Give it a Try

 

I used to feel guilty from time to time about Lauren dedicating herself to softball. I worried that I had pressured her into the same sport that I myself loved so much. She had grown up watching me play on several slow pitch teams and watched me coach. But I promise I did encourage Lauren to try different things as she was growing up to make sure she found her own niche.
The first interest was dance. There was a cute and perky dance instructor who came to Lauren's daycare. It was super convenient as the lessons were in the afternoon prior to me picking Lauren up. She had fun in the class and even participated in the big recital at the end of the season. Her costume was red, sparkly and had a tutu. And of course she was adorable. But come the next year she was not very interested.
Next came gymnastics. I enrolled her at a gym in Lakeland that was on the way home from school. She learned how to do some entry level ¨tricks¨ on  the balance beam but spent a majority of the time bouncing on a trampoline. Her fascination with this sport was over before I had to break it to her that she looked like a little ¨Human Bean¨ (sold at Hallmark in the eighties....look em up) in her pink leotard.
Then Lauren tried her hand at being a cheerleader. Of the teams available in our area of course I was going to go with the Lakeland Gators. She actually stuck with this for two seasons. I coached her team the second year. I had a blast choreographing a dance for her pee wee team to perform at a local competition. When we arrived the day we were going to show our stuff the organizer of the event pulled me to the side with some bad news. She informed me that the other pee wee teams had dropped out. She asked if I still wanted my girls to perform. Heck yeah we're gonna perform. I gathered the parents together and told them the news but asked that they not tell the girls. We went out on that field and they strutted their stuff. When the time came to hand out trophies my little team came in first. I waited years to tell Lauren they came in first out of one.
When we moved south of Jacksonville Lauren joined a Girls Scout troop at her school. She had a fun time and earned a few badges. But this too didn't hold her interest for long.
Lauren had played one season of t ball while still in Lakeland. Now in a new area she expressed interest in softball again. One day she brought home a flyer from school detailing softball try out information for the local athletic association. She was super excited. Ray and I took her to a Saturday try out session and then to lunch afterward.
As we sat at the table at our favorite Mexican restaurant I asked Lauren about what position she thought she wanted to play. ¨I want to be a pitcher.¨ Holy crap...a pitcher? I even tried to talk her out of it. I told her that pitchers have to run more, show up to practice early and stay at practice late. I told her the pressure on the mound can be intense while everyone is watching you. Nothing I said mattered, she wanted to be a pitcher. ¨Alright...¨ I announced...¨When we get home I will teach you the basics and we will see what you've got.¨
All be darned if that girl wasn't a natural. There was no stopping her after that. Unfortunately it came to her too easily and therefore she was never forced to work hard when she was younger. I was truly amazed each and every time she threw the ball. Not every game....every individual pitch. I had no idea how she did it. I was a talented ball player but could never pitch. I admired her so much for that.
So I look back and realize that I did provide enough variety for Lauren to have an opportunity to take a different direction had she chosen to do so. The only sport I never suggested is soccer....I hate soccer. I love all of my soccer friends, but I hate the sport. I am so thankful that apparently Lauren didn't ever care for it either. That's my girl.