The Typical Fastpitch Softball Parent...

In my experience a typical fastpitch softball parent is:

A parent that stands behind their daughter's interest in fastpitch 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 "little white lies" at work so that they can take her to practice on time.

The typical fastpitch 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 fastpitch 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 daughter's playing time, etc., pause for a second before passing judgement...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 faspitch 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 faspitch softball parent is raising a girl that one day will become a successful citizen. The kid hanging out at the mall, their parents don't even know what her interests 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 newfound 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 ... I think being called a TYPICAL FASTPITCH SOFTBALL PARENT is a sincere and high compliment!