Where did THAT come from?

While I know that every post I've made lately--"lately" is a very vague term--is something along the lines of "where has the time gone?" I just have to ask: "WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?"

First of all, we had our first tournament this past weekend. It's really so, so hard to believe that summer is already here! And we're even starting later than we did last year. I'm not sure why I'm so surprised by it, I guess I've just been super busy...like with buying a house, which I also did this past weekend. Plus, this year is my first year all on my own as the only Head Coach of the team. :-D

Now, that's not really what the whole "Where did that come from?" is all about. What it's all about is this:

On Saturday, we played three games. Three games, in the sense of any softball tournament, isn't a lot. I mean, it's a good amount but it's a regular Saturday. And what I saw, to be honest, was on par with any Saturday from last year. But this year, regardless of how infrequently I posted here, I was really stinkin' excited about the team we'd put together. We took our time and hand-chose the girls that would fit the positions we needed to fill; and we've filled all those positions, except a third pitcher. So we're good. In fact, we're great. And I knew we would be. That's why I was a bit surprised to see the same old "same old" this past Saturday. We looked like a team that didn't like each other, that didn't care to be there, that would rather be anywhere else. I knew that wasn't the case, though. So, I don't know what was up. I think we were all just nervous and excited and anxious. Plus, we really hadn't practiced together -- all eleven of us -- but maybe once or twice. Sure, we had nine or ten together many times, but that's not the same is it? (Especially with GIRLS. Hate to say it, but I know boys are different. Girls just have to have that "mesh." I'll say it time and time again, too.)

Needless to say, because I feel like it's almost like beating a dead horse, but we stank. S-T, A-N-K; we ain't had no bath that day; we STANK; yeah, yeah, we STANK. Lost all three games. Looked "alright" in the third game, but lost bad the first two. Just couldn't get it together in the first two games. It was like we were the dead horse, being beat. Three times.

And I'll tell you what. I made very little changes to line-up and playing positions for Sunday. Why, you ask? (And I know you're asking, because you're not the first to judge and doubt my coaching decisions...) Because I KNEW in my heart that something just wasn't working that day. It wasn't our skills, it wasn't our abilities, it wasn't our heart. It was just something. Something I hope to never see again!

So, Sunday morning comes and we drew the early game, of course, for a lose-or-go-home situation. Maybe it was that? Maybe it forced the girls into realizing they had to really give it their all that day? Who knows... But whatever it was, it showed us the REAL team of girls that we have. We saw the push, the determination, the sweat, the effort, the raw talent and the extended reach of every single girl. Even one of my girls, who broke her hand on Saturday, was pacing the dugout and telling me things she saw about the girls and positions, etc.

We were STRONG on Sunday. S-T-R, O-N-G; you can't even hang with me; we STRONG; yeah, yeah, we STRONG. (Okay, I know that wasn't that good, but I tried.) We slaughtered a tough team in 5 innings. We ran over another tough competitor, and came close to slaughtering them but had that "unfortunate 4th inning." And then we lost 2-1 in the bottom of the 8th inning with 1 out, against a team that beat us 6-2 the day before.

After the first game on Sunday, I turned to my assistant coach and we both just laughed and shook our heads. Who knew where it came from, but it was heavenly! It was everything (and a bit more) than we knew we had in ourselves. Then game 2 came and went but we were still a bit too shocked to sit back and "enjoy" it. And after game 3, there wasn't much too say. We lost the game, really, on a few errors that cost us; but they weren't mental errors, just the effects of physical exhaustion.

When I approached the girls after that game they were all laughing and smiling, and one said, "Coach, I'm kinda glad we lost. We can't play another game." Another agreed and said, "We're so tired, it would've been embarrassing. We would've been embarrassed if we had to play another game." And I saw it in them. Between just playing three games on Saturday and really giving it their EVERYTHING for three games on Sunday, they were beat. And that alone brought a smile to my face. How can I ever be mad or upset or sad or disappointed or anything when I know so deep in my soul that they gave every little bit of energy in their minds, bodies and hearts to win those games; especially when they were all smiling up at me? I could tell they were proud of themselves. I was proud of them too, and I hope that much was clear.

Now we're off to Williamsburg for tournament #2 of 7 this weekend and I'm hoping that they give at least half of their Sunday performance on Saturday so that we're not faced with a 7-game Sunday to win it all. I know that they could really earn some trophies this year. I know it. I can't wait to see it.