A bit off-topic here since the blog is usually for farm and writing related ponderings.
My daughter (just turned 13 yrs old) has decided she wants to play baseball. She practiced all summer with her step-brother (6 months older) and it was discovered that she has a wicked throwing arm and good hand-eye coordination. Erik joked again and again that she should play baseball . . .
So I signed her up this year, and instantly Erik began complaining that she’d fail. The league was putting her into the older division which meant farther to throw and to run.
However, my daughter is much taller than her step-brother who is going on his SECOND year playing baseball, plus she runs every day (he does not). So while both kids will be in the same league (heck, maybe even the same team), my daughter has a good chance at DOING BETTER.
WAit . . . . girls can’t play baseball! They play softball!
Incorrect! Baseball was originally played equally by men and women when it was first created in the 1800’s. Softball was created as a way for everyone to stay in shape and play indoors with shorter bases and a larger ball. When the Major League was created in the mid 1900’s, they banned women from the sport, so they picked up softball as a way to still have fun. Not until the late 1900’s did softball officially become recognized as a competitive sports league, but men AND women both play.
We had ability assessments last week for all players. My daughter had no formal experience, and hadn’t thrown the ball since last fall. She had very little batting experience. She was nervous and shifty. While everyone eagerly partnered up to warm-up, no one would partner up with her.
She stood awkwardly, trying to gather her courage.
When the coaches called everyone out in small groups, the boys (and Dads) were surprised by her solid throwing arm.
I stood tall and proud, feet spread, ready to defy anyone who uttered any word against a girl playing baseball.
A small group of nerdy-looking dads stood watching her, lamenting about why girls shouldn’t play, “she shows too much emotion. That’s why girls don’t play, they are too emotional. She’s having trouble catching it . . . .”
Looking at these dads I doubted any of them managed to practice much with their own kids. One was lamenting he threw-out his back filling-in a hole at the ball field . . .
I held my tongue as long as I could, choosing my words carefully, “Or maybe what you are seeing has nothing to do with her being a girl, but her being a bit self-conscience because it’s her first year playing . . .”
The dads got quiet, and ushered themselves a bit further away from me.
The results are coming back today as far as her skill levels and what team she will be on. Erik called last night to double-check her division (we signed her up under the younger division since her birthdate was right on the edge). They commented that she had a great arm on her and was holding her own pretty well.
I think that cheered both my daughter AND Erik up. Both were secretly worried that she’d fail miserably.
Erik’s been taking both kids out to the ball fields to practice, and bought a pitching/catching net for them to practice with. She stands a very good chance to come into this better-skilled than her brother.
Now I just need to help her keep her self-confidence in check . . .