08/06/2024
Well, it's been a little over a year since I've posted on this page. It's hard to believe the years flew by so fast, but the mission has been accomplished. It's both sad and exciting.
Wait... not every rostered kid has received their scholarship offers yet??? Well, that was a by product of our goals, not the goal itself.
See what made DC Sox so special is that our ultimate goal really had nothing to do with a ball at all. The ball was simply the tool used to ensure that our group of girls had the foundation needed to be successful and respected in whatever they choose to do in life (short term and long term). So many put the focus on the scholarship or dream school as the finish line. Not saying it's wrong because everyone's goals are different. However, our finish line can't be found until our girls are doing life as an adult, raising their own families, watching their kids play sports, navigating their careers, etc.
For now some of our girls are choosing to focus on education and making a few dollars in their new found free time. Others are choosing to continue playing the game wearing a different jersey.
To the teams that are fortunate enough to end up with one of our kids on your squad, you are fixing to see what has seperated our group from so many. Our girls simply go!!! If they trust you, every single one of them will run through a wall for you and lead the rest of your team to do the same. They will not be outworked, outhustled, or out classed. Whatever they do, they do with their whole heart, and ask for nothing for free. They will not ask you for a position, they will earn it, and leave no room for doubt. For our girls that are not continuing to play the game at this time, there's no different story, just a different atmosphere. The girls of DC Sox have been raised, coached, loved, led, and built up differently. They are truly special, and built for nothing short of greatness in whatever they do.
From day one our mission was to put like-minded parents and their little girls around positive influences, and simply play the game for what it was intended for, Fun. I said it since day one, we picked parents, and we'd coach kids to be the best people/athletes they could be. That's exactly what we did, and I'm so proud of the group we will forever call DC Sox. That includes all of the former players and those that rode it out to the end.
There's countless stories and situations but some of the things I'm most proud of in 500ish games played, is our girls spoke about Jesus before every game. Not all players came into our group knowing about Jesus but everyone of them now knows where they are going should they pass today. Our girls never witnessed a Sox coach lose control and be thrown out of a game for any reason. Our girls never witnessed a coach or anyone else degrade them personally under any circumstance. In the unfortunate circumstances we saw anyone degrading players they saw coaches step up and say just enough to pull some of that negative attention away from the player and accept it themselves. There are so so many things I'm proud of but another huge one was our girls were not afraid to fail, and that's why they were so freaking successful.
To the parents: there's not enough words to explain the appreciation I have for you. Thank you to each and every one of you for sharing your family with me and mine. Thank you for being there for us through the toughest moments of my life, and thank you for sharing some of your best and worst moments with me. And thank you for trusting me to help raise your babies. I've seen new family members come in and other family members leave this world over the last 10 years. The love for this team literally had me in hospitals for both. I hope you all know I felt true joy and sorrow with you through each.
To the coaches, we had some dang times. When life forces me to give it up, there were so many reasons that I know, you know. Some reasons you didn't, but yall keeping those girls together so that they knew they could go through some adversity and still be successful might be some of the best lessons those girls end up getting out of this game. We had some awesome times I'm forever grateful for and you will be my brothers forever.
To my girls, I'm sorry for any pain you may feel. Many of you have literally been on this team before you were old enough to understand what strikes and balls were, so I know the future may be a bit scary. But that's even more reason to get out and spread those wings for the world. Whether you were day 1 DC Sox originals or came on just a season ago, I hope you know that God has a much bigger plan for you. This is not the end of the game nor the end of your team. It's simply the end of seeing the DC Sox jersey show up to a park and hurt everyone's feelings. The game at this level is more about individual exposure, and getting out of what's comfortable to truly shine individually, and put yourselves around others with like minded goals. It doesn't matter if that goal is D1 or D2 athletic goals, Juco goals, educational goals, or goals to go make $$$. I'm proud of you regardless and love every single player I have ever had the privilege of being called coach by. The only goal that I expect not be a priority is those friend boys (they are secondary at the very best!!!). 😂😂😂.
Thank you to every person that ever supported us or competed against us. You all helped to shape the best all around team in our division at every single park we stepped into.
*** Lastly, to the coaches kids (and spouses) Daddy ball is what I hear they call it. I think they should call it daughter ball because y'all are the real heroes. You share your daddies (& spouses) with everyone. You share their attention, their time, their efforts, and everything else that noone knows about. You get every thing twice often times and more often than not, it's not good. You hear all the coach talk as well as the player/family chatter and don't feel you can share either without disappointing those you hear it from. You hear the disappointment more than anyone else. You hear all the things you shouldn't, and often times not near enough of the good/praise to offset it all. Yet you receive little to no credit. You are the true heroes of this team and others built like it with parent coaches.
Love to all,
Coach Michael Lahmon
