Softball with Jenny
Jenny joined a softball team this year and seems to be really enjoying it. I'm enjoying it as well. Jenny has a natural talent for sports and is an quick study. Tonight, she pitched and did a great job. After the game, we spent some time practicing different drills and I was impressed with how quickly she picked up the form and how fast her throwing is improving. The other kids were never really into sports that much, so this is the first time I've had to be a sports dad. It's genuinely enjoyable.
It can be humorous at times. It's not often you hear things like:
"If you have to look up to see the ball, don't swing!"
"Can you see or is your helmet in your way?"
and my favorite:
"If it hits the ground before it gets to you it's not a strike right?"
During the game tonight there was a dramatic moment. The opposing team's coach looked out to the infield and said really loudly:
"Are you OK honey!"
The little softball player just stood there with a frown on her face, her glove on the ground in front of her and both hands between her legs looking like she was in pain. The coach quickly led her off the field. A minute later, the exact same thing happened and their team was left with only two outfielders. Not that it really matters, rarely does a ball make it past the base lines.
It's fun to see everyone be good sports and emphasize the participation instead of the winning. One inning, Jenny's team had gotten into a rhythm and every batter seemed to be hitting. They started scoring pretty quickly and when one of the girls overthrew the third baseman, there was another opportunity for the girl on third base to run in, but the parent held her back so that we didn't run up the score.
Every game, the girls get a little better. They hit the ball a little further, the field the ball a little better (Jenny's team actually threw out a runner at first this game), they catch and pitch a little better and they focus a little more. They really improve pretty drastically in just a few games. And then, of course, it helps that it's not raining and freezing.
It can be humorous at times. It's not often you hear things like:
"If you have to look up to see the ball, don't swing!"
"Can you see or is your helmet in your way?"
and my favorite:
"If it hits the ground before it gets to you it's not a strike right?"
During the game tonight there was a dramatic moment. The opposing team's coach looked out to the infield and said really loudly:
"Are you OK honey!"
The little softball player just stood there with a frown on her face, her glove on the ground in front of her and both hands between her legs looking like she was in pain. The coach quickly led her off the field. A minute later, the exact same thing happened and their team was left with only two outfielders. Not that it really matters, rarely does a ball make it past the base lines.
It's fun to see everyone be good sports and emphasize the participation instead of the winning. One inning, Jenny's team had gotten into a rhythm and every batter seemed to be hitting. They started scoring pretty quickly and when one of the girls overthrew the third baseman, there was another opportunity for the girl on third base to run in, but the parent held her back so that we didn't run up the score.
Every game, the girls get a little better. They hit the ball a little further, the field the ball a little better (Jenny's team actually threw out a runner at first this game), they catch and pitch a little better and they focus a little more. They really improve pretty drastically in just a few games. And then, of course, it helps that it's not raining and freezing.
posted by Kirk at
9:45 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home