HISD spring break is over, so with any luck we should have a full house at tomorrow's practice, which will once again be at the batting cage. T and I are travelling to a wedding this weekend, leaving on Wednesday, so that's the only practice I'll get to attend. I expect my main assistant coach to run a couple while I'm gone. I have no doubt he'll do a fine job of it, though a small part of me worries that the kids will somehow see me as less Coach-like when I return. For now, I'll need him to work a couple of the kids whom I envision pitching but who missed all of last week's practices.

I'm still concerned about the hitting - our coach-pitch and kid-pitch batting practices were not exactly filled with the sound of the crack of the bat (well, with aluminum, I guess it's more the *ping* of the bat). I'm anxious to see how they do against the Jugs machine, which has the virtue of throwing consistent strikes.

As far as I know, the season is supposed to start Real Soon Now, perhaps next weekend. As yet, I have no idea what the schedule is. I've got some travel and other likely conflicts over the next two months, so I'm getting a little antsy about having to make plans without knowing when I'll have a game. Soon, they tell me, soon.

Finally got our catcher's equipment problem solved - the league equipment manager met me after our Saturday practice and handed off two chest protectors and a second pair of shin guards. As it happens, the original pair did seem to fit the two kids we worked out at catcher that day. Both of them have promise behind the plate - they don't fear the ball and they can make the plays, two traits that are very much not to be underrated at this age. I'll work out one or two more kids behind the plate, but those two will see the bulk of the innings there.

This has really been a good experience for me so far. I can't wait for the real games to start.