I am pretty well known for telling my students' parents not to get so mushy over 8th grade nights, senior nights or graduations. I always tell them that this is a beginning and not an ending. I tell them to be excited for the next chapters in their children's lives. I do believe that, but now I find myself in their shoes. I will soon face an ending that I knew was coming, but I am not prepared for. The time is quickly coming that I will not be able to watch my favorite player take the softball field any more.
Softball was our first thing together. When she was tiny we would sit in the floor and roll a softball back and forth to each other. It felt like only a minute went by when we started to play catch in the yard. When she was four, she donned a pink uniform and played in her first games. We played in Johnston City so we could start with coach pitch and not a tee. This is the path you take when your dad was a coach and your mom was a college softball player.
She was a sponge. She loved to learn new things. We spent a lot time learning how to pitch and slap hit and even when I got frustrated, I was happy with her. She worked hard at this and even though some of those skills were never fully utilized, she liked to put in the work. A story she loves to tell is when I was pitching to her in a gym when she was very young and she swung at a pitch that was a little too inside. I hit her thumbnail and caused it to come off. She says I threw at her. I say she needs to open up more on those inside pitches. That is still a sore subject to this day.
She got a chance to play for a travel team and before the end of the year was up they were without a coach and I was asked to step in. Although I wanted to be just a fan, I secretly was happy to do it. This was a chance to play around in the dirt with her a little longer. We spent a few good years together as Downstate Rippers with some good people, but the time came that we needed to let her be coached by someone else. This is hard to do. Its hard to give your kid to someone else, but I can tell you that it is necessary.
She got to play on a really good team with high expectations. I wouldn't have wanted her to play for many people after me so I was happy to hand her over to Total Contact. I finally got to be a fan and watch her play with some of the best kids around. She learned some hard lessons and earned some medals and always played with that smile on her face. She was finding success and still my favorite player on the field no matter what.
Being a multi-sport athlete is tough, but that was a path she was going to take. We stepped away from travel ball and gave our springs to high school softball. This is where the magic begins and you see what type of person your kid is going to be. She wasn't just a player, she was a helper. Not just a helper but an organizer. I would have called her a coach's dream if she was on my roster almost 20 years ago. She was dependable as a player and a responsible teammate. Most of all, she was competing and happy.
She’s in her 14th year playing and it is almost time to hang them up. These are the last chances I get to watch my favorite player. On opening day I felt like a star struck fan during the game as I hung over the outfield fence. I nervously watched every pitch go by and held my breath for every defensive chance she got. She went two for four at the plate with a great defensive play. Her team went to a walk off win in extra innings against Woodlawn. I was happy for her when we left the field. These are big moments that she has been able to add to her collection of memories over the years.
If we have done anything right as sports parents, we knew when to take the training wheels off and let her take over. I am very proud of the player and young lady she has become, but I know it will help her be a better adult. You know that next chapter I tell people I'm so excited for? It will be here before you know it. We will blink again and be telling these stories to her favorite players while she gets to experience the same pride that we have. Enjoy this last season Makane!
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