What is your favorite moment?

ApogeeDemon · Jan 22, 2015

If you had to pick one moment in fastpitch softball, what is your all time favorite? One moment that you'll never forget. Maybe a college offer? A game winning homerun by your daughter? A state championship?

Longtoss1 · Jan 22, 2015

In my brief time as a softball/bucketdad it would have to be last year when my daughter got a called strike three for the final out in the 10u championship game at the Laser Nation Tournament. We could play at Laser Nation every year and may never win it again as it just gets tougher!

joboo1drew · Jan 22, 2015

My dd broke both bones in her leg and had compartment syndrome her 11u year (Feb 3 years ago). Doctors said she was was lucky to have caught it in time as initial emergency room had misdiagnosed and had not even got a good scan of the leg. She was not expected to play at all that season. She played with 2 rods the size of knitting needles in her leg and 3 screws. She worked her butt off and did not miss a summer game. She had a pretty productive year all in all. We never take anything for granted after this, as you never know when it will all come to an end.

ApogeeDemon · Jan 22, 2015

joboo1drew said:
My dd broke both bones in her leg and had compartment syndrome her 11u year (Feb 3 years ago). Doctors said she was was lucky to have caught it in time as initial emergency room had misdiagnosed and had not even got a good scan of the leg. She was not expected to play at all that season. She played with 2 rods the size of knitting needles in her leg and 3 screws. She worked her butt off and did not miss a summer game. She had a pretty productive year all in all. We never take anything for granted after this, as you never know when it will all come to an end.

Im happy she is alright.

JoeA1010 · Jan 22, 2015

I never really thought about this question until now and I've been involved for almost 20 years. For me personally, my favorite moment was in the late summer of 2002 when I was offered the head coaching job at Thomas Worthington. I am in my second college job now and both of those offers were great moments, but for whatever reason, the offer from TW was my happiest moment. I was sitting in the lobby in the Franklin County Municipal Courthouse around 11 a.m. and got the call. I accepted the job and then hung up and tried to figure out how I was going to leave work every day in the spring at 2:30 p.m.

As a coach, I hate to be like this, but it's a tie. One was winning the district title in a thrilling, extra-inning game with Marysville in 2007. The other was winning the Shreve 16-U ASA National Qualifier in 2006 after losing the first game of double elimination. This was in the day when it was difficult to qualify for ASA Nats and we decided to go for it and go to Seattle if we qualified. You had to win the tourney and there were teams from So Cal, Virginia, Oregon, etc. in the tournament. We won something like 6 or 7 in a row after the loss and it was in the 90s and humid on Sunday. Our girls and coaches were all physically and mentally exhausted, but what a great feeling it was to win that tourney (with Shreve locals cheering us on) and know we were headed to Seattle.

joboo1drew · Jan 23, 2015

ApogeeDemon said:
Im happy she is alright.

Thanks. Nasty scars on her leg that will always be a reminder. They remind me that no matter how bad you think it is, it can always be worse. We enjoy each day as it were her last playing the game we both love. Her to play and for her family to watch her play.

coachjwb · Jan 23, 2015

DD's senior year at Baldwin Wallace ... they are playing at Chatham University in Pittsburgh walking distance from where her brother lives so he is able to come and watch the second game after work which she is pitching. It's a cold day and the softball field sits on top of a hill and the only good view is from behind the outfield fence, where me, my son and her mom have lawn chairs but are standing up trying to keep warm. She goes into the game needing one more win to break the career wins record. They are down 2-1 in the top of the 5th I believe and she comes up to bat with a runner on base. She hits what is only the 3rd (and final) home run of her career and it lands in her mom's lawn chair to take a 3-2 lead. She holds the lead to win the game and break the record ... and, by the way, the hit was also the 100th of her college career.

Sorry, but I win!

coachjwb · Jan 23, 2015

Oh, by the way, I was one of Ashleigh's coaches when she came back from that injury and got a hit in her first at bat back ... that was one of my top 10 moments for sure as well!!

wvanalmsick · Jan 23, 2015

2011 Central District High School Tournament semi-final 1st inning, DD blasts a HR that went all the way to the parking lot at Pickerington Central. She didn't see another pitch even close to the plate the rest of the game. Next game, Central District Championship, 4th inning, scoreless tie, runner on third, one out, and DD at the plate. DD was walked in the 1st inning on 4 pitches, all low and outside. This at-bat, DD's first 2 pitches were the same spot, low and outside. 3rd pitch, same spot, but coach called for the suicide squeeze and DD reaches across the plate and lays down a great bunt that scores the run and DD ends up at 2nd base.

A week later in the State Championship game, the team has an inning from hell, opposition scores 10 runs. Some great hits, some seeing eye singles, some mental errors all play a part. The team is still looking for the wheels that flew off of the wagon. The team finishes as runners-up. At the trophy presentation, DD and the other senior on the team are presented the trophy and instead of hanging their heads, they hold the trophy high, just as if they had won. DD shouts, "Hey, we are better than 188 other high schools" (190 schools in D3 that year) and they dance back to the group, living the moment.

HITTER23 · Jan 23, 2015

Fastpitch wise, The DD was in her freshman year and was playing in her first college action in the fall . She was a pitcher but played some outfield and her second game hit her first h.r. I called Howard (Hitter) as she was rounding the bases and he couldn’t understand a word I said I was so excited lol.
But the memory I love is when she was 13, pitching little league baseball in the little league regionals , striking out 10 in 7 innings with a ponytail to her butt and the looks on the boys faces when they walked back to the dugout was priceless.

Coaching wise, It has to be whenever a player ive coached and seen grow up tells me she has just committed to go to whatever college. I get to relive the DD doing it over again.

Fairman · Jan 23, 2015

My favorite moment:

My 10year old dd comes bursting in the door and says 'Dad! dad! I threw a 3 hitter'
I respond. 'That's great Hannah, Congratulations'
'Yeah only hit three kids!' (that was down from a whole team the week before)

As a Sophomore in college, she was selected All-Confernece and she still isn't afraid to pitch inside.

Westler33 · Jan 23, 2015

My favorite moment so far has been this past summer at ASA E Nationals. My dd had a couple of teammates hit their fist over the fence HR and she wanted to hit one so bad I could tell by the way she was swinging. She even told me after one at bat that " this bat is not hot anymore " and I told her that it was just fine and that I would take a 500 avg. and no HR over a 200 avg. and 5 HR even though deep down I wanted her to hit one to be happy. She asked me before our last game on Sat. if she could try her other bat and I said that was fine but if it was a faster pitcher than it would be to heavy. We got to the field and she seen the pitcher and I said she should not swing the other bat and she agreed. In her first at bat I told her just hit the ball hard and don't worry about the HR. She got to the plate and got the count to 2 and 2 and then hit one to center field and I held my breath and watched as it went over the fence. I looked at her face as she jumped on every base and then home and I picked her up and held her for as long as I could with tears in my eyes I said how proud I was and that I love her. That has to be my favorite moment so far in softball although she was only 9 and I hope that we have many more moments just like that one!

joboo1drew · Jan 23, 2015

coachjwb said:
Oh, by the way, I was one of Ashleigh's coaches when she came back from that injury and got a hit in her first at bat back ... that was one of my top 10 moments for sure as well!!

Don't think I took a breath for many minutes during that at bat.

Lasers 04 Coach Mike · Jan 23, 2015

I have had many sentimental moments and have read some really good ones on this thread, so I figured I would change it up a bit. One that really stuck with me through the years;
This was an 11U team back in the day when most teams played in shorts. The opposing team’s batter stepped up to the plate with a runner on first base. Our catcher was learning the position and wasn’t the best at working the drop and block. The pitch was thrown and took a skip off the infield. Needless to say, the ball continued to the path of least resistance, up the back of her leg, and lodged itself into the back of her shorts!!!!! She immediately stood up and attempted to retrieve the ball by reaching, pushing, pulling or whatever means necessary to retrieve the ball and keep the runner from advancing. I still remember her running in circles around the plate while trying to dig out what looked like a potato in the back of her shorts. I rolled off the bucket!!!!! (tears and laughter). The runner had no clue what to do because she did not know where the ball was. True Story!!!!!!!!!!!!

raidian70 · Jan 23, 2015

It is tough for me to pick one moment, because I have 2 females who have a large impact on my life and they both play softball. I have one moment for each. It was during my wife's (then fiancee) senior year in college she was set to break the career wins record as a pitcher. It was my spring break as I was already teaching so I made the trip out to watch her play. Of course only one umpire showed up, and having my license was asked to fill in on the bases. I was already nervous because I wanted to see her break the record and with teaching I couldn't make the 2 hour trip to watch her play often. The game went well and then the defense had a huge lapse which sent the game into extra innings. Now the nerves were impossible because I didn't want to make a mistake to cost her the record. Fortunately the team came through and she got the win and I got to umpire the game which was pretty cool.

The second moment was with my daughter. During her second year of 10u, she had put the ball off of the fence a few times during the early part of the summer, but as the summer wore on, the pop wasn't there anymore. Her team had suprised all of us and qualified for NSA nationals, so we went to Virginia for Eastern Nationals that year. In the first game we had already cranked 2 home runs as a team with our 2 biggest power hitters. It was the 4th or 5th inning and my daughter was up. She lined a shot up the right field gap that cleared the fence. I can still see the look on her face as she rounded second knowing that she had just cranked her first over the fence home run.

BouldersDad · Jan 23, 2015

I have so many of them its tough to pick out just one. So I will toss them out as they come to me. Probably one of the most memorable sights the one that has stayed with me was the day I watched Hitter23 attack a Chinese buffet, It was like Food network meets demolition derby.... we were asked to leave..... More to follow as they come to me.

Miller · Jan 23, 2015

My oldest daughters senior day after a 23-0 undefeated regular season. She's now a sophomore playing in college. Tons of emotions being the head coach, knowing she was leaving home and the attachment and vested time in all of her 3 senior teammates.

The good thing I get to do it all again with my youngest daughter.
But.... I sure would have loved to see Chris at that buffet!

HITTER23 · Jan 23, 2015

bh2424gh · Jan 23, 2015

I have 2 one is early in her 10U career she was asked to bunt by her 3rd base coach(me). The ball hit the top of the bat and somehow even with a face mask hit her square in the throat. She couldn't breath for a few seconds and was crying and scared. She regained her composure and I asked her if she was okay to complete her AB. She said she was and stepped in the box and lined the next pitch for a double.

The second is her senior year and the team winning their 3rd consecutive conference title on their rivals field. That group of girls was a blast to watch and one of the few truly selfless group of players I have ever been around.

ech92 · Jan 23, 2015

I will give 1 for each of my 2 daughters . The first one is about my oldest dd playing in 10u her first travel season . We were at a usssa eastern national event and coming into the tourney dd was one of the better batters in the line up . For what ever reason she fell into a major slum ( infact I believe she had only 2 hits the entire tournament ) . They played 7 games and won the tourney . She played center field every game and the coach kept telling her not to focuse on the fact that she wasn't hitting well but to keep playing great defense ( she was on fire on defense ) . After catching a fly ball and firing it home for the last out of the girl who was tagging up from 3rd to end the game , the coach gathered all the players and parents and with tears in his eyes he said it was with great pleasure he wanted to give not a game ball but the tournament ball to my dd for never giving up even when things were not going great for her at the plate . He said with out her outstanding defense we would never have won ( everyone was in tears ) !
The 2nd was for my youngest dd's team . Playing in championship game , team was down by 4 in bottum of the 7th inning . We huddled up & they as a team said we will not quit . They got with in 2 runs , 2 outs , 2 strikes on a sub player at bat , runners on 2nd & 3rd and every player is pumping her up . She smacks a 2 run double . We end up going to extra innings , we used so much eneregy on that comback that before you know it we are down by 4 again in the 8th . The girls got together again and said they came back once they could do it again , they were down 1 with 2 outs and 2 runners on and this time they came thru with the victory ! My youngest had an rbi & scored in both innings , love those girls and was so proud of their heart !

What is your favorite moment?

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