every NFL stadium in the nation in 2013. While he was passing the time before a Thursday Night Football game in St. Louis, a random stranger approached him and asked him to join in playing catch with a football. This encounter made him realize that playing catch provides more than enjoyment. So, he researched the important benefits of playing catch and created the Play Catch Movement.

Here is a short story to honor the impact of playing catch.

***

“And the Best Baseball Coach of the Southeast Region Award goes to… Malcolm Doggett!”

My dad flashed his crooked smile as he stood up from his chair.

“Congrats, Honey!” my mom said as she gave him a kiss.

People gave him high-fives or back-pats on his way to the stage. The announcer hugged him and gave him the mic.

“Well, ain’t this a surprise,” my dad said as he picked up the award. “This would not be possible without my boys and the assistant coaches, though. This one is for y’all. Go Lions!”

My ears were ringing from all the clapping and hollering. It was odd to be in a room full of people who all seemed to look up to my dad like he was some kind of hero. A part of me wanted to see him through their eyes for a moment. I tried to picture him as great as a man like Uncle Benny was, but I couldn’t. All I ever could see the emotionless, capricious jerk who only cares about being the best.

Twenty-four hours earlier…

“Get your gear. Time to shape up that throw,” Dad said as he grabbed his car keys.

“I have to start my summer reading,” I answered as I opened Finding Aubrey. 

“You can do it when you come back.”

I narrowed my blue eyes at him.

“I am not even starting this week, Dad,” I argued. “I’ll practice another time.”

“I won’t have my daughter being seen as a slacker. You have come too far to slack,” he objected. “Now go get your gear.”

I slammed my book and stomped to my closet.

***

I don’t know what was worse, the scorning sun beating down on my neck or my dad beating me down mentally.

“I know you have better form than this.”

I gripped my glove tighter as I tried to hide my frustration. I stretched my right arm back far and threw the ball. It passed my dad and hit the fence.

“Don’t put too much weight on that leg, and loosen up your wrist,” he said as he picked up the ball.

“I’m trying!” I hissed. “Just throw the ball back.”

He exhaled and threw the softball. His forehead furrowed when I almost missed it.

“No wonder why you aren’t starting,” he said. “Where is your head lately? You gotta have better focus.”

“I am focused,” I responded as I threw the ball hard. “Can we please get the bull crap over with?”

“Hey! Watch the attitude,” he fussed.

“Oh, are you going to criticize and coach me to death as you did with Uncle Benny?!”

All the color in his face appeared.

“That’s it! You’re grounded!”

“Whatever. I wish you could have died in the car wreck instead of him!” I yelled as I dropped my glove and ran away.

“Kamryn!” he shouted back. “I’m sorry! Come back! Let’s talk!”

Three months earlier…

“Mom, what is wrong?”

Big tears streamed down my mom’s rosy cheeks. She reached out and gave me a tight squeeze.

“Uncle Benny got into a car wreck…” she replied. “He…he didn’t make it.”

My breathing got heavier and heavier as sadness and anger tore at my chest.

“Noooo… Noooo! He can’t be…” I wailed as I sunk to the floor. “What about dad? He went to go drink beers with him…”

“He’s okay… Daddy is just fine. He is being checked out at the hospital.”

“But didn’t Dad try to stop Uncle Benny from drunk driving?” I looked up at her with tears in my eyes.

She kneeled down by me and stroke my hair.

“He tried, Sweetie. He couldn’t get to him fast enough,” she answered. “We have to go see Daddy now. Be strong.”

***

I came back to Dad’s spot in the ER with a couple of cokes when I caught him telling Mom what really happened.

“We were arguing about me benching him and he stormed out,” he confessed. “I didn’t know he’d get in his truck that quick. Please forgive me.”

I threw the cokes onto the bed and glared at him.

“You killed my best friend!” I said and ran off before any of them spoke.

***

It was the day after the award ceremony. I was at the park sitting under Uncle’s Benny’s favorite tree. He carved his initials on the left side when he was my age. Something round hit my ankle suddenly. It was a softball.

“Thought I would find you here,” Dad said.

He had a couple of gloves in his right hand.

“I don’t wanna talk, and I certainly don’t want to practice,” I replied and kicked the ball.

“I didn’t expect you to,” he said.  “I just figured you would like to release your frustration and anger the Benny way.”

“Uh? The Benny way?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Your mom and uncle, but mostly your uncle, had a lot of hard feelings about their dad not being around,” Dad replied. “I was hanging at your Nana’s house one day when he asked me to play catch.”

He smiled at the initials on the tree and continued.

“I said sure and followed him outside. Well, I noticed something odd about the glove he handed me…”

“What? Did he trick you?”

“No. He taped a picture of his dad inside of the palm. He just said it was his target.”

“Ha. That’s awesome.”

“So, I made your own…” he said as he showed me his glove. “Wanna play catch?”

It was a picture of his own face. My mouth dropped.

“And you can say anything to you need to say,” he added.

“Give me my glove,” I said as I jumped up.

At first, I didn’t say a word and threw fastballs.

“I know how much you can talk. Just let it out. I won’t get mad. I promise.”

I narrowed my eyes and exhaled.

“Okay. Well, I think you are a controlling, selfish jackass that only cares about being a perfectionist!”

“Keep going,” he said, throwing the ball back.

“I hate your perfectionism so much that it gives me anxiety! Uncle Benny never judged me like you have!”

As I continued, I threw harder and spoke louder.

“I never felt good enough for you! Never! I hate it!” I burst out in tears.

He missed the ball and frowned.

“You are good enough. You are more than good. You are the best thing that has happened to me.”

He walked over and wiped my cheeks.

“I know I haven’t done the best job of showing it. I’m hard on you because I love you. I promise I will back off.”

“You just need to turn down your coach mode a bit.”

He cracked a smile.

“Deal. I promise, Kiddo.”

“I love you.” I hugged him.

“I love you more.”