Softball isn’t my sport. It’s not that I hate the sport, it just was never my favorite. So this year, when we got past the (what I feel like obligatory) T-ball stage and moved to not only school league but travel team softball, I was pretty leery about how my 7-year-old would handle it.
And while I would like to sit here and tell you how wrong I was about being worried about it, I can’t. Ha! As far as the school league goes, Reagan is really enjoying it – I mean who wouldn’t, you get at least five pitches from the coach and then, if needed, you get the T as well.
There are no outs, everyone hits, and the last one to hit for the inning always gets a “home run” (or at least gets to run all the bases and score). Which, by the way, score is not kept, so there are no losers and no winners.
But on the travel team, it is a whole different level. It took some time for Reagan to realize that she only gets three strikes, doesn’t get to bat every inning and has to pay attention to every ball hit in the field. And for a barely 7-year-old, those were some big adjustments.
Last weekend, we had our first tournament, which meant five games in two days. (It could have been more had it went the way we wanted.) It was a couple of long days for these kids. I am not going to lie, that fifth game on Sunday had Reagan regretting every ounce of committing to the travel team. Practically in tears between top and bottom of the innings, she was ready to throw in the towel.
But what impressed me the most was that this little girl could have refused to push on. She could have fallen into one of the many not-doing-it tantrums that I have seen her pull over the years. Instead, she still got out there and gave it her all. She didn’t let up on her intensity during game time or let her tiredness hold her back.
Now don’t get me wrong, she is the youngest on this team. She is not their all-star by any means. But she put her heart into it completely. Even with only three strikes and you’re out, my girl made contact and got on base far more than she struck out.
From game one to game five, I watched her grow in the knowledge of the game, fielding the ball and learning when and where to back up from the outfield. She even got some time in behind the plate as the catcher and didn’t even complain about wearing all the gear; she just took on the position like a champ.
Sure, she is not really upset that she will miss the next tournament since we are on vacation, and I am not sure she will sign up for the travel team next year. I am still so proud of her for pushing through on her commitment to it this year.
Because that is what I will always instill in my girls — an option to do any sport or activity that they are interested in, but also the follow through with whatever they decide for that entire season.
And while softball hasn’t traditionally been my cup of tea, I will tell you that not only watching her learn and grow in the sport but the comradery associated with it put me all in the feels. Not only is my girl on this team, but so many of her friends (and my friends’ kiddos) are on it as well. Heck, at any given time there were 10 to 12 adults cheering on every single girl out there.
No, it wasn’t my passion of basketball, but all those feelings of teammates, support, competitiveness and family came rushing back. For the first time in a long time (we won’t mention how long it has been since I played college basketball), I had all of those emotions again – except from the sidelines – and it was just as sweet!
No one told me this was a thing, that you get to feel all that again when your kiddos start playing actual competitive sports. I had no idea that it would all come rushing back but it definitely did. And to think, it wasn’t even from the sport I loved the most.
Look, maybe she plays next year, maybe she is done after this summer. Maybe she picks a different sport, or maybe she picks up an instrument. Whatever positive activity interests her, I will support it!
But this season has definitely opened my eyes up to just how much perseverance my baby girl has and how much fun it is going to be for me to watch her as she continues to grow in whatever it is she chooses.
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