What a heartbreaker

[Bchbum54]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum and just wanted to chime in for the first time. I've been reading some of your threads here for about a month or so and have found a lot of usefull information. A little info about myself, I am a proud father of a 9 year old girl who has grown a real passion for softball. My DD has been playing softball in the spring, swimming in the summer, soccer in fall and basketball in the winter since she was 4 years old. Unfortunately she has had a medical condition that has made it difficult for her to regulate her weight so we have kept her busy with sports to help. In Spring of 2012 she told us that softball is the only sport she wishes to play so every since then we have been softball 24/7. She has developed as an amazing catcher and become one of our leagues best hitter. All her hard work this past year has earned her an All-Star position as the Starting catcher for our leagues 8U Gold team. It is her first year as an All-Star and what a season it has been.

The HeartBreak!

Today, Sunday my DD's team made it to the Championship game in the SeaBreeze Tournement in Carlsbad. After an exciting weekend and 5 games (she was the catcher for every single inning) 3 games were played today. Final game had a 6 innings rule so not a timed game. Game was tied at the bottom of the 5th, bases loaded with 2 outs. The batter hit a dribbler to the pitcher who decided to make the shortest, quickest out to home plate since she met the ball half way from the mound. DD dropped the pass as the lead runner came home on the forced run. She knew instantly what that ment and just broke down crying, she is a tough girl and I have never, ever seen her break down so badly over anything. It just broke my heart to see her out there like that. All the wind was knocked out of our team. Very next batter hit a slow grounder to our third basemen who let it roll past her and bang 2 more runners. Coach calls a timeout to gather our girls and our pitcher strikes out the last batter. Now it's top of the 6th 6-3 them and we are last three on our lineup. Sure enough we go 3 and out and lose the game. After the game my DD comes up to us and tells us if she catches that ball the game is tied 3-3 going into the 6th and they would have had a chance to win. In the end the girls finished second and were rewarded a second place trophy. What a great weekend of ups and downs, the life of a softball parent. Thanks for reading, sorry it was so long

 

[NVfishing]

It's a team sport and a team loss. You can't single out an individual as the deciding factor in a game(something your DD should know). Sounds like your DD was instrumental in getting you guys to the championship game. Can't let one bad play in 6 innings "be the reason" you lost. Two people scored after that play and then the side was struck out. It's a tough way to lose but atleast you were there at the end. How many teams packed up early on Sunday? Just like the NFL. There's only one champion in the end but the goal is to get to the championship so you have a shot.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

You remind me of my nephew, and his catching DD is now 14. But, truly don't let her catch all of those games. Every other game is more than enough for anyone.

Just today I saw Randy Hundley (old Cub) on TV and they ask him what he would change about his career and he said "I wouldn't have caught all of those games, but we just didn't know any better." He said that his knee problems are awful.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[bucket pinata]

Making a mistake on a possible game winning play has to feel so bad cause making the game winning play feels sooo darn good. Welcome to Fastpitch.And like Amy said do not give her to many games in one day.Im sure she will want to be playing at 18u.sounds like she has the heart for the long haul.

 

[Eric F]

Hi, there. I'm the guy on the other side of the diamond. My DD was the one who scored the go-ahead run in that game. It was a hell of a battle between 2 really good teams, and we have nothing but respect for your girls - your pitcher is tremendous! Honestly, we are a little worried about facing your DD's team again in the first game of next weekend's tournament. We know your girls will be looking for redemption.

My DD just started playing in March and is thrilled to be a part of this All-Star team. She's not one of the better players on the team, but plays hard and is a focused competitor. She is still struggling to hit consistently against the best pitchers, but has a good sense of the strike zone. In the at-bat leading to the go-ahead run, my DD battled from an 0-2 count and drew a walk. Scoring the winning run and contributing in a big way to her team's success means the world to her.

Our team has been eliminated prematurely in our previous tournaments by either losing to teams we should have beaten, or giving the game away when we had it won. We have a duo of pitchers who are as good or better than anyone we've faced, and tight defense that executes well. In 13 tournament games so far, we've have given up more than 3 runs only once (we won 9-5). Our determining factor is our hitting. In Carlsbad, our bats were hot for the whole weekend, and we finally played up to our potential.

Cheers to you, Bchbum54. I look forward to next weekend.

 

[obbay]

You sound level-headed, so that's good! Never lose sight of the fact that she's a kid, the win/loss doesn't matter.

Take Amy's comments seriously- kids do develop knee problems. Seriously consider 1B as another primary position for her. DD #1 does both and I know of quite a few others that do as well. Something about receiving the thrown ball rather than fielding it and throwing it in time to beat the runner...

Also, DD hated OF for a similar reason- make a mistake in the IF and the BR is safe, Make a mistake in the OF, they score runs.

 

[Bchbum54]

Hi, there. I'm the guy on the other side of the diamond. My DD was the one who scored the go-ahead run in that game. It was a hell of a battle between 2 really good teams, and we have nothing but respect for your girls - your pitcher is tremendous! Honestly, we are a little worried about facing your DD's team again in the first game of next weekend's tournament. We know your girls will be looking for redemption.

My DD just started playing in March and is thrilled to be a part of this All-Star team. She's not one of the better players on the team, but plays hard and is a focused competitor. She is still struggling to hit consistently against the best pitchers, but has a good sense of the strike zone. In the at-bat leading to the go-ahead run, my DD battled from an 0-2 count and drew a walk. Scoring the winning run and contributing in a big way to her team's success means the world to her.

Our team has been eliminated prematurely in our previous tournaments by either losing to teams we should have beaten, or giving the game away when we had it won. We have a duo of pitchers who are as good or better than anyone we've faced, and tight defense that executes well. In 13 tournament games so far, we've have given up more than 3 runs only once (we won 9-5). Our determining factor is our hitting. In Carlsbad, our bats were hot for the whole weekend, and we finally played up to our potential.

Cheers to you, Bchbum54. I look forward to next weekend.

Lol, it was a good tournament. Yea my DD had a real good weekend, only 1 strikeout a homerun, a double, couple singles, and some walks. Our pitcher is a work horse, she Almost had 2 perfect games this weekend. Your team has a heck of a second basemen, my DD got up to bat twice (4th on the lineup), She hit a hard one to her and she made a great play on it to get her out. My DD did get on base the second time around on a not so impressive hit but a base hit is a base hit. It was a fun game and the parents were really fun. You gus were great sports, hope no one was offended when our parents started imitating the call from one of your fans. I well not see the first saturday game next week (work). I hate the early a.m. games. But I will be around considering we are the host team.

 

[sluggers]

All the wind was knocked out of our team. Very next batter hit a slow grounder to our third basemen who let it roll past her and bang 2 more runners.

I'm going to take this in a different direction. Everything is a learning experience.

If she had laughed and shrugged it off, would the team have fallen apart? Probably not. When she quit, the whole team quit.

When she is in the circle, she is the leader--whether she likes it or not. If another player on the team had made the mistake, she wouldn't have acted that way. So, she can't act that way when she makes a mistake.

She must *NOT* start crying (or, if she were a boy, get angry and throw stuff) no matter how bad things get. She has to act like, "Oh, that is the way I planned it."

It is difficult, and is "putting on a front". But, that is her job.

 

[Bchbum54]

When she quit, the whole team quit

I never said she quit. She was upset, remember these girls are only 8-9. She finished catching the game and was ready for her chance to get out to bat. I know "there's no crying in softball" but it's the only time I have seen her this upset

 

[Eric F]

Lol, it was a good tournament. Yea my DD had a real good weekend, only 1 strikeout a homerun, a double, couple singles, and some walks. Our pitcher is a work horse, she Almost had 2 perfect games this weekend. Your team has a heck of a second basemen, my DD got up to bat twice (4th on the lineup), She hit a hard one to her and she made a great play on it to get her out. My DD did get on base the second time around on a not so impressive hit but a base hit is a base hit. It was a fun game and the parents were really fun. You gus were great sports, hope no one was offended when our parents started imitating the call from one of your fans. I well not see the first saturday game next week (work). I hate the early a.m. games. But I will be around considering we are the host team.

I definitely remember your DD. I was running the scorebook for our team, and was keeping a close eye on who had the potential to hurt us. Your DD is a good player.

It's the dad of our pitcher who started the game who does that odd call when our pitchers throw strikes (which is a LOT, as you saw/heard), and he noticed that he was being imitated. He's a good sport. No harm done. He feigned offense for a moment, but he was amused by it more than anything else.

Our second baseman is fantastic, and has been a key component in our defense. Thanks for noticing.

I hate early AM games, too - especially when we have an hour drive to get there! I'm enjoying watching my DD have this great experience, but am looking forward to sleeping past 7:00 on a weekend morning.

If you get a chance during next weekend, stop by and say hi. I'll be the guy next to the Sierra Madre dugout with a scorebook in his lap.