Dear Dad,

1. Thanks for patiently teaching me how to swing a bat and how to catch a ball.

2. Thank you for waking up at the crack of dawn to take me to tournaments every single weekend.

3. For sitting out in the blazing sun or bone-chilling cold, watching and cheering me on.

4. And for being the loudest at the field and the quietest on the ride home. For traveling the country with me and dealing with the seemingly endless hours of traffic.

5. Thanks for taking days off just to take me to a game or camp three states over.

6. Thanks for teaching me how to understand the game on a deeper level.

7. Thank you for always believing in me and teaching me to believe in myself.

8. Thank you for spending so much time AND money on me.

9. For giving me lunch money so I could go buy another bow, because we both knew I needed ONE more.

10. Thanks for teaching me to be proud to play like a girl.

11. Thanks for putting up with 14 loud, talkative girls at every team dinner.

12. Thank you for being my harshest critic, even though at times I hated it, I would never have been successful without you.

13. For letting me stay out late with my teammates (even though we all had to wake up early in the morning).

14. Thank you for always being my catcher when I used to pitch (let's face it every single one of us pitched at one time in our softball career).

15. Thank you for putting up with my attitude after the tough games

16. And for spending your free days at the field just to put a ball on the tee for me.

17. Thanks for yelling at the umpire for every bad call they made and ALMOST getting kicked out on multiple occasions.

18. Thank you for sitting up and watching all of the Women's College World Series games with me from regionals all the way to the championship game.

19. Thank you for not saying anything after THAT game.

20. Finally, thank you for being my number one fan on and off the field, even if I didn't realize it all of the time.

Dad, I cherish the support, I'm sorry for the gray hairs and hope that you know that the time you spent on me wasn't wasted. While we have experienced many ups and downs I can admit I would not be the person I am today without your guidance. When I did not believe in myself, you believed in me.

SEE ALSO:My Regrets From My Time As A College Softball Player

Simply, thank you is not enough to express how grateful I am for all your love and support. The bond we have created through this game is uniquely ours. The long nights, hot days, tears and countless memories, wouldn't have traded it for the world. We are so thankful for all the sacrifices you have made to allow us to pursue our dreams. Thank you, we love you.