Softball feel good stories

Since softball kicks off in about a week Iwould like to hear some feel good stories on TBR. We spend a lot of time worrying about me with HS, Tb, and College ball. So I would like to hear some good stories that will warm the true passions of ball.Here goes. I had a player who was cut from our middle school team not once but twice. She was then told to become a slapper because she was not a successful righthanded hitter; but could really run. She began to work hard along with her dad. By the way never once pressured her.She played her age group and was not forced to play up.She made our JV team and leadoff.She had played 2nd base growing up and was asked to move to the outfield. Her responce was "whatever helps the team. She went on to lead the team in hitting and onbase % Both her junior and senior years. She made All conference and then All State. The great thing is she never gave up. Yesterday she took the field for Mars Hill.Her name was Ashley Angell. I also had a player who was a 2X player of the year who chose not to play ball in college and become a Doctor. To this day she still comes by and says if it had not been for softball she would not have had the drive to get where I she is today. She has said "I learned a life long lesson every time I took the field".Now one for me I was recently picked to Coach in our State games. The wonderful thing about this is I get to Coach with a dear friend who I admire very much. I have seen his own kids growup through some tough situations; as well as his players. Now I don't have to stand across from him on a field. This will be an honor as well as a bunch of fun. I get to stand with him. Also I get to work with talented kids from all types of life who have played against me and in other games at all levels. The Great God above has really blessed me in my life of softball as well as life with my family.The last feel good is Pop Rivers and the guidance he has shown through NCFPCA. He this week along with others have shown how they can work for all needs of kids in HS, TB, and coaches involved. A time when "what about me" could have gotten in the way. So I know I have not always agreed on somethings. But Ihave made a New Year's resolution to not always have a Knee-Jerk reaction and try to think through everything. So now I would like to hear some more feel good stories.I have a 1000 but I have said enough. Thanks to everyone in all phases of softball for bringing fastpitch from the dark ages to a bright present and an even brighter future! M Lambros

 

Little engine that could!

In 1998, I had a Senior on my team that I asked to move to centerfield from 2nd base. She had played 2nd from the time she could pick up a ball. She was a little hesitant, but willingly did what I thought was best for our team. Bill Gray, the coach at Francis Marion University at that time came to watch another young lady from our team play one day. After the game, he handed me a packet of information to hand to the centerfielder. I asked him why. He said he watched her bat one time during the game and felt she was somebody that could help him. She got down in the count, 0-2 and then fouled off about 10 good pitches before getting a hit to tie the game. He said he liked what he saw in her. She signed to play for Francis Marion and started for four years in centerfield. She still holds the season record for doubles in a game. She then turned her attention to coaching after graduation. She spent some time at St. Andrews College and then went on to be an assistant coach at Georgia College and State University. The Head Coach at GC&SU then left to take a Division 1 job. She became the interim Head coach for one year. She was named the Head Coach in 2006 and led GC&SU to a 2nd place finish in the highly competitive Peach Belt Conference. GC&SU then won the South Atlantic Region Cahmpionship and went on to play in the NCAA Division II College World Series. For her efforts, she was named 2006 Peach Belt Coach of the Year and she and her staff were named South Atlantic Coaching staff of the year by the National Fastpitch Association. She is beginning her third year as Head Coach. Her name is Ginger Miller and I could not be more proud of one of my former players. She is the little engine that could........

 

Character

Our DD was pitching for her rec ball team, wizzing pitches by batter after batter. With 2 outs a little gangly looking girl with thick glasses stepped toward the batters box. You could tell she had never played before, was in-experienced and scared to death of that fast ball. Her teammates were saying 'oh great heres the 3rd out'. I called a fastball outside,DD shook it off; curveball, DD shook it off; drop, again DD shook it off. By this time I was glaring at her, she turned and gave me a sign! She put her hand over her heart and smiled and I knew what was coming next. DD threw the slowest meatball pitch to this girl I had ever seen her throw; she swung and missed; DD walked back to the bewildered catcher to get the ball and mumbled something to the batter (all the while the head coach was giving me the look, you know the one) and returned to the mound; never looking at me for a sign she threw a perfect meatball floater of which the girl belted out of the infield for the only hit of the game by her team. She struck the next girl out with 3 pitches; game over! Going through the line to slap hands the little gangly slugger at the very back of the line (with a grin from ear to ear) shyly said thank you as a tear rolled down her cheek. While picking up the gear I asked DD what she had said to the girl and her reply was "Keep your eye on it all the way in, I know you can hit it"! DD received a standing ovation that day from the crowd, but more importantly showed true character when it really mattered. These two girls attended high school together and a couple of months ago ran into each other at the grocery store. Both had the same grin on their face as they passed by and spoke so proudly to each other! Neither one will ever forget that day on the softball field and neither will I!!

 

Awesome story.. One that all DD's should read. Thanks for sharing.

 

never give up on your dreams

Our youngest daughter has always been told that she would never play second base in school ball because she is lefthanded,but she has always played there on her rec teams and travel team since she was in 8u . Every year since 7th grade she asked could she try out there but was told "no
lefty will ever play second for me,you can play first or pitch".She has always wanted to prove all those coaches and ball savvy parents wrong. On may 2,of her junior year her team was playing a very weak team that evening and the coach finally told her that she could start at second for that one game.
Our oldest daughter,Kim, was going to come and watch her little sis get to finally play second base on the high school team that night but was in a horrible automobile accident and was airlifted to Duke hospital where she underwent several surgeries over a period of two weeks and was in the ICU ,of course our youngest was at the hospital with the family for this entire time.After 16 days our oldest daughter was moved to the step down unit and even though her mouth was wired shut she told her lil sis, Val , that she was sorry and that it was her fault that she missed getting the chance to play second base.We had been keeping the coach informed as to how things where going as our Kim had played for him four years earlier.He found out that she had moved out of the ICU and he called and asked if Val was ready to play, Kim heard us talking and said please let her play dad, so I agreed to it and she rode home with family that night. It was the semifinal game of our conference tournament and coach started her on second base and taped the game for me, she had 3 balls hit to her and played them all perfect and with the game tied in the bottom of the 7th,she got a hit that ended up being the game winner.
That coach is a class act and earned alot of respect that night.
Val missed only one more game and came back for the playoffs and
the final four in raleigh where she pitched a 1-0 win and had KM 0-0 in the 7th when she got tired and they took her out. Kim was in a wheel chair but she came to raleigh,even though she was'nt supposed to,never but after all she went through I didn't have the heart to tell her no,she had played in the final four and she wanted to watch her sister have the same experience, and even got to see her play second base when she wasn't pitching those two games. Coach Steve Taylor ,Thank You

 

ONE OF THE BEST FEEL GOOD STORIES

Check this link out ,Great story ,Very proud to have known her.

http://sssoftball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=530624

 

As a coach and teacher...........GREAT STORIES by all.

Thanks for sharing. I hate coaches that tell kids they'll never be able to play there b/c their left handed. Being a lefty, you can play anywhere. Just takes a lot more work at some positions than others. Adjust........

Don't ever tell a kid they can't..............

 

These stories are why there is a passion in our wonderful world.Touched everyday through a sport such as softball by tons of special kids, people of all walks of life, and most of all by special situations given us.