It's really over!!

[slingnit]

Spent the last week driving over 2000 miles taking my DD to college. All you parents appreciate and enjoy the time you have with your kids because you will blink and they are gone. We were joined at the hip since the day she was born and that never changed til now. I changed 90% of the diapers, woke up most every night with her, took her when I played basketball, you name it we were together. Then softball started and it did not change. She played and I coached, she started pitching and I started catching. Driving an hour to practice and and an hour back 6 days a week together. Getting up 5 am to get ice chest filled, tent packed, check the gear and go watch ball all weekend. My work week was nothing more than passing time til her next tournament. When she got older it was road trips to camps and clinics. All day clinic in Denton, TX on Sat and another in Lawrence, KS on the following Sunday. It was not all roses, we had more tears shed over softball than any other reason in our lives. I was THAT dad and she some how was able to succeed despite me. Was not able to make as many games this summer as I would have liked but cherish the ones I made. We fought like cats and dogs half of our trip to college and laughed like crazy the other. Some would see us and think that we hated one another but it was 180 of that. Not saying it was all because softball but it was something we both loved and kept us close. I'm really just rambling on but my point is enjoy it while you can because eventually it will come to an end. Fortunately i have 4 years to watch her play college ball but it will never be the same as me and her working, practicing, traveling together.

 

[sluggers]

Yep...I hear you. If you think the last 18 years flew by, the next four years will be gone by the time you finish reading this sentence.

 

[InsidePitch]

I still have 3 years but am already wondering how I'm going to fill up all of those hours. Golf is only about 4 hours which leaves another 8 to fill. Do I still like golf?

I see one of those support groups in my future.

Tell us how the fall season goes.

 

[JAD]

I would like to recommend that you and your DD watch this together!

!

 

[SlapHitter]

"My work week was nothing more than passing time til her next tournament."

Wow, that hits home, BIG time. Already i can't believe how fast my DD is growing up. Thanks for this post. I will spend more time just taking it all in, and less time complaining. It does go by so fast.

 

[Doug Romrell]

I still have 3 years but am already wondering how I'm going to fill up all of those hours.

My daughter is soon to be 17 and entering her junior year in high school. She has no intentions of pursuing college ball, so we're down to year last two seasons. It will pass fast. At the very least, I'm going to continue to develop pitchers, continuing to learn from the likes of Boardmember, Rick Pauly, Javasource, and all the other fantastic pitching gurus around here. At most, I'm going to start a new 10U team of girls who are new to softball.

 

[slingnit]

I would like to recommend that you and your DD watch this together!

!

Good stuff! Sent it to her.

 

[BobInMadison]

I'm taking DS to college in a little over a week. Not that far away, just in Milwaukee. He rowed in HS, and in the fall, his college rows in a lot of the same races that his HS team rowed in. His fall races are all withing a few hours from here. His spring races, though, cover more distance.

One nice thing. His school races against UW Madison every year, in Madison. It will be nice to see him race in his hometown, but it be weird that he will be one of the visiting teams.

As for my youngest DD, still 6 more years to college.

 

[The Project]

I am not understanding this need to be involved in the practicing and working out. I am glad my boys are in college, and for my nieces and nephews, while I wish all the kids were still cute and 4 years old, it is nice to talk to them as adults and watch them become great people, great athletes, writers or whatever. When they call me for help with ball, I help.

But when I am done coaching for the season, I am glad for the time off and not having to catch pitchers or throw BP. I am glad the kids have learned to workout on their own and don't need me (just saw one of my players at a local gym pumping iron.) So please go play on your own softball team or something. I am going to watch one of my nephews play in college and we are all very excited about it.

Whoever they are, I prefer they play catch or kick soccer balls with their friends not me.

^^^^^ Wow. ^^^^^

 

[Indiana]

I can see the end from where I'm standing. On the one hand, my main goal all along has been to help my kids grow their wings so they can fly away. Nothing would make me happier, or more proud, than seeing my kids taking ownership of what they love and running with it on their own. On the other hand, I will miss it all so much that it hurts to think about it.