Neighbor’s Note to Amarillo Athlete Sparks Local Buzz

Amarillo's Youth Sports Scene Is Thriving

Amarillo is full of a bunch of little ballers—football, baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, etc. We have so many kids that are out there competing every day, every weekend.

They put in countless hours of practice, working on their craft anywhere they can find. Whether it be at a facility or in their yard, the work is happening.

When Practice Goes Beyond the Fence

Sometimes, the kick isn't perfect, or the pitch isn't a strike. Other times, a ball will fly into someone else's yard. There are a couple of different ways to handle this, assuming it didn't break anything.

One of those ways is to be angry about a kiddo chasing their dreams and berate them or their parents for the ball ending up in their yard. I've seen it time and time again. Nothing like knocking down a kid's confidence, right?

Then, there is the way this gentleman in Amarillo handled it, and it has to be the most heartwarming thing I've seen in at least the last few months.

A Pitching Prospect in the Making

Sonia Medina's daughter is an aspiring young softball player who pitches for her team, West Texas Lightning. Anyone who has tried to pitch in baseball or softball knows it can be one of the hardest things to learn.

She was out in her yard one day working on it when one got away from her and disappeared into a neighboring yard. I'm not sure if she couldn't find it at the time, but the neighbor ended up coming by and dropping the softball off.

Read More: Fight Between Parents Highlights Youth Sports Stupidity In Texas

Searching for a Stranger's Kindness

Sonia ended up making a post on Facebook to see if she could find out who the person was, as she wanted to thank them for returning the softball, but also apologize for the wild pitch that ended up with the neighbor.

However, it became apparent days later that an apology wasn't needed, and in fact, turned out to be the setting for one of the best things I've seen.

A Gift That Left Everyone Speechless

Softball returned, the person showed back up a few days later, and dropped a package on their doorstep. What was inside stunned everyone.

A t-shirt was inside the bag, and emblazoned with the message, "The Off Season. That's Where Champions Are Made". That wasn't all, though. The person who bought the shirt included a personal note that said,

"Just a gift from a former athlete that achieved his success by working his butt off. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. Keep putting in that work."

 

A Coach’s Perspective on a Powerful Moment

As a dad of athletes and a coach of teams, I can't tell you how this made me feel. I don't tear up often, but this did it for me.