Playing it forward

[Jojo]

This is a newspaper picture of my DD's high school team.

Her Jr year DD pitched the team all the way to the Regional finals.
First time ever for her school. The called her team the cinderella team because they were a team of no-bodies, never been state ranked and they were beating top state ranked teams, in fact the were 0-0 in the 9th of the Regional game when an error cost them the game that would have sent them to state.

Her Senior year, all eyes and ears were on this team to finally go to state and 1/2 way through her undefeated season, my DD broke her hand in a play at 3rd. She was done for the season, it had to be pinned back in place and really did not know her future as a pitcher at that time.

In the picture below that is my DD in the white shirt. She could have boo hoo'd that season away, but she stepped it up, she was team captain, she kept that team going and alive, they didn't think they could do it without her on the mound. She helped guide the freshman pitcher through some difficult games and although they didn't win district they did play a couple of games into play-offs and overall they were very happy.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

. The kid obviously must have gotten some good genes and parenting from her mother.

The jury is still out on this one. ^^^^^^^



JAD, the parents are 10x's as bad as the kids. ( probably where they get it from ) I learned rather quickly who I could stand to sit next to and who to avoid like the plague.

DD's freshman year the seniors and parents were awful, and that's my nice word. What had happened was, the team had a decent 6-7 skilled seniors the year before. And that meant for 3 previous years the underclassmen got none or little varsity time. So the anger of the underclassmen and the parents had built up like a volcano in anticipation of finally sliding into the varsity role. When that didn't happen for some, or others got sub'd in and out for it erupted.

For the most part we have a great group now, players and parents. I'm sad, and even though I will continue to go watch games after DD graduates, I'm sure it won't have the same "excitement" ( for a dad ).

I envy all of you who are or will be entering the HS softball arena. It's truly a magical experience and the format of winning to advance in the playoffs is the best "drug" on the market. I hope all of you share your experiences during those times. Dads like myself will need those threads to relive the days and remember how very important and special the times were with our kids.

 

[JAD]

JAD, the parents are 10x's as bad as the kids. ( probably where they get it from ) I learned rather quickly who I could stand to sit next to and who to avoid like the plague.

I have heard the HS drama can be overwhelming, but my DD and I are not too worried about it. We think her chances at a college scholarship are tied to her TB team more so than her HS team. If the drama gets too bad, my DD can always play volleyball instead! LOL

 

[GOINGDEEP]

This is a newspaper picture of my DD's high school team.

Her Jr year DD pitched the team all the way to the Regional finals.
First time ever for her school. The called her team the cinderella team because they were a team of no-bodies, never been state ranked and they were beating top state ranked teams, in fact the were 0-0 in the 9th of the Regional game when an error cost them the game that would have sent them to state.

Her Senior year, all eyes and ears were on this team to finally go to state and 1/2 way through her undefeated season, my DD broke her hand in a play at 3rd. She was done for the season, it had to be pinned back in place and really did not know her future as a pitcher at that time.

In the picture below that is my DD in the white shirt. She could have boo hoo'd that season away, but she stepped it up, she was team captain, she kept that team going and alive, they didn't think they could do it without her on the mound. She helped guide the freshman pitcher through some difficult games and although they didn't win district they did play a couple of games into play-offs and overall they were very happy.

View attachment 2845

How did you make it though? I'm sure it was difficult as heck, being her senior year and all.

I know I've told the story of DD tearing her pitching cuff the sophomore year. What I haven't told is how hard it was on me. Not knowing if she'd ever play again, much less pitch. She was 15 so I had to drive her ( if her friends didn't pick her up ) to conditioning and practice, even though the coach said she didn't have to always come, but she never missed a day.

She pulled me through and made me grow as a man. From the first game of the season until the last she would call me about an hour before "dad, you're coming tonight right"? Even though sometimes I didn't want to, her call made it all worth while. Not gonna lie, a few times my eyes would glaze over sitting in the parking lot thinking my days of watching her play were over. All 3 sports specialist had given the diagnosis her days were probably over on the dirt. I was ready to roll over and die, she wouldn't let me.

DD is already a much better person at 17 than I am at 39. And sounds like yours is too.

 

[Jojo]

How did you make it though? I'm sure it was difficult as heck, being her senior year and all.

I know I've told the story of DD tearing her pitching cuff the sophomore year. What I haven't told is how hard it was on me. Not knowing if she'd ever play again, much less pitch. She was 15 so I had to drive her ( if her friends didn't pick her up ) to conditioning and practice, even though the coach said she didn't have to always come, but she never missed a day.

She pulled me through and made me grow as a man. From the first game of the season until the last she would call me about an hour before "dad, you're coming tonight right"? Even though sometimes I didn't want to, her call made it all worth while. Not gonna lie, a few times my eyes would glaze over sitting in the parking lot thinking my days of watching her play were over. All 3 sports specialist had given the diagnosis her days were probably over on the dirt. I was ready to roll over and die, she wouldn't let me.

DD is already a much better person at 17 than I am at 39. And sounds like yours is too.

GD, I won't lie, it was tough.
The worse time was at the ER after the game. They ran the x-rays and when the Dr came back in the room all she did was give a somber look and shake her head "no". Then my DD lost it. I felt so bad, and there was nothing I could do to console her. She was seeing her senior year gone, her chance for state gone and her college dreams all gone with one shake of a Dr's head.

I think what helped was she had injuries in the past and got through them, and this was just another one--the timing sucked seriously though! Her teammates were great, several of them came to the hospital during her surgery and helped cheer her up.

At the time she had already verbally committed to her University and she had to call the coach and explain the situation, and fortunately her coach was awesome and told her she knew she'd get through it as well. She sets goals and she see's them through. One of the things I instilled in her growing up, I don't like when kids quit halfway through a goal--it doesn't teach them that they can actually get through it.

She went through re-hab all summer and hanging in her orthopedics doctors office is a picture I sent to him, thanking him for the great job he did with her.

It's a picture of her standing on the mound. That's all.

But the significance of the picture was this was her very first time standing on the mound, in her very first college game, about to throw her very first pitch. It was a picture that we had always dreamed of and by not giving up she made it a reality.