I started playing tee-ball at the age of five and ever since, softball has been a significant part of my life. I devoted summers to playing travel ball. I made the varsity high school team as a freshman. I’ve played every position and hit in every spot in the lineup. There is almost no place I’d rather be than on a softball field. So when asked to help coach a youth girls’ softball team, I jumped at the opportunity. I was eager to share my passion and knowledge of the game with little girls. I thought about all the things I would teach them and what kind of coach I wanted to be. What I didn’t expect is that I would learn as much from those girls as they would from me.
During my first season as a coach, our team lost every game. It was considered an accomplishment when a girl simply stopped a ground ball and threw it in the direction of first base. Any instruction I gave them went in one ear and out the other. After all, they were seven. They played softball to have fun, roll around in the dirt, and occasionally throw a ball. My patience was truly put to the test. I wanted these girls to appreciate softball as much as I did. More importantly, I wanted them to win.
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Each girl has an aspect of their personality that reminds me of when I first started playing softball. Katie has incredible dedication and determination; she is always up for a challenge and is ready to fight. Eleni is a star athlete, but is fearful of failure and hard on herself when she is not performing her best. Caitlin is tall and powerful, yet a little bit clumsy and slow. Evelyn is always focused and attuned to the game. Gillian is the queen of sass and will be the first one to roll her eyes when told to run. Frannie always has a smile on her face and giggling the whole
After walking onto the field at seven years old, I found my passion, my strength, and my world. Softball has been in my life for the past ten years, and I intend to play in college if I’m given the opportunity, nevertheless, I am going to fight to play. Playing softball has changed my life; I do not know where I would be without it. It has given me the best experiences in life, and I have made long term friends while playing. I hit my first homerun at 12 years old, and have been a power hitter ever since.
I knew I had to step up and fight for a spot during games. Playing time is not given, it is earned. The leaders on the team that year, and the tough coach pushed me and made me a stronger player. Being a leader on the softball field means that no matter the numbers on the score board, and individual has to stay confident and never let the team get down on themselves. Emotion plays an important role in a leader.
For this project I chose to interview Coach Perry that helps coach the softball team here at William Carey. I chose to interview her because since she has been my coach she has made an impact on my life and I truly look up to her in many ways because of the way she coaches. For this interview I came up with ten questions to ask her and to talk with her about and nevertheless I was not let down by her answers.
Fastpitch softball is a game of mental precision. It has its ups and downs. One game, you may feel as if you are unstoppable. While the following game may send you crying the entire car ride home. Even the rush of hitting a home run or the excitement of pitching a no-hitter, are no match for the mental games that always seem to follow a disappointing play. There are moments in each athlete’s softball career in which this disappointment becomes too much. It swallows them completely and consequently leaves them questioning why they ever started playing the game. It may even cause them to consider quitting.
Since I was five years old softball and sports have been a huge part of my life. In softball, specifically, there are many times of failure and success. High school sports, for me, has taken a lot of my time, effort, and commitment. From the first day I stepped onto the court and field to the last, I want to be able to say I did my best. It has been tough and frustrating at times. I experienced failure many times, even when I did not want to admit it. My moments of failure within high school sports have turned me into the character and person I am today. It has taught me how to take failure and turn it into success. Failure has made me realize that the only way for you to succeed is for you to fail first.
Softball isn’t all smiles and winning. Sometimes things could almost get sweet. For instance, we were the first team to ever beat Gladstone. I remember it was the second game of the season and we were playing at the dome. I remember Zeke punching the air, “Hell yeah! That’s what I want to see!” and telling us we didn’t have to clean up the equipment because we had won. We went home on a high, so incredibly proud to be on that team.
Blood, sweat and tears. All for one sport you love. Going to the fields, putting my cleats on and batting.(Cumulative) From the time I stepped on the diamond, I knew softball was going to be something I was good at. Usually most people start off playing t-ball and work their way up to the big leagues. Not me. I started my third grade year. Of course I was hesitant (nervous), but I got over that fast enough. I played every position possible. I was a strong hitter (usually making it on base every time). But that’s 10 u. Over the years, I became exceptionally good at softball. I had many compliments on how good I was. Parents were telling my parents how good I was. But that was only the beginning.
“A group of dedicated girls” is how Junior Danielle Urbon described the softball team. Even though the team struggled all year long and didn’t win as many games as they expected, they loved the game. The team showed improvement from last season but still have much work to do to get to where they want to be. When interview-
With softball season being right around the corner, I knew it was going to be one for the books! The weather was just right and I had just purchased a brand-new nike softball bag, bat, glove, and cleats. I was visiting with my grandmother that afternoon and she asked me, “Do you want to go out back and practice some ball?” I nodded yes and ran straight outside. However, it was that day at the age of thirteen that I discovered I was not born to be an athlete.
Our softball team had been practicing all week for softball state at the new evansville ball fields. We were excited to be the first team on these fields and the first team to win on these fields. We had caught, fielded, pitched, and hit so many softballs we were now unbeatable- “Practice makes perfect”.Everyone had attended these practices because they were so important that nobody had dared to skip, they were the key to our win. “Swing” was the team to beat. We are everyone’s rivals but our own. We never got down on anyone. We keep our spirits high through the best and worst parts of the games. Through losing, through winning, through anything, through everything thing, we were a team. That is why we one state.
I enjoy helping others pursue their passions and achieve their goals. Softball is a sport that has taught me many important life lessons including teamwork, leadership, and dedication. As softball is a sport that has taught me so much, I spent several weeks of my high school summers volunteering at softball camps. It was always rewarding to see the young girls discover their passion for the game just as I did when I was their age.
In the summer on July 22, 2017 my 14u USA Pride softball team left for the 2017 Softball World Series tournament in Crown Point Indiana. The team and I was super excited to be able to play in such a big tournament in a different state. My parents and I left one day before everyone else did just so we didn't have to get up super early the next morning. We had one day to ourselves before our first game the following day. We had the late game that was at one in the afternoon for our first game and I was super nervous. I am lead off batter so that is kinda frightening because all the pitchers are super good and our team hasn’t seen this kind of pitching before, because in Michigan where I live some people say we look
“Not everyone is going to see or accept you for who you are, and you have to accept that.” I was told this quote everyday by my mother. Today was no different, walking up to the raked field, quote on my mind , eyes on the fresh red clay, and the sound of my metal cleats against the concrete. I was ready for this day. After months of hard work from November to February , the tryouts for Central softball team were over. Over the span of four months, I pushed myself harder than I ever thought I could, but what I did never seemed to be enough for the team.
If I didn’t get to bat, I learned it was equally important to cheer on my team. If I was placed in the outfield, I was just as eager and ready to make a big play. I learned at an early age the importance of unity and being a team a player. Win or lose we all worked together in order to overcome challenges and strive for success. Because of my positive attitude and devotion to boosting team morale I ended up winning the Best Sportsmanship Award during one of our last games at state sectionals, something I’m extremely proud of. I have since had to take a leave of absence from softball due to a serious knee injury, but I continue to put forth the same amount of perseverance and allegiance towards all other aspects of my
Do you like softball? What position would you like to play?If you want to play softball there are many different positions that you can play. Some are pitcher, first baseman, and outfielder.