NJCAA National Championship begins tomorrow and there is a bitter sweet story set in the middle of it all. Georgia Perimeter College. Just weeks after our girls began their freshman year on two year scholarships the school announced it would close its doors as GPC and become an extension of Georgia State University. In the result, all GPC sports would be playing their final seasons and an era of 40 years would come to a close. This left all of us in a quandary of what to do. The coaches will be unemployed and the student athletes who had committed after our daughters, were released from any pending offers and commitments. As this all unfolded the GPC softball team and coaches stepped up and decided they would not go out unnoticed. The coaches have remained dedicated, determined, and relentless in helping the girls. This team is made up of all freshmen with the exception of one sophomore who has been a driving force for her teammates. These girls have fought for what they want, played hard, taken some hard knocks but they do not give up. They are a 'team'. Each of them have played with and against each other at one time or another in rec ball, in travel ball, and in high school ball. They respect each other, they respect their coaches and officials, and they respect their competition. This week will be a historical week in their lives and I only hope they walk away feeling they performed their best to represent what Georgia student athletes are all about. No, its not a D1 NCAA but its what they chose. Its two years of college, an AA degree, a Regional championship in JUCO and they have got to experience an era coming to an end in their lives no one but them will ever know.
So if they play their game one inning at a time they may just close 40 years of GPC softball with a national championship! Something which has been sought after for a very long time! If they don't they can walk away saying to themselves, "I was there and I gave it my all!".
What they each do after this has not been fully determined. Some are continuing their education on their scholarships, some are transferring to other schools to continue their education with a few playing ball, and some are hanging their cleats up to become members of this all American society.
I pray a prayer of gratitude for their success this week in St. George! I pray for a hedge of protection around every young woman playing there this week and ask you to do the same! I thank the Coaches for their dedication to our daughters and their well being. I thank them for giving them the most memorable year of their lives. I thank them for respecting them and guiding them in their recent life decisions. And most of all I thank the Lady Jaguars of Georgia Perimeter College for never giving up, for playing as a team, and allowing us, their parents, watch them flower into responsible young adult women. Play hard, want it more, and play with a purpose!
Lady Jaguars goin huntin in Utah!
So if they play their game one inning at a time they may just close 40 years of GPC softball with a national championship! Something which has been sought after for a very long time! If they don't they can walk away saying to themselves, "I was there and I gave it my all!".
What they each do after this has not been fully determined. Some are continuing their education on their scholarships, some are transferring to other schools to continue their education with a few playing ball, and some are hanging their cleats up to become members of this all American society.
I pray a prayer of gratitude for their success this week in St. George! I pray for a hedge of protection around every young woman playing there this week and ask you to do the same! I thank the Coaches for their dedication to our daughters and their well being. I thank them for giving them the most memorable year of their lives. I thank them for respecting them and guiding them in their recent life decisions. And most of all I thank the Lady Jaguars of Georgia Perimeter College for never giving up, for playing as a team, and allowing us, their parents, watch them flower into responsible young adult women. Play hard, want it more, and play with a purpose!
Lady Jaguars goin huntin in Utah!
