The Fastpitch Player

At one time she looked cute as a button dressed in pink with ponytails. She had tea parties with her stuffed animals and dolls and helped Mom bake cookies.
She has been, and always will be Daddy's and Mommy's little girl.

Today the fastpitch player 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 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 still feels somewhat self-conscious.
However, between tournament games she'll strut into any restaurant with a streak of dirt
across her face, ratted sweaty hair, and dirt stained shirt, bloody knees, and brown socks
(they used to be white) with sandals and 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 around the country. When her parents say wear something nice,
she wears stuff from regional or national events.

The fastpitch player needs to get a scholarship, because her parents are broke spending thousands of dollars paying for camps, batting lessons, pitching or catching lessons, hotel rooms, out to eat between tournament games, league fees, equipment, etc., etc....

The fastpitch player is a fierce competitor. She is willing to stand 40' away from a pitcher and take a pitch with a measured reaction time that even a major league baseball player would struggle to hit. She might be 5'5 and 120lbs, but she'll still dig in at 3rd or 1st 25' away from a batter and challenge them to drive one down her throat.

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'll play the sport for all the right reasons, She loves the game.
She could spend the weekend watching TV or out at the mall with all of her non-sport friends, but instead she chooses to spend her weekend in the 100 degree heat, waiting to get in 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 very easily.
She learns teamwork and spirit
Most of all she learns to respect all, but fear none.

Author unknown