Sonya had a softball game the other night. It was misting and chilly and she had just come from the orthodontist and her teeth were hurting her. When the coach called to say the game was still on, I asked if they had enough players because Sonya didn't really feel up to it, but they didn't and would have had to forfeit if she didn't go, so off we went.
I stopped for Orajel for her mouth and by the time I got back to the field, her team had already batted and were in the outfield. These are 9 year olds playing fast-pitch softball (that means you have to wind your arm around in a circle and throw it really hard). The pitcher was not throwing very many strikes so every girl just went up there and stood with the bat and waited for 4 balls so she could walk. No one was even trying to swing. Well, the score got to be about 25 to 2 just by walking and I went over and asked the coach if she had any other players, because I could tell Sonya wasn't feeling well. She said one other one, but I'll switch them out when they come infield. Another few minutes went by and the score is now about 35 to 2 - I ask the umpire "Can we call this game? It's starting to rain harder?" He asked the coach from the other team if she wanted to continue the game and she said "yeah, we can play in this". I was pissed! That ignorant B****! Of course her girls were cold and miserable too, but it was more important to her to pound our team into the ground I guess. To top it all off, they were even stealing every base, every time our pitcher would throw a wild pitch (which was about every other ball). I waited a couple more minutes and finally I went over to the dugout and told our coach that she was going to have to call a time out and get Sonya out of there. She was sick, cold and miserable and this was ridiculous. I said I don't care if you forfeit - the score is 40 to 2 anyway and we only have one out. We'll never catch up and these girls are not having any fun! Another mother walked over and agreed with me. The umpire asked the coach of th other team if she wanted to call the game and she said "if they want to forfeit, there's nothing I can do about it" So I said - we forfeit - let's go! So all the girls ran off the field and Sonya and I left.
A woman (definitely not a lady) who was helping coach told our coach, "if you do this - I Will NEVER step foot on this field again. This is crap! What are we teaching our kids?" I said, Sonya is cold and it's rainging and it's time to end this. She said "everyone else's kid is cold too" I said "everyone else's children do not concern me now. Do what you want, but I'm taking my daughter home before she catches pneumonia" And that's exactly what we did! Sonya was crying and hates softball and doesn't want to play anymore. I was so pissed I could have screamed and pulled my hair out!
Now, I'm definitely a baseball mom. I've seen more than my share of baseball and playing in the rain and losing games, etc, so it's not any of that. It was the totally unsportsman like behavior of all the coaches involved. I don't know what's going to happen now, but Darrell has called the town baseball commissioner (who is actually the bitchy coach from the other team) and we're working on a solution for Sonya. I'll keep you posted.
My diet isn't going spectacularly well this week. I can't seem to cut myself off at 1500 calories and people keep bringing sweets into the office. I wish the heck they'd quit it! I'm still trying though. I know I'm eating less than I was.
Heather had an honors banquet last night. She's graduating one week from tonight. When we got the invitation, she said it was because she was in the top 10% of her class. I was very excited and when I rushed to the banquet after work last night, I learned she wasn't in the top 10% (she missed it by about 3 or 4 kids) There are only 148 kids in her graduating class. Anyway, she won an award for one of her classes, but we didn't know which one. She could have won in Calculus, Physiology, English Lit - any number of the "hard" courses, but no, she won for Spanish II! She doesn't even know 5 words in Spanish. I have no idea and she said it's probably because she's the only one in the class that doesn't aggravate that heck out of the teacher - Oh, goody - my daughter is the least aggravating student in Spanish II and she has the medal to prove it! I know, I know, it's great that she was recognized, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Also, her tuition is paid in full for college, because I work for a university. The Rotary Club gave away 8 - $500 scholarships last night. Guess how many applicants they had? 8! Every person that applied got a $500 scholarship, but she didn't apply! I guess she figures why bother since her tuition is paid - we still have a buttload of money to pay out for housing, food, books, etc - but I guess she thought someone else needed it more:) Ahhh! Parenthood - will I ever survive?
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2 comments:
There's dedication and there's putting a child's well-being at risk. She was not well, but went anyway so that the team didn't lose out just because of it. I don't see how playing, ill and wet and miserable (and getting whooped by the other team on top of it) was going to teach her any more valuable lessons. Let's keep in mind they ARE just kids and it's the adults' jobs not just to teach values, but to keep them safe. I wonder if those coaches are the kind who harp on their own kids to "put on a jacket!" when it gets chilly?
Diet... little steps. I've found that any time I try going all the way right from the beginning, I feel overwhelmed and just give up. You can combine cutting a little here and a little there with finding lower-cal stuff to substitute for whatever tempts you. Don't be too hard on yourself. At least you're doing something!
Coaches are the luck of the draw. My kids have had great ones who kept what was important first with the kids and then there were those coaches who kept what was important to THEM first. It's a tough call, but I believe you did great. I believe showing your daughtet that you put her first and that you do what is best for her will have a lasting impression on her.
Diets...yuck.
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