Saved by Softball

Of all the phone calls I made the day my daughter died one of the most difficult was to Lauren's college softball coach Carlos. I briefly wrote earlier about the less than stellar performance by Lauren's team the night she played in her final game. Both games of the double header were lost by evoking the 10 run and 8 run rules. For those of you unfamiliar with softball, when a team is losing by 10 runs by the 4th inning they are put out of their misery. In college, as I had learned only a week earlier, a similar rule exists for teams losing by 8 runs in the 5th inning. This being said, needless to say Coach Carlos was less than thrilled with his team.
Lauren and I had been texting back and forth the night she rode the bus with her team back to school for the last time. She expressed that Carlos was still upset with the team and was giving them the silent treatment. Having been a coach myself, I completely understood his pain. It is beyond frustrating to watch a group of talented girls play so beneath their ability. And of course there is the fact that it is a poor reflection on you as the coach. This is a sad but true perception in all sports.
I need to take you back in time to when Lauren decided to play softball again. She had given up on ball halfway into the season her senior year of high school and ended up quitting the team. I was not pleased with her decision but as always supported her independent right to make it. As time went on and she watched her friends post softball successes on facebook she became riddled with regret. Had she given up too soon? Was a comeback still possible?
Lauren would occasionally become frustrated socially and hit overload status. The spring of 2013 she started complaining that the local state college she was attending was just like high school and she wished she could get away. "I just want to go to school in the middle of nowhere!" she exclaimed one day. Being the control freak I am...the search for a new school began.
I started my research looking for community and state colleges with dorms. There are only a few. South Florida State College appeared on the list offering a student housing facility three miles from the campus. Then I remembered that the softball coach had shown some interest in Lauren when she was still in high school. The school is located in Avon Park, Florida. Talk about middle of nowhere. It was perfect.
Lauren started communicating with Coach Carlos through email. We looked up the softball schedule online and picked a day to visit the school and attend a game. I'll never forget the day Lauren, my mother and I went to the school for the first time. Carlos was so gracious as we paraded into his office. We talked about Lauren's pitching ability and her deep desire to return to the game. Carlos announced she could consider herself on the team. What a wonderful man to give my baby a chance on the spot, sight unseen.
So it was settled. Lauren would start school at SFSC the following Fall and play softball. We could not be more thrilled. I worked almost everyday at the restaurant that summer to save enough money to cover the fees for tuition and housing.  August came around quickly and she was off. Living at school, attending classes and playing softball again. Life was good.
Just before Christmas break I received a call from Lauren relaying great news. She told me that Coach Carlos had asked her to come to his office. When she arrived he showed her a sheet of paper and asked her to verify that all of her information was correct like her address, birth date, social security number, etc. She said to me "Mom, I saw something that said scholarship but I didn't want to say anything". My wonderfully gracious girl would never make assumptions. When she assured Carlos that all was correct he asked her to sign the form. It was then that he announced she had just signed her scholarship. She was so excited when she called. Kevin and I drove out to school that very night to celebrate. We took Lauren to a restaurant of her choice. She ALWAYS chose a buffet that featured all you can eat sushi and other Chinese and Japanese cuisines.
The team had it's challenges as does any group of late adolescent females but Lauren was having the time of her life. She was growing so much. She would defend others on the team if they were being picked on. In the past she would tell me these stories of her altruistic attempts to stand up for someone and the end result sometimes didn't hit the mark. Lauren would relay this super sassy diatribe and I would ask "Did you really say that?" and she would respond "No....but I thought it." and we would chuckle. Now recently I would ask the same question and she would boldly answer "YES I did!" I would smile and think "You go girl!!" She was becoming quite a force to be reckoned with and I couldn't be prouder.
Her softball team has been so supportive since the day Lauren died. The have organized fundraisers by selling t-shirts and bracelets which honor my girl and have even established a website to collect donations. I was thrilled to tell them I plan to start a scholarship in Lauren's name at the school. This way she can continue to help others as she always loved to do.
The team also paid tribute the Tuesday prior to Lauren's service. It was beautiful. Carlos presented me with several of Lauren's jerseys for my keeping. I promptly changed into one of them to wear for the rest of the evening. The girls also released balloons in Lauren's memory, created a sign in the outfield with her number, 20, and the other team also participated. Before the game that Thursday they released lanterns from the field. I did not attend this event but the pictures I received are gorgeous. My heart was filled with appreciation.
I am forever indebted to Carlos and his girls for taking such good care of my Lauren, in life and after. I thank them, love them, and pray God always blesses them.