In my experience a typical softball parent is:
A parent that stands behind their daughters interest in fast pitch softball
110%, making numerous sacrifices of time and money so that their daughter can reach her
full potential and enjoyment of the game.
It is the parent that drives their daughter 45 minutes across town because the
five programs closer to home don't meet her needs or criteria. It is the parent that tells
white-lies at work so that they can take her to practice on time. The typical softball
parent buys their daughter a new bat or glove, when the family car needs work and they
can't afford to get it done. It is the family eating out of a cooler on road trips because
the family budget really shouldn't allow for the out-of-town trip anyway. It is the parent
that is always at her game, regardless of what time or how far from home.
The typical softball parent is probably putting their daughters softball career
above the family finances, church and work.
The next time you see a parent upset about their daughters playing time etc.
... pause for a second before passing judgment ... they have probably made many severe
sacrifices for their daughter to get to where she is. If you were in their shoes ... you
would probably be upset too!
The typical softball parent is above all a parent! If you want to see some
rotten kids ... go to your neighborhood mall and check out the kids that hang around day
after day. If you really want to find out what an attitude problem is, recruit one of
those kids to play on your team. The typical softball parent is raising a girl that one
day will become a successful citizen. The kid hanging out at the mall, his parents don't
even know what his/her interest are and don't really care.
Yes, softball parents want the best for their girls. Sometimes we may
over-react, misjudge our kids abilities, beg the coach too hard for playing time, yell at
umps too loud or often and we get lost sometimes keeping softball in the proper
perspective. But we love our kids.
Over the past few years, I have looked closely at many of my daughters
teammates and opponents. I have admired their spirit, work ethic and determination. I have
looked fondly at genuinely pretty young ladies covered generously with mud and dirt, sweat
rolling off their brow, 95 degrees outside, four games played that day and one to go, and
I have developed a new-found respect for the female gender. These girls come to play ...
and they play because they want to! This is nothing the National Organization for Women
(NOW) could have sold me on.:)
With the current state of the youth in America, escalating violence and drug
abuse, and it is in or coming soon to a high school near you ... I think being called a
TYPICAL SOFTBALL PARENT is a sincere and high compliment!
This page was taken directly
from Stephen Willett's Fastpitch Softball.
He has graciously allowed us to reprint a portion of his website
here. In addition to this article check out the other articles from his website listed
below. We sincerely appreciate Stephen for allowing us to use his work here. After reading
the other articles contained on our site be sure to stop by the Stephen Willett's Fastpitch
Softball page
on the World Wide Web and express your thanks. If you like softball - especially fastpitch
softball then Stephen
Willett's Fastpitch Softball page
is a site you need to visit. Thanks again Stephen!