Saturday, March 1, 2014

Softball, softball, and more softball....

So, you know.... Brooke has been playing on tournament team all year.  She wasn't on the big time team, just the younger, quieter, more friendly team.  They just basically practiced.  A LOT.  Especially over the summer.  They went to a couple of low key tournaments and scrimmages, but basically it was just a lot of practicing and having fun.

Meanwhile, Brooke got a lot better.  Not just saying that because I'm biased as a parent.  She really did.  After the first of the year, the powers that be decided the program needed to be revamped.  So they had all the girls (younger, older, more advanced, just starting out, everything) come and practice a couple of weeks and decided where they NEEDED to be.  Which team.  Still within their same age division.  Brooke was told she really needed to be playing on the more advanced (older) team.  Girls her age that were playing better.  I hesitated some...  mainly bc she's worked so hard to have her time to shine this year.  As next year she has to move up to the next age bracket.  I really wanted her playing on a team she could be a star for.  But was convinced she needed to play with the more advanced girls to get even better and be ready to move up.  She could still play with the younger girls whenever she wanted to.  Brenna would be playing with the younger girls so we'd be there anyway.  (yes, Brenna is now also on the tournament team - younger version).

So she went to a few practices, they stuck her in outfield.  She was quickly moved around as she was really showing those coaches that she could PLAY!  The first scrimmage came.  Because of a few late arrivals to her team, she got to start as pitcher.  And boy did she show them she could play pitcher.  They won 2 of 3 games that day.  Brooke was stunning - enough to where strangers were asking, 'who's that girl playing pitcher???'  She got all three outs in one inning - two pop flies...one SUPER high one, and a grounder she threw to first.  Later more outs getting a lead runner at third and more amazing plays.  After that game, not only did she earn her spot on that team....she earned her spot as the starting pitcher.









Here's a video of one of her hits that evening -




So, she's been super happy.  Just in the last few weeks of playing with this girls, she's stepped her game even more!  She's starting pitcher and her second back-up position will probably be first base.  She might get moved around some otherwise, but she is the pitcher.  Way to go girlie!  She's a rockstar!


Needless to say...  with her playing on this team...Brenna and her playing on the younger team...and now with Rec (league) season starting and both of them playing on those prospective teams......we are  in to our heads in softball.  She loves it.  She can't get enough and would be out there every day.  We almost are actually.

They went to another scrimmage out of town recently, where she played well as well.  Her coach is wanting her to get used to wearing a face mask, as he feels the pitcher def needs one when we are playing tournaments.  Balls hit harder and all.  So, yea...  she's the one wearing the face mask of his.  She also got to play first some as practice.  That scrimmage they won all 3 games.












Her catching a HIGH pop fly again.....I didn't get a chance to zoom before I almost missed the catch.  But that's her catching the ball at the pitcher mound....











After this scrimmage, they all went to a huge pizza place to play games and have fun as a team





Brenna even got in on the fun...


Here's one of her softball BFF's getting a softball charmed BFF necklace together - so cute!



They just ordered new uniforms, will be having another scrimmage soon against a local team and have their first tournament in just a couple weeks.  And also, league practices have started.  As I said...lots of softball going on here.


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