When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned
By Jamie Price, March 31, 2019
On Saturday,
March 30, 2019, families all over the Kansas City metro area prepared for a
two-day tournament on the softball field. Around 7:30 a.m. the cold weather
turned. Snow began to fall and soon a notification went out: The Tournament had
been canceled. For many, this
notification would mean another Saturday spent at home in their pajamas in
front of the TV. But for a small group of 11 and 12-year-old girls with the
Missouri Stealth fastpitch organization, it meant an opportunity to put other
skills they had learned to work.
Life doesn’t
always go planned. Things change, both on and off the softball field. Which is
why, these girls are taught to rely on their training: be prepared for the
unexpected, know which direction they need to go-in any situation, take control
and follow through with their decision. It is lessons such as this, that drove
the girls to their practice facility in Oak Grove, Missouri. By 2 p.m. the
girls and their coach turned a sad, cold day into an afternoon of action.
The air was
filled with the sound of softballs cracking against aluminum bats, the soft
thump of balls sinking into leather gloves and laughter. The girls didn’t have
time for disappointment over the cancellation. Instead, their focus had turned
to perfecting their batting mechanics, pitching, timing how quickly they can
catch and throw the ball accurately and how to gently toss the ball to a
partner when needed.
The most
important lesson, however, didn’t require any equipment. It required heart and
dedication. It was a lesson in how to overcome, adapt and improvise. Because
life doesn’t always go as planned.
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