I have always known that I was proud of my nieces and my nephew. All four of them play softball/baseball, among other sports. All of them hold very high grades in school. I didn't know the amount of pride that I Could feel would be soooo overwhelming. I learned this lesson the last weekend in April.
Both of my nieces play softball for thier respective high schools. Both high schools won their district play off games. They were headed to the state tournament. Friday, TIffany had a game at 1:00. I had my cell phone in my pocket all afternoon. Just waiting on the phone call from my sister that would tell me the outcome of the game. A win would keep them in the tournament. A loss would send them home. The teams goal was to win the Friday game, to be one step closer to the tite than last year. Finally at 2:30, the call came. It was a win. That meant we were heading to Sulphur Louisiana the next morning. Kati didn't play until 6:00. I stayed up later than usual, so I could find out the score of her game. Finally at 10:30 pm, I found out that they won their game 1 to zero. That meant two games to watch the next day. I was one happy aunt.
Saturday, off we go. Jump in the truck, and take off to watch our girls. I had a small problem in that both games were to be played at the same time, and on different fields. Luckily the fields were not that far apart, so I could run between the two games to watch, cheer, and take pictures. Both games were exciting. Tiffany's started first. It was a good game. They won. They were stunned.... they were going to play that night at 7:00 for the STATE TITLE! I felt extremely proud of her. Then I dash over to watch the last inning of Kati's game. It was good as well.. Unfortunately, the outcome was not as good. After a hard fought battle, they lost. I was still very proud of her, win or lose she played her very best and that's all I could hope for.
Then Kati walked off of the field. My heart broke. Watching the tears fall down her face, and seeing the anguish and disappointment in her eyes was more than I could take. I tried to cheer her up. I hugged her, and felt soo useless. There was nothing I could do to make it better, and I felt bad about that. Finally we head to the truck, I cried the whole way there.
Now we faced a different problem. What to do for the night.. we decided on staying over, so we would not have to face a 2 1/2 hour drive home, at 10:00 pm. No big problem, we just didn't have any clothes, or necessities. But there's always a walmart around.
No sooner do we get checked into the hotel, eat a little dinner, then it is time to head back to the ball park. Why do they not make this a 3 day tournament? I know the girls must be tired. But they sure don't look it. 7:00 and they take the field. The game is very intense. NO score until the 7th inning. Bottom of the 7th and Tiffy's team is 1 out away from winning the title. Then it happens.. the other team scores. Ties up the game. This the overtime continues. What normally is a 7 inning, 1 1/2 hour game, turned into a 3 1/2 hour game, 11 inning game. I saw some of the most incredible plays that night. Girls stretching to a full split to catch the ball, slamming into the hard ground to slide to safety, banging into the fence to catch a pop up foul ball. Determination on their face. But victory was not to be for TIffy's team. THey lost 2 to 1. Still not bad.. that made them second in state in their division. But not the win they were hoping for.
I realized that win or lose, both of my girls did extremely well that day. THey played the sport they loved with heart and soul. They lost with dignity. They walked from the field with thier heads held high, even if disappointment wieghed down their spirits. I realized that that strange feeling in my chest was my heart full of pride. I didn't know the I could feel that pride so deeply. What I had thought was pride before was just a drop in the bucket compared to this feeling I had now. Words really can't describe that feeling.
High school ball was over for the season. But never fear, between tee-ball for my son, baseball for my nephew, and tournament softball for all 3 of my nieces the season for us is far from over.
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