Run for the Gum

When you're coaching a youth baseball team, one of your jobs is that of "chief cheerleader."

Any baseball season can be a bit of a grind. So, in terms of motivating the players, sometimes you have to be inventive. Other times you try to keep things light. 

You always want to keep things moving; keep it interesting. Or all of the above.

One of the fun activities we did on the Choppers to end each practice on a high note was "the run for the gum"

Baseball players love gum. And they love competing. And if there is a game within the game, so much the better.

The rules of the race were simple. We divided up the team 50/50 (a red team and a blue team, if you will). One team started at second base; the other at home plate. And, from there, it was, essentially, a relay race. The "baton" was a baseball.

The goal was to get your runners all the way around the bases before the other team did.  So, think of a relay race you'd see on a track and, then, relocate it to the base paths. 

In the red team/blue team scenario, imagine the red team starts at second base and the blue team at home plate. Red team has players 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Blue team has players A, B, C, D and E. Red team player 1 lines up with Blue team player A and, on the count of three, they begin their circuit around the bases. 

And so on.

Once they get back to their original base, they hand off the baseball to the next member of their team. A few times, a botched handoff cost the team the race.

You've never seen a bunch of baseball boys cheer harder those last few seconds when the final two runners were coming down the home stretch.

The beauty of it all is the "prize" was getting to have first choice at the pieces of bubble gum. We usually had one of those big tubs comprised of apple, grape and bubble gum flavored pieces. Getting to CHOOSE the flavor was a big deal. 

Of course, there were no real losers. I'm sure plenty of Choppers enjoyed whatever the second or third place flavor was. Honestly, I never got a read on which was preferred. Might have depended on the day.

What I loved about the run for the gum--and many of our other motivational efforts--was how it built teamwork and camaraderie. Little Johnny might be teamed up with Little Jimmy this time but next week, they may be on opposing gum teams. Meanwhile, Little Joey, who was having a hard time hitting, won the race with his final kick and he got his moment to shine.

Like I said earlier. Keep things light. Keep things moving. 

When the Braves enjoyed walk-off wins this season, the hero got to don the bubble gum bucket as a "crown." That scene often reminded me of the run for the gum.

Teammates cheering for each other and celebrating a great outcome with bubble gum as the focus.  Makes me smile just to think about it.

JG