- May 20, 2015
- 1,121
- 113
Here's a good one. Right out of a Disney movie.
10U rec league. Championship game.
We have a muslim girl on the team who is sweet as can be, wears the traditional head garb (hijab?) and is very quiet. Didn't really bond with the team but certainly wasn't disliked at all. Just a quiet girl, but obviously more noticeable. Not a lot of talent, seems to enjoy the game (but not love it). Most of the year she's moved from second base to outfield as the rec league makes us ensure all girls play 2 innings infield, 2 in the outfield.
We're playing a good team, up by a run. Bases loaded, 2 outs. Last at bat for the other team and game is over. This girl is in left field. All girls are tense, and quite honestly, looked like they expected to lose given the current situation.
Pitch comes...
Hard hit fly ball to deep left field. We all know the game is over as this will easily score several runs. One of the best hit balls we've seen all year.
Well the girl (on her own) had moved way further back in left field than any 10U coach would put her. Guess they missed that as their focus was on the infield getting the force at home and such.
So the girl runs a few steps and puts up her glove. Kinda knew what she was doing, kind of just trying.
And yes, the ball magically falls right into her glove and she holds on to end the game.
One of those moments none of us will ever forget. The team swarms her out in left field all full of smiles and cheers. I'm sure that little girl will remember it forever.
we had a girl like that in 10u rec (DD#1 is a soph/first year 16u now)......she played in jeans, she was limited in abilities both physical and social, but always had a smile and had fun......she would alternate between 2b and RF mostly, and when she was in the infield it was always a worry, although we can't remember her ever getting hit with the ball
our league did it's best to draft equal teams....everyone got pitchers are catchers assigned, then drafted around that.....but playoffs we took a little seriously, even though we kept to the same rules......she made a catch in left field that ended a potential big inning, glove out in front of her, waist level, on a wing and prayer......both teams erupted in cheers and we went on to score enough runs in the bottom of the inning to win it......still say she was the catalyst for that win
flash forward to last year, and she finds herself on our JV team.......when we hit BP the girls always jump around, and she always finds herself in the infield......this is one of those situations where it is kind of out of our control, balls can (and do) get screamed at her.....but she plugs away, she never gets hit, she always seems to make some sort of awkward flash of the leather to at least save her life, and sometimes makes a play......and she still has that smile!