Starting to sink in... Senior year

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marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
So leaving after the end of our tournament this weekend and I thought "I never have to come to this crappy town ever again"

Because this is the last year DD will play travel before college and according to our schedule, we will never have to play at that complex again. I can't think of any other reason I would return. I never wanted to go there before softball. Actually I didn't even know the place existed except as an exit off the highway on the way to somewhere much better.

Going to be quite a lot of these this coming 12 months.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
I had the same thoughts running through my head last year. Last time we will have to show up at 6:45 am for 8am game. Last time to pee in this prison restroom. Last time I have to see that stupid parent. Last time I have to pay a $5 to get into the Scrapyard, although it's worth it to use their air conditioned restrooms! I thought it would all be over, but somehow I got wrangled into coaching again after stepping away for my DD's sake. This is my life I guess.

ETA: stay in the moment, smell the dew on the grass, the smell of sun screen, enjoy the dugout cheers, be a little nicer to the umpires, be quiet and really let soak it all in. This last year....goes fast. Light speed fast.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Unless you got thrown out of the park, not that I know anybody who has had that happened to them, it wasn't like you were going to go window shopping and get your nails done,so really
what is the difference what the town is like? I don't think I am enamored by any town in the State I live in, or 70% or so of the people, but I have job so...
I get your point pattar, but I dang sure get marriard & Orange Socks points also!! Two of our last three travel tournaments were in Raleigh, NC in July, the coolest of those two hovered around 159.6 degrees, at 10:00am!! And traffic was just stupid!

I swore after that last tournament the only time I'll ever be in Raleigh again is to pee on the way to the Outer Banks!

And our HS State championship was held at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC..........never again thank the good Lord!!

And I could definitely name drop and list quite a few more, I guess marriard is a nicer guy than me! But......I could also list a lot of great places we've played, a lot! Honestly, we're just into October and I'm already missing Fall ball, I'm proud of Anna playing college ball, but I miss having her around and playing in the great organization we've been a part of for so long!

Adjustment time for me I guess?

****Soak it all in marriard, this year will fly by!
 
Last edited:
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I get your point pattar, but I dang sure get marriard & Orange Socks points also!! Two of our last three travel tournaments were in Raleigh, NC in July, the coolest of those two hovered around 159.6 degrees, at 10:00am!! And traffic was just stupid!

I swore after that last tournament the only time I'll ever be in Raleigh again is to pee on the way to the Outer Banks!

And our HS State championship was held at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC..........never again thank the good Lord!!

And I could definitely name drop and list quite a few more, I guess marriard is a nicer guy than me! But......I could also list a lot of great places we've played, a lot! Honestly, we're just into October and I'm already missing Fall ball, I'm proud of Anna playing college ball, but I miss having her around and playing in the great organization we've been a part of for so long!

Adjustment time for me I guess?
I deleted my post as it was really just me ranting about Oklahoma.. :LOL:
 
Jun 11, 2012
741
63
Enjoy every moment of it.
Next fall you’ll be feeling a little lost with all the free time you have on weekends.
It’s weird not being at a field all the time but when I do see her we spend more quality time together so there’s that.
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Enjoy every moment of it.
Next fall you’ll be feeling a little lost with all the free time you have on weekends.
It’s weird not being at a field all the time but when I do see her we spend more quality time together so there’s that.

The local UIC is thrilled many more of my weekends will be free.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
I had many of the same feelings when DD was playing her last season at 18u. While she was still 18u eligible, we decided to play 23u during 2018. And while I really enjoyed the 23u competition and format, there were aspects of the previous years that I missed. This summer the group decided to not play any tournaments. And boy did I miss it. Every time DD or one of her teammates wanted me to pitch to them, I could not get in my truck fast enough. I'm hoping that continues for a couple more years. I will be lost when it is over... I have always told myself I would take up golf, but now that those days are getting closer, I'm really not interested in golf. Enjoy it while it lasts.
 
Oct 1, 2014
2,219
113
USA
Sharing many of those same thoughts (good & bad) about this phase of the journey...4 more regular season HS games (fingers crossed they make it through Regionals and into States). As soon as that's over it the final year of TB (and of course their senior year of HS Hoops as well). College ball...honestly who knows?
 
Nov 29, 2009
2,975
83
I had many of the same feelings when DD was playing her last season at 18u. While she was still 18u eligible, we decided to play 23u during 2018. And while I really enjoyed the 23u competition and format, there were aspects of the previous years that I missed. This summer the group decided to not play any tournaments. And boy did I miss it. Every time DD or one of her teammates wanted me to pitch to them, I could not get in my truck fast enough. I'm hoping that continues for a couple more years. I will be lost when it is over... I have always told myself I would take up golf, but now that those days are getting closer, I'm really not interested in golf. Enjoy it while it lasts.

After being with my DD from 12U all the way through college and then coaching for over 10 years without a DD on the team I was able to walk away 2 years ago. Not exactly on my terms. Between health issues and my age I knew it was time to give up coaching full time. I've been asked to coach several times and have turned it down. I'll help out from time to time and look at pitchers for people occasionally, but nothing with any long term commitments.

When I first walked away it took a few months to slough off the "Grind" of coaching. The spending an inordinate amount of my free time thinking about what to do next with the team. Working on a schedule for a team. Thinking about how to help the weaker players on the team to catch up to the better players. The having to rush home from work to make a practice or the 6:00 AM wake up to get to a tournament. The list of things a coach does off the field is endless. Today, I don't feel the need or the loss anymore.

I still love the game, but I don't miss it anymore. The thing that I do miss is the players. I miss the interaction with them. I miss watching them learn and become the best they can be. I miss the multitude of different personalities that range from the quirky kids who always made everyone laugh to the reserved and quiet kid. They were all fun. In all the years I coached I can honestly say I've only had one player I was glad to see leave the team.

So take heart... There is still life after softball. My first granddaughter was born a little over 3 weeks ago. Looking forward to spoiling the begezzes out of her and then sending her home back to my DD. hehehehehe!!!!!
 
Feb 26, 2016
283
28
Murfreesboro, TN
I had the same thoughts running through my head last year. Last time we will have to show up at 6:45 am for 8am game. Last time to pee in this prison restroom. Last time I have to see that stupid parent. Last time I have to pay a $5 to get into the Scrapyard, although it's worth it to use their air conditioned restrooms! I thought it would all be over, but somehow I got wrangled into coaching again after stepping away for my DD's sake. This is my life I guess.

ETA: stay in the moment, smell the dew on the grass, the smell of sun screen, enjoy the dugout cheers, be a little nicer to the umpires, be quiet and really let soak it all in. This last year....goes fast. Light speed fast.

e2a2867889e74c20da4a0df38be0ed388954d868c04d83d2e60040df15edc3c0.jpg
 

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