Summer is the favorite season of many, but softball players have a special love for it. Summer means tournament season. These are some of the most cherished memories I have from the last five or so years of playing Chicago-land travel ball and high school ball, and the tournaments I have played. If you find that you relate to most of these, you might be a softball player.

1. Hotel pools

Half of your time is spent on the fields, and the other half is spent in the pool. There is no in-between.

2. Applebee's

Or in Leslie Knope's case, JJ's Diner. You've probably been there about 70 times in the past five years and knowing your order before you got there is absolutely normal. If not Applebee's, "B-dubbs" or Olive Garden will suffice.

3. Light snacking?

Uh oh. Ten minutes until game time. I'm hungry. But I know I'm going to overeat. Crap, five minutes. *eats two sandwiches, a bag of hot Cheetos, a birthday cake, a personal pizza and downs a Gatorade in under 30 seconds*

4. Your coach is like a second dad/mom.

You also see your coach more than your actual parents.

"Yes, dad--er, I mean coach."

5. That one girl who ate all the strawberries

Really, Lauren?!

6. Having awful skin

"Guys check out my sun blisters! Oh, sweet tan lines!!"

7. Not having a summer job

Not enough time in the day. And if you were lucky to have some kind of "job" that didn't care if you were flaky, you couldn't work weekends. Or any day for that matter.

8. Knowing coach's after-game speech by heart

Would you like to hear the victory version? I like that one best for sure.

9. Bruises

Not knowing when and where you got that bruise, and always answering how you got it with "softball."

10. Your team becomes your second family

You argue like family, but you also love like family. And you wouldn't change a thing.