Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Softball Journey Continues

From the time she first discovered the sport at four-years-old, Delaney has been In Love with softball.

When she was barely big enough for knee pads to even stay up on her legs, she was out in the field giving it her all-in-all. Small in size, she's always made up for it with an uncanny natural ability and a heart for the game...

In her third year, when she started pitching, Delaney really began to be a "student" of the game. She always knew what was going on, as evidenced by how she's keeping a pitch count with her fingers in this picture...

And when she wasn't playing, she was wishing she was out on the field...

She's not so small anymore (although she's always the smallest on her teams), but she has as much love and heart for the game as ever before. She's played travel ball for years now, and even had the excitement of playing on a World Series-winning team this past summer (you may all remember a little bit about that)...

But it's all led up to something she's anticipated and prepared for, which finally happened this year.

When she was maybe seven-years-old, I heard her voice her dream of playing for our town's school team someday. She'd look at the older middle and high school girls who played on the school teams and she'd say, "I want to be like them when I'm older."

Our town is Huge into both baseball and softball, and our softball program has a great reputation. Our high school team has won the state championship for the last two years, in fact, and we're sorta known as a powerhouse.

A lot of it starts way back at our community softball park when the girls are little like Delaney was in those first pictures above. And then, if they really like it and excel at it, they'll move onto travel teams. But then, it comes back full-circle and they'll start playing together again on the middle school team.

Well....last night, Delaney found out that she'd made the middle school softball team. And it would be a massive understatement to say that she was excited. The plans she'd hatched in her mind many years ago had come to fruition.

It's probably hard for many people to understand how exciting this is for her (and, really, for all of us in the family, because we are her #1 fans), but just take my word for it. It's Huge with a capital H.

I can't wait to watch her play this year in her school uniform...

but I'll also be a little bit sentimental (as I always am now at my age!!), and remember her as a little girl who was just discovering the game!

(If you want to get double the experience of Delaney making the team, read Gary's post about it today too. He's probably even prouder than I am!)

20 comments:

Becky W said...

I so understand! YAY for Delaney!

Heather Landry said...

That is so awesome Cheryl! Wish her congrats from me! Wow!

Hootin Anni said...

I ♥ baseball ---and these photos you've shared with us are just super. Great action shots and the one makes me wonder just what is going through her head as she watches on the other side of the fencing.

Fabulous.

Thanks for stopping by this morning, love having you visit with me.

Cheryl Wray said...

Becky--People who love sports definitely understand! :-)

Heather--Thanks! I'll definitely give her your Congrats.

Anni--Hey! Great to have you stop by! (I also love wondering what she was thinking of by the fence. I love that picture.)

Anonymous said...

That's great news. Tell her congratulations for all of us here in Blogland (ha!).

Marg

Gretchen said...

Well, I'm proud because you're proud! WTG Delaney!

Cheryl said...

I know where you are coming from!! Ross was the same with sports, it was basketball for us. It is such a proud day to be accepted on the high school team. It really means a lot. I am excited for her. You know her little heart is jumping for joy! Keep us updated on her progress. Good luck to her!

Cheryl Wray said...

Marg--I'll tell her! Thanks.

Gretchen--I AM proud!! :-)

Cheryl--It's so exciting. It really gives you validation that you are good. Of course, we know she's a really good athlete...but it's nice when a school tells you too.So...yay!!

Cheryl Wray said...

And, oh Cheryl: You know I'll keep you all updated here on the blog. You guys will get tired of all the softball posts in the Spring. LOL

Anonymous said...

Those photos were just too cute! Congrats to her for making the team. That's great news. :)

Anonymous said...

Super!

hippo chick said...

Will she still play travel ball, too? You are one busy family. Big Hippo Congrats to Delaney!

~hippo hugs~

Cheryl Wray said...

Crazy--Thanks! Those pictures of her so little just make me sorta weepy and sentimental. They grow up so fast. :-)

Anon--Yep!!

Hippo--Thanks Pam! Yep, she'll do travel ball still, but you can't play them at the same time. The state athletic association has rules that you can't play on a travel team until school season is over. So, her team (the Bham Mustangs) will reconvene after school season.

Adrienne said...

HOW AWESOME!!!!

Jenster said...

AWESOME!!! That is so wonderful for her!!

Auburn Kat said...

That took me back to when I first started playing soccer!

Laura said...

Way to go, Delaney!! Congrats!

Cheryl Wray said...

Adrienne--Yep! We're excited!

Jenster-- Yay!

Kat--How fun!! (McKenna played soccer for several years, but we could just never get into it like softball. But I know a lot of people love it!)

Laura--Thanks!

Lynilu said...

How amazing that she is learning about the joy of working for something over a period of time. The "win" is always sweeter this way!

Monogram Queen said...

You and Gary both did a great job blogging about this. I am in such awe of Delaney. What an awesome girl she is!