Last year was my DD first year of travel softball. She was 9 for the entire season. She started the season as a practice squad girl. She worked hard, saw the other girls skill level, and was driven to do more. As inevitably happens during the pre-season, a couple girls left. She made the full team, but rarely played all year. If she played, it was left field for a few innings, and she might get an AB or two on Saturday. None on Sunday. She got a new bat (Ghost Advanced) and all of a sudden she was murdering the ball in practice. It never translated to the game however.
Her coaches kept saying she has the tools, but lacked the confidence. I started looking around for something to help her with overthinking and building confidence. I found a program (name not included because I don't want you guys to think I am marketing for it) that is a series of videos to help your kid get out of their own head and let their talent take over. She is a great student, with a really high IQ, and tends to overthink everything. She became a great student of these videos as well. She would tell me all about them (some day, she'll probably be my life coach LOL).
In the last tournament of the year, my daughter wasn't getting any playing time. One of the girls that was a year older was in a bit of a hitting slump. She struck out numerous times that weekend. She went to the coach on her own and said my DD should play over her in this game. That she deserves the opportunity and is the best hitter on the team. I couldn't believe it. The coach couldn't believe it. The coach listened to the young lady and put my DD in halfway through the game.
The game was close. It was championship Sunday. If you lose, you go home. Timed game. About 10 minutes left. My DD gets her chance. As you would guess I am leading up to, my DD hit an absolute blast, moon shot, over the outfielders head and just shy of clearing the fence on a huge field. Any other field we played on that weekend and it was a OTF home run. She rounded third, her teammates came out of the dug out and met her at home plate with huge hugs and high fives. The parents were going insane. My DD cried tears of joy. We won the game and went on to win the championship in the next game.
I asked my DD what she did differently. She said she remembered her training on the videos. Told the self doubter in herself to go away and take a hike, and only focused on the ball. Didn't listen to her coaches shouting instructions. Didn't listen to the parents shouting. Focused on one thing and one thing only. Again, this is a 9 year old. I told her the home run was awesome, that I was so proud of her, but I was most proud of her not for the result but for working hard all season, not complaining, and doing so many different things to make herself a better ball player. The home run was the cherry on top.
She went on to have a ridiculous fall season in 2020, hitting over .850, multiple home runs, and multiple championships. I don't know if she will ever be a D1, D2, or D3 player someday, but for now, I am enjoying watching her play and growing as a little human. She inspires me to be better.
Her coaches kept saying she has the tools, but lacked the confidence. I started looking around for something to help her with overthinking and building confidence. I found a program (name not included because I don't want you guys to think I am marketing for it) that is a series of videos to help your kid get out of their own head and let their talent take over. She is a great student, with a really high IQ, and tends to overthink everything. She became a great student of these videos as well. She would tell me all about them (some day, she'll probably be my life coach LOL).
In the last tournament of the year, my daughter wasn't getting any playing time. One of the girls that was a year older was in a bit of a hitting slump. She struck out numerous times that weekend. She went to the coach on her own and said my DD should play over her in this game. That she deserves the opportunity and is the best hitter on the team. I couldn't believe it. The coach couldn't believe it. The coach listened to the young lady and put my DD in halfway through the game.
The game was close. It was championship Sunday. If you lose, you go home. Timed game. About 10 minutes left. My DD gets her chance. As you would guess I am leading up to, my DD hit an absolute blast, moon shot, over the outfielders head and just shy of clearing the fence on a huge field. Any other field we played on that weekend and it was a OTF home run. She rounded third, her teammates came out of the dug out and met her at home plate with huge hugs and high fives. The parents were going insane. My DD cried tears of joy. We won the game and went on to win the championship in the next game.
I asked my DD what she did differently. She said she remembered her training on the videos. Told the self doubter in herself to go away and take a hike, and only focused on the ball. Didn't listen to her coaches shouting instructions. Didn't listen to the parents shouting. Focused on one thing and one thing only. Again, this is a 9 year old. I told her the home run was awesome, that I was so proud of her, but I was most proud of her not for the result but for working hard all season, not complaining, and doing so many different things to make herself a better ball player. The home run was the cherry on top.
She went on to have a ridiculous fall season in 2020, hitting over .850, multiple home runs, and multiple championships. I don't know if she will ever be a D1, D2, or D3 player someday, but for now, I am enjoying watching her play and growing as a little human. She inspires me to be better.
