07/11/2016
When a man sees things of grace and beauty he gives those things a proper name meant for a female. Long flowing lines, always bright and never dark. I watched 10 girls battle heat, opponents, umpires, parents, and the occasional coach outburst. After 5 games, the 5th ending in defeat, they walked off the field with long flowing lines, always bright and never dark. the transformation of this loose fit group of girls has been so much fun to watch. 12 growing to 13, then 14, and now swelling to 15 has tested the coaching staff's ability to juggle, but all the while the ever constant long flowing lines are always bright. In the beginning we had miscommunication, timidness, and the urge to be "Safe" instead of aggressive. Now? I can hear #8 call for the ball clear across the clay. Bodies fly to the ball, but trust takes over when a better angle for the play can be made by a teammate. One mom tells a story of her daughter having always been the one looked upon to "make the play". Her aggressiveness was out of necessity, with team mates leaning on her. Now, 9 of the same aggressive young ladies share the diamond, a feeling of TEAM, and not so much girls she plays with. Trust! Running backwards tracking down a ball with every ounce of speed she can muster, and peeling away to a back-up roll when she is called off. The play is made, this is a TEAM. 4 games and three innings into the 5th, gives up 0 runs and commits 1 error. averaged 1 double play a game, and came within a cats whisker (from Skooter) of another 4 or 5 double plays. Great Pitching, fantastic defense, clutch hits, key bunts, and aggressive base running kept in the thick of things until the final out. After the hand shake, after the clearing of the dugout, I look down the back of the bleachers and see Long flowing lines, always bright, never dark.
On to Jacksonville ! !
