| The Fastpitch Player, once upon a time, looked cute as a button dressed in pink, with pony tails. She had tea parties with her stuffed animals and dolls, and she helped Mom bake cookies. She has been, and always will be, Daddy's and Mommy's little girl. The Fastpitch Player today still has the same little girl attributes. The only difference is, she looks cute in her sliders and shorts. If she's wearing ribbons in her hair, they are the team colors. She has become Mommy's and Daddy's little hitter. The Fastpitch Player is proud of how dirty she can get. On a normal family dinner outing, she takes up to an hour primping to get ready, and she still feels somewhat self-conscious. However, between tournament games she'll strut into any restaurant with a streak of dirt across her face, matted sweaty hair, dirt stained shirt, bloody knees and brown socks (that used to be white) in sandals with a toe sticking out, and yell, "Let's eat!!" The Fastpitch Player typically has an extensive wardrobe. She has several old uniforms which she has outgrown but has not discarded because, well you never know. She has several hundred tee shirts and boxer shorts from camps, leagues and tournaments from around the country. When her parents say wear something nice, she wears something from a Regional or National event. The Fastpitch Player needs to get a scholarship, because her parents are broke from spending thousands of dollars paying for camps, batting clinics, catching clinics, pitching clinics, hotel rooms, out to eat between tournament games, league fees, the new bat, the new glove, etc, etc, etc.... The Fastpitch Player is a fierce competitor. She is willing to stand 40 feet away from a pitcher and take a pitch with a measured reaction time that even a major league ball player would struggle to hit. She might be only 5'2 and 100 pounds (soaking wet) but she'll dig in at 3rd or 1st, 25 feet away from the batter and challenge the hitter to try to drive one past her. The Fastpitch Player has more spirit than any other sport. She'll go home hoarse from cheering and rooting her team on into the final innings. She plays the sport for all the right reasons, she loves the game. She could spend the weekend watching TV or hanging out at the mall with her non-sport friends, because her sport friends are all at a tournament somewhere. But she chooses to spend her weekend in the 100 degree heat, waiting to get into the game. The Fastpitch Player is diligent and hard-working. She knows the value of hard work. She understands that you get out of something what you put in. she is competitive and doesn't give up easily. She learns teamwork and spirit. Most of all she learns to respect all, but fear none. |
