Becoming grateful by teaching

Over the weekend I received two different pictures but with very similar themes. Two girls holding softballs, with huge grins on their faces. If you have ever played softball or been around someone that does, you know you/they usually get to keep home runs balls as a keep sake or proof of how awesome they are. I remember when I was younger I was always so excited to write all of the stats from the game on that ball. It is safe to say I still have all of those balls in a closet somewhere.  But somehow, the feeling I get from a picture from one of my girls hitting a home run compared to how I felt in that moment is so very different. When I was in that moment I was so excited that I hit a home run, that I accomplished something great.

But the moment that I get a text or a picture, not just of home runs, but of them doing well, I am excited, don't get me wrong, but I can't help but have an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness. Grateful for the opportunity I have to influence young girls to get better at their game. Grateful that they (both the parents and the girls) trust in me and what I teach. Grateful that they get to see all of their hard work pay off. Grateful for the time I have with each one of them to get to know them better. Grateful for the opportunity to help develop young athletes and give back the time that was so graciously given to me when I was younger. Moments of reflection like these make me realize just how lucky I was to have had those people in my life and how much they made me into the coach I am today. I suppose that those people that taught me felt pretty similar to how I feel today. I guess I can some it up in a couple of words. Grateful and proud.

Do what you love, with no apologies.

Every year I have the opportunity to travel and play slow pitch softball with some of my best friends. We always look forward to heading to Orlando to play in USSSA Worlds and work hard all year to get to that culminating end to our season. That is when we hope everything comes together, hitting, defense, team chemistry, etc. This year we played in Division C for the first time and did well, although we wanted to do better. That is the joy of playing with driven adult athletes, we always want to get better and have been lucky enough to do so the past three years. From 13th out of 100+ teams in Division D in 2011, to 3rd out of 90 in D in 2012, to 5th out of 39 in C in 2013, we are seeing the efforts of our hard work and dedication pay off. 

 I always get the question... why do you play so much? Doesn't that take up a lot of time? How much does all that cost? And my answer, every single time, is because I love it. I love doing something that fills my competitive nature, takes me places I wouldn't otherwise go, and brings me around people that make my life better. And because of that, I wouldn't trade any experience or time I have given to play slow pitch for anything else. It continues to teach me lessons and humbles me every time I step foot onto a field, and for that, I am grateful.  

Until next year, Orlando. I'll be eagerly waiting.