Blind Squirrel, Donnie S & Watcher - Class of 2009

[Blind Squirrel]

Hey freshman parents. What's the latest? How are your dd's doing? How are YOU holding up?

First obstacles surmounted. Likes the school, made new friends, feels comfortable, likes the team/coaches, has regard for the teachers and tutors. My biggest concerns taken care of. Told us last night that she is losing fat and replacing it with lean muscle, not bulk. I was relieved as I was a little concerned that the coaches would want her to gain weight for more power. Whether or not she plays and if she does, plays decent remains to be seen. But that is secondary unless/until it impacts her progress toward a degree. Overall, things look promising at the moment and no regrets yet about her choice of schools.

This is our second done flown the coop away to college. Definitely easier the second time around. Had a pit in my stomach when my son left last year. That feeling you get when you suffer a significant personal loss. When Demon Spawn2 left it was "Okay, see ya at Thanksgiving. Let me know if you need any help with your classes." Last night she said she could see herself living there after graduation. Whatever. It's her life.

I sure miss cleaning up after her and seeing her sit around watching Reality TV. NOT.

How is your little precious doing? How the Hell did you get all her stuff to her dorm? Did you make that drive? Are you going to get a chance to see her play in person? Do the remaining kids at home miss her terribly and wish she would come home immediately? Bet she just hates going to the football games.

John

[Ace]

If Sam agrees to coach I'm in.

I'm in.....Fillys 23U...most of the games are held in TO....so are there any more kids in the area interested????

1. Sam, what is TO and will you also be in charge of parent relations?
2. Is there really a Fillys 23U and how hard is it to form a new team in 23U?
3. Donnie, if your kid wants in, she'll have a place to stay. And just so you know, my son and I religiously avoid healthy food. None of that alfalfa sprouts crap. She would need to bring some BBQ recipes.
4. As with every team my precious plays for, she gets to choose what position she'll play before every game. The number thing is a given.

It would be a kick to get a bunch of kids together that want to play some ball and have a good time without the normal pressures they're under. No cosmic quest for championships, titles or trinkets. Just a way to stay sharp, make a few new friends and have fun during part of the summer.

Nothing personal Watcher. I just have no idea who you are.

JP

Not a problem I can be "almost invisalbe" at times, But at the next HB showcase if you see a 6'5" guy climb off a dark blue Indian motorcycle, Come on over and introduce yourself

Hahah, I can see you coming from the parking lot! Good luck to SM, she will be missed next year! My heart is bleeding while I wonder who will replace her!

[DonnieS]

Hey freshman parents. What's the latest? How are your dd's doing? How are YOU holding up?

We are doing fine, better now. She came down with H1N1 and it knocked her for a loop. She was told to either go home or somehow isolate herself. She called me crying from the doctor's office, she couldnt come home because of spreading the disease to the rest of us. I had taken the flu shot and thought she had the regular flu - so I packed and drove up, I kept her in a hotel room for 5 days, she got better a couple of days after I left and now tells me she has so much energy, she is going nuts. The good thing is that it seems that H1N1 also knocked out her homesickness a little (or maybe she got sick of seeing me so much). She has had 4 games -she played well, at least looked ok to daddy's eyes, she has 4 more this next week which will end fall ball. She was switched to leftie, but has handled that well, and they also moved her from SS/CF to 3b and 2b. Coach asked her if she would like to play 3b ( the one position I dont think she has ever played) - and she said what I knew she would 'Yes Mam". She has played 3b in 2 of the games and 2b in the others.

I filmed a bunch and took lots of pictures, her defensive form is so much better than I could even imagine, she is not rushing her plays, though coach asked her to do the same thing, that every coach she has ever had has asked, SLOW DOWN. Regarding offense, she got her welcome to D1 with her first attempted steal - and her 2nd attempted steal, and her 3rd attempted steal. Big difference there. Each attempt was closer and closer so she is getting better.

She struggled with one of her classes, but the tutors just kept patiently hammering her on it until it clicked. She kept telling me - I dont understand this stuff - I am not going to get it. I told her I remember the same words 39 years ago, and it will click and it did, but then came h1n1. The cool thing is that the classes and the homework are posted on a website and so each day she was with me, she would log on and at least look at what she needed to work on.
She is planning her spring course load with her advisors so that everything meshes. And she is considering a change in major - she asked me about like I was going to get worked up about it, I just said, talk to the advisors, think about what you think would be fun, and figure out what you have to major in to get to do it.

She has a great group of kids around her and the coaches couldnt be better. The kids are very protective of each other and the coaches are as well. Every thing I was told during the recruiting time frame has been as good as I expected or better. We are 6 weeks into this now, so only xx years left. And then we have the younger kid to go. Yikes.

[Gone in 2.6]

Hey freshman parents. What's the latest? How are your dd's doing? How are YOU holding up?

First obstacles surmounted. Likes the school, made new friends, feels comfortable, likes the team/coaches, has regard for the teachers and tutors. My biggest concerns taken care of. Told us last night that she is losing fat and replacing it with lean muscle, not bulk. I was relieved as I was a little concerned that the coaches would want her to gain weight for more power. Whether or not she plays and if she does, plays decent remains to be seen. But that is secondary unless/until it impacts her progress toward a degree. Overall, things look promising at the moment and no regrets yet about her choice of schools.

This is our second done flown the coop away to college. Definitely easier the second time around. Had a pit in my stomach when my son left last year. That feeling you get when you suffer a significant personal loss. When Demon Spawn2 left it was "Okay, see ya at Thanksgiving. Let me know if you need any help with your classes." Last night she said she could see herself living there after graduation. Whatever. It's her life.

I sure miss cleaning up after her and seeing her sit around watching Reality TV. NOT.

How is your little precious doing? So far so good. Already thinks she owns the place. How the Hell did you get all her stuff to her dorm? Did you make that drive? She flew in with her mom. We shipped a few things ahead and stuffed the rest into her and my wife's suitcases. Of course they bought a BUNCH of stuff there (ouch). Are you going to get a chance to see her play in person? Going next week. Do the remaining kids at home miss her terribly and wish she would come home immediately? They do miss her but enjoy being able to actually get to the computer. Plus her sister enjoys their shared room no longer looking like a bomb went off in it Bet she just hates going to the football games. See below

John

John, so glad to hear S is going so well (and you as well). Keep me posted!

[watcher]

The bratt is doing fine, She has started all the fall games and loves her school and teamates. The coach told me I got there just in time to nip a lil bout of homesickness in the azz. I was able to see two of the SCSU games & four of the terps games, I was able to suprise both girls at the start of games, So it was a great lil vacation.

So how is Raven doing ? I went right by her school, I thought about droping by to say hi, Well just for a second, It was raining pretty hard and I had 3 weeks of beard working, Couple that with a loud V-twin & my stature and, Well I didn't want to have to explain why I was lurking around the womens softball team practice

[Gone in 2.6]

The bratt is doing fine, She has started all the fall games and loves her school and teamates. The coach told me I got there just in time to nip a lil bout of homesickness in the azz. I was able to see two of the SCSU games & four of the terps games, I was able to suprise both girls at the start of games, So it was a great lil vacation.

So how is Raven doing ? I went right by her school, I thought about droping by to say hi, Well just for a second, It was raining pretty hard and I had 3 weeks of beard working, Couple that with a loud V-twin & my stature and, Well I didn't want to have to explain why I was lurking around the womens softball team practice :mrgreen:

Now that is funny and I would pay to see it.

The goofball is doing fine and I just returned from visiting her as a matter of fact. They played
6 games (can't believe the weather held) and predictably won them all handily (fall competition is usually limited to small mid major D1's, D2's and Juco). However Walters State gave them quite a scare scoring 5 in the top of the 5th for a 5-3 lead. Some games saw 7 freshman on the field at once.
She still doesn't seem to be homesick which is lucky considering how little can be done about
it at this distance.

Glad to hear Sam is hanging in there and doing great. How much distance between her school and big sis?

[watcher]

It's great to hear all the freshman talked about here are doing well, They are about 5-51/2 hrs apart. The oldest is catching a ride to college park with a teamate that comes from that area over Thanksgiving. Go to a Terp football game and hang-out a bit.

[3Bsnag]

This is one of my favorite posts on HB. Not only is it fun to read while anticipating their upcoming debuts, it is a little insightful on what is yet to come for the rest of us.
Thanks for sharing!

[Gone in 2.6]

Congrats to Donnie and his DD. She just registered her first career base hit a few minutes ago (in her first at bat!) against a Pac 10 power.

[3Bsnag]

Congrats to Donnie and his DD. She just registered her first career base hit a few minutes ago (in her first at bat!) against a Pac 10 power.

I second that! 2 hits and a SB as TAMU comes back in the 7th to beat Cal 3-2.

Edited to add:
Squirrels kid had a great first game too! Batting lead off with 1 hit, 1 run, a SB, and a win also!

Lots of games rain delayed, snowed out, or cancelled