Maya Plays Ball

by Monique Monroe

Maya is a 4 year old who starts playing softball. Initially she struggles but she get better and scores a homerun.

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Maya Plays Ball

Maya was a four-year-old girl with a big personality, a big imagination, and the biggest, bounciest curls her family had ever seen. She loved dancing around the house, making silly faces, and playing with her best furry friend, her beloved dog Bro-Bro. Wherever Maya went, Bro-Bro was usually right behind her, ready to join in on whatever adventure she had planned. One Saturday morning, Maya put on her tiny tee-ball uniform for the very first time. She was the youngest player on her team by two whole years. Everyone else was six years old, and Maya was ready to show them what she could do. Or at least, that was what her parents hoped. Her mom, Kaiti, packed snacks, water, and extra hair ties for Maya’s curls. Her dad, Jameel, grabbed her glove and baseball bat. Her big brother, Myles, who was seven, gave her some “expert” advice. “Remember, Maya, you have to watch the ball and swing hard,” Myles said. Maya nodded seriously. “Okay,” she said. But the second practice started, Maya seemed to forget everything Myles had told her. While the coach was explaining how to run the bases, Maya was picking grass and looking at clouds. When the other kids were practicing catching, Maya was busy waving at Bro-Bro, who was sitting nearby with her family. “Look, Bro-Bro is watching me!” Maya said. Kaiti laughed. “Yes, sweetie, but you’re supposed to be watching the ball.” Maya looked at the field for a few seconds, then spotted a butterfly. “Mom! Look at that butterfly!” Jameel and Kaiti looked at each other and smiled. “She might not actually be interested in tee-ball,” Jameel whispered. “I was thinking the same thing,” Kaiti replied. When it was finally Maya’s turn to practice hitting, everyone gathered around. Maya grabbed the bat and stood at the tee. The ball sat perfectly still, waiting for her. The coach smiled. “Okay, Maya. Keep your eye on the ball!” Maya swung. Miss. She swung again. Miss. Then she looked at the bat, looked at the ball, and somehow managed to swing in the complete opposite direction. The parents watching started laughing softly. “Come on, Maya!” Jameel called. Maya swung again. Miss. Again. Miss. Her dad started laughing but tried to stay encouraging. “Maya, hit the ball!” Jameel shouted. Maya stopped, put her hands on her hips, and looked over at him with the most serious four-year-old expression. “Okay!” she yelled back in a very irritated tone, like her dad had just asked her to do something she had already done a hundred times. The whole field burst into laughter. Kaiti covered her mouth, trying not to laugh too loudly. The other parents smiled and laughed because Maya’s little attitude was just too funny. Jameel shook his head, laughing. “That’s my girl,” he said. Even though Maya didn’t hit the ball once during practice, everyone agreed she was the funniest player on the team. After practice, Maya ran over to Bro-Bro and gave him a big hug. “Bro-Bro, I played baseball!” she told him. Bro-Bro wagged his tail like he was proud of her. A few days later, it was time for Maya’s very first tee-ball game. Kaiti and Jameel weren’t sure what to expect. They were excited, but they also wondered if Maya would actually pay attention long enough to play. “She might spend the whole game looking for butterflies,” Kaiti joked. Maya’s teammates lined up, ready to play. At first, she looked just as distracted as she did at practice. She twirled her bat, looked around the field, and waved at her family. But then it was her turn to bat. Maya stepped up to the tee. The crowd got quiet. Jameel smiled. “Come on, Maya. You got this.” The ball was placed on the tee. Maya took a deep breath. She swung. CRACK! The ball flew across the field. Everyone froze. Maya froze. The other players started running. “Maya, run!” her coach yelled. Maya took off toward first base, her curls bouncing as she ran. She made it to second. Then third. “Keep going!” everyone cheered. Maya ran all the way home. HOME RUN! For a moment, Maya just stood there, shocked. “I did it?” she asked. “You did it!” Kaiti yelled. Jameel jumped up and cheered. “That’s my girl!” Her teammates ran over and surrounded her, cheering and giving her high-fives. Kaiti and Jameel hugged her tightly, giving her big kisses on her cheeks. Even Bro-Bro got in on the celebration. He wagged his tail, jumped around, and gave Maya a big happy-dog kiss. “My baby hit a home run!” Jameel laughed. Maya smiled proudly. She couldn’t believe it either. Myles walked over with a big grin. “I think someone deserves a celebration,” he said. Maya looked at him. “What kind?” Myles thought for a second. “Braum’s ice cream.” Everyone agreed immediately. So after the game, Maya, Myles, Kaiti, Jameel, and Bro-Bro all went to Braum’s to celebrate the biggest surprise of the season. Maya sat with her ice cream cone, still wearing her tee-ball uniform, feeling like a real baseball star. Her family knew she might not always pay attention at practice, and she might still miss a few balls along the way. But they also knew one thing for sure: When Maya decided to do something, she could surprise everyone — even herself.

Maya Plays Ball

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Maya Plays Ball

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