What Defines Character

Crazy as it seems, I think about this a lot –what defines character. I really want to be that person who people think of as having great character. I know I fail, sometimes miserably, but I still try. I think having great character means different things to different people. To me, it means rising above your circumstances, showing courage and the determination to become more than is expected of you. If you have the quality in your personality to make a person want to be more than they are, they are lucky to know you. I remember watching a movie years ago and hearing Jack Nicolson say “you make me want to be a better man” I thought wow I want to be that girl, or boss, or coach. I just want to do that one small thing that makes a person say I can do better because I know someone expects me to. Character is the one thing we do for ourselves, doesn’t matter who our parents are, doesn’t matter how much money we have, doesn’t matter where we live or what we drive, we own our character and we can have as much or as little as we choose. It’s not something we can tell people we have; we demonstrate it in our actions. This weekend I saw character beyond explanation. A group of young men made me want to be a better person because I saw in them the determination and courage it takes to win things in life and overcome obstacles. We didn’t win and it broke my heart for them but we showed tremendous character.

 
I know I say a lot about Matt Leeds in this blog but for real the kid is going to be an awesome man.  He could barely walk after hurting his knee this weekend and I never knew if he was hit by a pitch or if he fouled a ball off his leg but it was obvious he could hardly make it to first base. They kept him in the lineup and every time he came to bat I said a selfish prayer that he get a homerun so he wouldn’t have to struggle to get around the bases. It was just too hard to watch. He never gave up though, he never stopped competing and he was the one that kept us in the last game. We were down by two and I know it had to hurt him just to swing the bat but he crushed one over the fence to tie the game, hobbled around the bases and fired the team up and back into the game. I don’t think there is a greater thing in life to watch than when a player approaches the plate after a home run but this one was particularly sweet. He showed a lot of character.

All the pitchers worked hard to keep us in the game but when Josh Salay snagged the drive back up the middle and came charging off the mound he showed great character.

So while we may not have won the series this weekend I know I am a better person for having witnessed such great displays of courage and determination. I know if those young men can stay in a game for thirteen innings and keep me believing that they were one hit away from victory it will help us all one day when we are facing a challenge. I believe there are many life lessons in the game of baseball and while we watch these young men compete we can become better people by trying to have better character. Because, at the end of the day, every outfielder is trying to make the best possible outfield catch, every in fielder is trying to make the best throw and every hitter is trying to make the best hit they can and our job is to remember that and be a fan with character. We probably don’t have to tell the pitcher he has to throw strikes because I’m pretty sure that’s what he went out there to do.

I’m sure Georgia Southern will test our character next weekend so come out to the field for our home stand and show our boys you stand behind this team. They are good and tough and deserve to have a great audience watch them

See you at the field.