Change is hard . . .

Inevitably, the wonderful athletes that I have worked with for years and years will go on to college.  In fact, that is what I try to train them for.  We always address preparation for the higher level and make sure that it figures prominently in our workouts.  Still, I feel like this year is probably the toughest it has ever been to say even a temporary "good-bye" to my graduating seniors.  Kerri, Liz, and Kaitlyn have been tremendous fixtures in my life for years and years now.  They have been athletes that I looked forward to working with every week.  I was always excited during the season to open up the paper and learn of their most recent successes.  Not having that weekly interaction in person is going to be tough, and yet, I feel so confident in their respective work ethics and their abilities to succeed, that I am anticipating that wonderful joy at seeing them conquer the next level of play.  It is something almost tangible:  all those long hours they spent perfecting their craft seem destined to culminate soon.  It is incredible.

But, of course, I will still miss them terribly.

As if that weren't enough, Danielle Henderson, an amazing friend of mine (and a fellow pitching instructor) was offered the incredible opportunity to be a pitching coach at Ohio State.  She is someone with whom I have always discussed spins, methodology, and the various topics that come up when working with young girls.  I am truly so blessed to have her as a friend.  Aside from being knowledgeable and having experience at the highest level, she is honest, sweet and wonderful in every way.   I remember looking up to her as a young athlete when I just started to learn pitching and then interviewing her for a newspaper article when I wrote for The Three Village Times.  After all of that, to have the honor of being her friend is just a great gift.  I know that this job means a kind of success for Danielle that she can't experience here.  I am so happy for her, but I can't help but be just a little selfish and want her to stay.  She is going to be wonderful and inspiring for girls at a very high level, just as she has been wonderful and inspiring to me and her students for years now.

Finally, some of my younger girls who are wonderful athletes at other positions have decided to dedicate their time on perfecting these areas of the game as opposed to pitching.  This is actually something that I wholeheartedly agree with.  It is tough to  decide that, as skilled as one may be as a pitcher, it might be better to dominate at a different position.  Pitching is so much time, dedication, and heart.   It also requires mental tenacity and a certain amount of fearlessness.  It takes a very strong person to realize that she has these qualities and can cultivate them, but it also takes a very strong person to do the opposite.   I love these girls.  They will always be a part of our softball family.  However, even Natasha Watley was a pitcher at one point.  I am sure she does not regret the decision to focus on her abilities as a short stop and offensive player.

So what is my message today?  Change is hard, and sometimes even heartbreaking.  Should that ever stop us?  No.  In my experience, all of the great things in life are hard, but they also make us stronger.  You don't want to pass up the experiences in life that will give you that gift.