CO-ED Softball

So D  and I were asked by some friends to be on a co-ed softball team through the rec here.  I wasn't so sure about it, I mean I am not a baseball fan.  Watching it puts me to sleep and I think it is so boring.  But I thought it would be fun so we agreed to it. 

We had a couple practices and last night was our first game.  We both really enjoy it.  D played a little baseball as a kid and likes the game and gets the strategy of the game.  He gives me good pointers to work on and how to understand the game better and how to best play.  I am not good by any means.  I know how to catch the ball and throw like a girl tyring to throw like a guy.  My best asset would be running.  I really am just not that good.  Not that I have to be to play because it is just for fun, but who likes to be the worst player on the team? Not me!

To give you an idea of how ridiculous I am.  Our first practice we meet everyone we are going to be playing with on our team.  I am nervous I hate meeting new people I get super introverted and self conscious.    Plus add the fact that I have a horrible fear of the ball.  I have always been afraid of it.  I remember growing up my brother made me throw and catch the ball with him until I wasn't afraid of it anymore.  He wanted me to get more comfortable with it.  I am afraid of the ball when it is skipping and jumping along the ground.  I am scared it will pop up and bop me in my pearly whites.  Then I am afraid of the ball when it is thrown hard or hit and it comes straight at you not up and at you but straight.  Lets just sum it up with I am afraid of that stinkin' ball.  So any way back to my ridiculousness.  We warmed up and I am fine with catch and throw.  But then we start playing and rotating positions.  I am afraid of the grounders and I hold my glove out while trying to keep my head back so my face doesn't get hit.  Then there was a time I was in the outfield and the ball was hit in my direction and I  am trying to get under it with my glove in the air saying "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh"  over and over then turning in circles like an idiot Brod.  Then I get scared as it is coming down and I duck out of the way when it was headed right for my glove.  I had several of those moments.  Yeah I am that chick, that looks like an idiot and has no business in the game.  If anything else I am there for comic relief, they got a kick out of it, but were probably thinking oh great.  Mind you this is being done in front of some people I have never met before this day.  UGH!

But anyway I am getting a little more comfortable with the ball and game.  I will say it is much more fun to play than it ever is to watch.  Our game last night though was soooo much fun.  I wasn't expecting our team to win much this summer.  But we won!  I had the worst nerves, I can't remember the last time I had nerves like that.  It was probably when I was running track in college.  I am scared now to perform athletically in front of people and looking stupid and being the dead weight on the team.  The whole entire game I had adrenaline rushing through me, and I was shaking not noticeably but I felt it more inside than anything at points of down time my stomach would hurt from it.  I use to be able to deal with the adrenaline better and the nerves.  But of course I haven't had to deal with adrenaline like that coursing through my body in a long time.  I did my best I could, I am the catcher and they may rotate me to the outfield and catcher positions.  But the catcher sees a lot of action.  I caught a fowl ball and got a girl out.  Then a girl hit the ball and it was in play but it landed nearly in front of her and I threw the ball to first to help get her out.  Also I hit all my balls and based.  There were two times I hit and was running to first and it was so close but I got out.  If only I didn't take  a double step as I got closer to the base I probably would have beaten the ball there.  Then I got out one time because I was running to second and I couldn't stop myself and stumbled over the base and the girl touched me sense I was off the base.  Then I almost got a girl out at home but I was holding my mitt all stupid and the ball fell out of my glove if that wouldn't have happened I would have tagged her out.  That is just what I did which wasn't much compared to the rest of the team.  We did good though, I think we are going to be a good team.

It was a lot of fun and D and I both commented on how much fun we had.  Did I mention our game was at 9:30 pm we had a friend sit with the girls while they were in bed.  I couldn't sleep last night after the game I couldn't shut my mind off.  We have a game every week until August, then they do a little tournament.  It will be fun to have this to look forward to each week this summer.  We have a pretty good team, quit a bit of the girls are good on our team and most the guys are really good.  D and I really like our team and enjoy them all.  I just hope they think D and I are a big enough asset to the team that they ask us to come back and play with them next year too. 

Funny thing, when we showed up to the game there were other teams stretching and doing warm up stuff like I use to do in track.  I told D what do they think this is? HAHAHAHA! Umm I should have stretched, a good sprint to first base made me realize oh man this is work.  Nothing like practice, actual hard work.  It also makes me want to do some sprint workouts now. Ones that I use to do in college.  I never had a reason to do them,  they are great workouts but not practical for everyday workouts, unless you have a purpose for sprinting.  So I will do one or two to help strengthen my ankles for running on my toes.  I forgot how different sprinting and running are and feel on the body.  I also realized wow my body is not the same, I felt like I was running in slow motion to the bases.  Maybe it looked that way too 

Good times, I am excited for next weeks game.  Go Sweetwater Dental, woot, woot hahahaha I crack myself up.