First taste of southern softball

[RetiredCoach]

I once was the subject of prayer in one of these circles. I suffer from vertigo and a few years ago it was a lot worse than it is now. Before a game I just had to lay down and I couldn't move. Although I was in a lot of pain and suffering greatly, I knew that in a short amount of time it would pass. In spite of my protestations, they called me an ambulance to take me the one mile to the closet hospital (Only cost $1200!!!). And, again, in spite of my protestations the hospital kept me for several hours hooked up to an IV and made me down some Valium. So, to the team this seemed like a life or death matter. So, before the next game I learned that the entire team prayed for my good health and quick recovery. Touching, but I had to laugh like crazy about it!!!

 

[JAD]

My DD's original TB team was a Church REC league all star team that became a 10U C-level TB team. Over the years we improved and made it all the way to a low A-level team before we decided to join one of the bigger organizations to help bolster recruiting - for our players wanting to play in college and for our team looking for new talent that could play at a high level. I used to love the look on opposing coaches faces after we stomped them into a mud hole and they asked where we were from, and we told them we were a Church team. Needless to say we had a prayer circle after every game. The other team was always invited to join us, but there was never any pressure to participate. Prayers were short, simple and non-denominational. Now that my DD has joined one of the marquee teams in our area I kind of miss the prayer circles....

 

[grcsftbll]

I would totally expect a church team to pray. A county team? Not so much. Even the organization teams, I think if they're going to have religious elements they should just disclose it up front when you join. It's such a personal thing.

 

[MsDinosaur]

My post was just to share our great southern 'softball' experience. I'm bummed I created a post that's turned into another endless debate on religion. #learningtosayless

It's no biggie--just one of those topics that resurfaces every now and then. I'm glad you had such a good time!

 

[JAD]

My post was just to share our great southern 'softball' experience. I'm bummed I created a post that's turned into another endless debate on religion. #learningtosayless

I am just glad that we got to keep the thread going for a few more days! Y'all should come back in two weeks for the Legacy Showcase!

 

[PEPPERS]

I am just glad that we got to keep the thread going for a few more days! Y'all should come back in two weeks for the Legacy Showcase!

I imagine the thread stayed open due to it was a respectable debate which in my opinion it was. Yes the Legacy is a great showcase I hope many of our northern friends come south to participate in this great showcase.

 

[BobInMadison]

I've lived in many parts of this enormous country of ours. Despite tendencies towards homogenization, there are still noticeable cultural differences, and not just in the food.
Norherners moving to the south are often surprised that people almost immediately ask them about what church they are attending or plan to attend.
Southerners moving north are often surprised when nobody EVER asks.

When I grew up in Arkansas, a classmate of mine was the daughter of the head minister in the biggest church in town. Her entire social network revolved around that church. Her best friends at school all attended that church.
Compare that to Wisconsin. One of DD 3's very closest friends is a Cbristian minister. Her friend always tells her about various Badger basketball and football stars she knows from church.
DD 3 doesn't even know what denomination her friend is. DD considers it impolite to ask. Even a minister's DD.
And, there is no problem at all that DD isn't Christian. The issue never comes up.

Admittedly in the south I had friends who were very devout Christians who didn't mind having a non-believer as a friend, but the issue always came up. I would attend prayer meetings and VBS with friends, if nothing else to be a part of my friends' lives. This happens less in Wisconsin, although if DD 1 goes on a sleepover Saturday night to her BFF's house DD 1 will often attend church with her BFF's family Sunday morning.

That's gist of it is, folks in the south are a lot more public about religion than folks in the north. Just how the different cultures operate. Some are more comfortable with one, some with the other.

 

[GoCaboNow]

My DD's original TB team was a Church REC league all star team that became a 10U C-level TB team. Over the years we improved and made it all the way to a low A-level team before we decided to join one of the bigger organizations to help bolster recruiting - for our players wanting to play in college and for our team looking for new talent that could play at a high level. I used to love the look on opposing coaches faces after we stomped them into a mud hole and they asked where we were from, and we told them we were a Church team. Needless to say we had a prayer circle after every game. The other team was always invited to join us, but there was never any pressure to participate. Prayers were short, simple and non-denominational. Now that my DD has joined one of the marquee teams in our area I kind of miss the prayer circles....

I remember as a kid in CA hearing about church leagues, but once I got to the NW not so much. DW has relatives back east that have been in a church league most of their adult lives and is a big part of their church activities. Helps when the minister is a very good shortstop.

 

[BobInMadison]

I remember as a kid in CA hearing about church leagues, but once I got to the NW not so much. DW has relatives back east that have been in a church league most of their adult lives and is a big part of their church activities. Helps when the minister is a very good shortstop.

Fantastic idea for a career path for dedicated softball players.

I know lots of people who are really into sports, so they teach. Part of it is teachers get first crack at the HS coaching opportunities, part of it is teachers have the flexibility to deal with club teams. For example, DS was on a really strong HS rowing club for a few years, and his coaches tended to be moonlighting teachers.

Ah, but a softball player could be a minister, esp. a youth minister. Put together a d*** (can't say that word about a church) good youth church league softball team, and also play for the church adult team.

Of course, this only works for softball players who have the calling. Non-Christians can play, too. Jewish basketball leagues in the old days were legendary (even Wilt Chamberlain played summer ball as a scholarship kid in the Catskills, in places just like the camp in Dirty Dancing. Wilt was not Jewish, but the camps wanted the best HS player in the country on their team.) I've also seen pictures of very interesting girls' basketball uniforms for Muslim youth teams in the Twin Cities.

 

[quandofloo]

Of course, this only works for softball players who have the calling. Non-Christians can play, too. Jewish basketball leagues in the old days were legendary (even Wilt Chamberlain played summer ball as a scholarship kid in the Catskills, in places just like the camp in Dirty Dancing. Wilt was not Jewish, but the camps wanted the best HS player in the country on their team.) I've also seen pictures of very interesting girls' basketball uniforms for Muslim youth teams in the Twin Cities.

Not female, so the uniform issue never would have come up, but my HSBYM (High School Baptist Young Men) basketball team actively recruited players away from our varsity high school team and would have run most of the local high school teams out of the gym when I was a teenager. We split into two teams during the season because there were 14 of us and finished 1 and 2 in our league and combined for the state tournament. We did play against some teams where some of the boys were not allowed to wear shorts so they would have sweatpants on under their uniforms.