Ruth, Boggs and Damon all did it

Babe Ruth, Wade Boggs and Johny Damon are just three of the many players who have played for rivals.

A-mac finished her softball season, had a couple weeks off and then had to start try-outs for next year's team. There was some "drama" in the softball organization within the town that we live, and we had generally assumed our kids would be better off playing in a neighboring town. The drama could fill an entire blog by itself. This creates a challenge for us busdrivers, but in the end, we do what we think is better for our kids. A-mac was mildly made aware of a team in a neighboring town that she should be able to play for.

I suggested that A-mac should go to the try-outs for the Brampton Blazers. Brampton is the "arch rival" to our home town and the organization that beat Lil Lefty in her championship game. Brampton has a long history and always fields good quality teams. Up until now, we believed that Darth Vader was from Brampton.

Because of the drama within our home organization, several girls from A-mac's last year team also attended the try-outs for Brampton. People generally want there kids to play on a good team. There were 30+ kids at tryouts on the first Tuesday night.

First Night Lesson. A-mac did not do well the first night. She was just one of many. On our ride home she asked me what I though about the try-out? I explained that I suspected the coach already knew 8 kids he wanted on his team. After tonight, I would think he decided, he did not want 1/2 a dozen girls that came out, which leaves about 15 kids in the mix for 5 - 6 spots. While, A-mac did not do her best, I also assumed she did not do bad enough to be eliminated. She, along with 30+ other girls, wore a white T-shirt. I suggested that she should wear something "softball" OK, but something that differentiated her from the pack. We talked about how this was like an interview or an important test and how she did not seem to be prepared of focused enough on making the team (or getting the job, or performing well on the test...). She did enjoy the company of the girls and seemed to fit in well with the new friends she had met.

Second Night Lesson. A-mac wore a green T-shirt from a softball tournament and sufficiently stood out in a positive manner. She played better! She fielded and threw better. She hit well off the T. Again on our ride home, we talked about how valuable tryouts are because later in life there will be more important events that can benefit from the experience of "tryouts". I suspect the coach had increased the number of kids that were not going to make the team and the number of kids that he wanted. I still believed A-mac was in a pack of undecided.

Third Night Lesson. A-mac was concerned that she was not going to make the team. We discussed that there will be times you tryout for something and do not make it. I have had dozens of unsuccessful job interviews, but always try to learn and improve from the experience. In the back of my mind, and believing I know how this works, I suspected that if I was not approached by the coach at this last night, that more than likely A-mac would not make the team. They were scheduled to play a pick-up game off a pitching machine. Teams were divided and based on what I saw A-mac was assigned to the "not interested" team. Another dad mentioned to me at the beginning of the tryout that he had been called by the coach that day and his daughter was offered a "soft spot" on the team. This confirmed my thought that I had to be contacted tonight if A-mac was to make the team. At, the beginning of the tryout A-mac was on the bench - another bad sign. I watched the first two innings and these girls were good. A-mac could play with these girls. They were good. Fun ball to watch. Later that inning, A-mac batted and hit a single between third and short. The next time up, she was given the bunt signal and bunted well (arg!!! not a way to demonstrate what should be your best attribute - hitting) I really wanted her to be able to play on this team. The whole time on the bench she "chattered". She was very positive and supportive of people playing. She was the only voice that could be heard at the diamond. She was into the game. "She was A-mac"!!! I thouht to myself that of all the girls there I would want someone on my team with the attitiude that A-mac was showing. I was very proud of her. The next at bat, she ripped a line drive between left and center field for a stand-up triple and probably could have scored. In between, she made two good plays at third, throwing out runners at first. I saw the coach call A-mac over and saw them talking. Then, I saw A-mac point to me. The coach came over and offered A-mac a spot o the team. Way to go A-mac!!!

The whole ride home she said she wants to play on Brampton. She liked the girls on Brampton. Two other girls from her team last year were also offered spots on the Brampton team. After a night of well earned exuberance, we discussed that she had made a committment to try-out for another team and that she should keep her committment. We went to the try-out on Saturday morning. A-mac did well and the team was good. She, however, had decided she wanted to play for Brampton.

First practice with her new team was last night.