I love what I do. I've made lifelong friends with the kids and their parents.

It's just been a love affair with those kids that want to spend a little extra time on the game. And I think it's been mutual respect because they know I care about the game and care about them as people.

We'd been getting ready for this game for a long time. I told our guys at practice yesterday not to get frustrated. We were facing a great pitcher in Wheeler and it wouldn't be easy.

I guess it was just one of those games. Thank goodness Justin stayed focused. He could have easily gotten frustrated with those errors, but he didn't. He pitched a great game.

After the first inning, I told my players not to press and that we would be all right. I knew that being down two runs didn't mean anything because we have been swinging the bat well all year.

I have them for one hour a week for 10 weeks. My impact can't be the same that their friends are. But I can give them the decision-making tools they need. If I leave them with one message, it's that good friends won't ask you to do bad things.