Blind Squirrel, Donnie S & Watcher - Class of 2009

[Gone in 2.6]

Okay guys. Our dds are gone (or soon will be).

What now? (Donnie might have a younger one still in travel ball?)

Are you (or any other '09 parents) going to miss travel ball? Or were you about done with
it anyway? I think I was pretty much over it. Especially driving to the OC for practice


However, my house is too damn quiet and I miss my girl.

[DonnieS]

Youngest is 15, h/s sophomore - 18 y/o leaves this Sunday, she wants to leave today, I keep saying, how about putting off a little longer.

[wadeintothem]

Hey, you guys have talented & driven young ladies who will surely be successful.

Well done.

[Gone in 2.6]

Youngest is 15, h/s sophomore - 18 y/o leaves this Sunday, she wants to leave today, I keep saying, how about putting off a little longer.

I thought you had a younger one. I have a 15 y/o myself but she quit softball in 8u when
she found out she could still go to the snack shack if she didn't play.

Hope you get to spend some quality time with your college girl this week up until she leaves this Sunday (Mine has already been gone for 4 days).

Best of luck to her in good 'ole CS

[artomatic]

Well done all three of you.
Best of luck and continued success to your daughters.

[DonnieS]

Youngest is 15, h/s sophomore - 18 y/o leaves this Sunday, she wants to leave today, I keep saying, how about putting off a little longer.

I thought you had a younger one. I have a 15 y/o myself but she quit softball in 8u when
she found out she could still go to the snack shack if she didn't play.

Hope you get to spend some quality time with your college girl this week up until she leaves this Sunday (Mine has already been gone for 4 days).

Best of luck to her in good 'ole CS

Thanks for the wishes and same to your dd. Our quality time with the college girl will be spent at a weekend high school volleyball tournament watching little sis - in Floresville Texas. I know, I know, you're jealous.

Who knows with the 15 y/o - she is as good an athlete - but different, she is probably as fast or going to be as fast as big sis, but can play every position. The c/s coaches suggested to her 2 years ago to become a leftie - so she did - still working at it. The older plays on athleticism - wide open 150 mph all the time, even when its not required, the younger is not as flashy as big sis but gets the job done.

[Sftbll4ever]

Well done all three of you.
Best of luck and continued success to your daughters.

No need to get all chocked up about it Arto!!!

[Blind Squirrel]

Thanx for asking, Raven's Dad (you still have no identity of your own). Was a real pleasure chatting with you at games. BTW, Samantha's opinion of Raven hasn't changed but she watched the other kid play recently and is no longer impressed. Seriously. (I laughed when she told me and thought you would too)

I don't feel so much like I'm about done with the whole youth sports thing as I am extremely excited for both of my kids and the great times they will have in college. I have had the best time this summer talking with my son after a year away at college and seeing the progression in his thinking. I expect the same with my daughter next summer as well as seeing further progress in my son. Youth sports had a place in our lives and it largely played out for us the same way it plays out for everybody. The kids had some good days on the field/court and some bad days. Any feelings of sentimentality for the past are obscured by excitement and optimism about their future, away at college.

My little one leaves in about a month. Her brother goes in a week or so. Empty nest here I come!!! Oh peace and quiet (kind of)! Oh solitude (kind of)! Oh wait. As fate would have it, the DD of some old friends will be living with us while she attends a local college and resumes her softball playing (their family moved away). So I'm losing 2 and unexpectedly gaining one. I'm actually really looking forward to it. She is a terrific kid. Her Dad coached my kid years ago.

Speaking of her Dad, he was one of those guys we've all seen that worked tirelessly with countless little softball players in Rec, in All Stars, in travel. Some might call him a Daddy Ball Coach since his kid not only played on his team, SHE PITCHED. Well, that coach taught my kid more about how to play softball than anyone else. Whatever ability my kid currently has, she owes it more to him than anyone, including me. Which means that terrible "Daddy Ball" coach may have saved us tens of thousands of dollars in college costs not to mention greatly helping my kid accomplish a goal that is important to her. The amount of good he did for so many other kids is simply incalculable. I don't believe he ever took a dime for his time/effort.

So, I'm looking forward to seeing your kid and Donnie's play during the next four years. Donnie, I regret not getting an opportunity to meet you and watch your kid play in person. TV will have to do.

Best Regards,
John Pappas

[GIMNEPIWO]

Donnie and I have discussed it in PM's ... but, you guys really aren't done unless that is the way the cards fall ... we lost at least 7 players last year ( 1 being a DD ) and 3 of them were pitchers, 1 was a backstop ... so, we had tossed around the idea of dabbling in a couple 23U tournies this year just so those gals wouldn't be done ... going into spring we still considered ourselves a 18U team ... as it turned out we morphed into a 23U ... but none of our hurlers came back ... the catcher didn't come back ( pregnant ) ... only 2 position players ( 1 was DD ) came back from last year and 1 from 2 years ago .... all the other 23U's were new gals and we filled in with our 18's ... what we heard from other teams is that they had trouble getting 12 gals to play ... we had enough interest to make 2 teams but opted for 1 strong one ... I understand that the other organizations will be following USSSA lead and changing 23U to 18 & over ( good for us since 1 hurler will age out otherwise ) ... and there are certainly ways that the way your program is run that will have to be modified ... as we found out and dealt with on a need to deal basis ... one small thing; no birth certificates, drivers licenses instead ...

[3rd Base Coach]

Gone in 2.6

You will fly back to the midwest at least 3 times in the next 12 months. Once in the fall & twice in the spring. And your DD may even play in Palm Springs in Feb.
You say "What now?" . Well, I would welcome you to join me during the high school season to keep you busy. It is still kind of like travelball plus I have 4 lefty slappers who could use your 'expertise'. You would have 12 'daughters' who would be crazy about you.