Softball has and always will be one of my favorite things. It was an escape from reality, a way to get my anger out, a way to make my coaches and myself proud, and the best way I knew to have fun. Of course, my dad had always coached me, and it would be way too cliché to say he was my favorite coach so instead, Coach Jay, this one’s for you.

At the age of six, I began playing softball. My dad was my coach, so by default I was required to be one of the best players on the team. I was only playing on the smallest of fields with a bunch of other six-year-olds, but I was always determined to be successful on that field. As I got older, I joined a summer travel team called the Diamond Stars. Coach Jay was the head coach. He welcomed me onto the first real team I got to play for. I was, by far, the worst player on the team. I was 10-years-old and most of the other girls were 12. Although I had some serious work to do, I began working to be good enough to play. The first few tournaments I found myself simply cheering from the dugout. I wasn’t good enough to compete against the good teams we faced throughout the summer.

I remember talking to Coach Jay and asking him what I could do to in order to be able to play on his team. He told me I had to earn a spot. From then on out, I found myself going to the batting cages, hitting off of a tee at home, going to the field with my dad, and doing anything else to get better. By the end of the summer, I had seen a huge improvement in myself. During one game on a hot Saturday afternoon, I was finally told to go play first base. I don’t think I have ever been so excited. Little 10-year-old me ran out onto the field determined to show Coach Jay what I could do. I’m not sure if I just simply played well enough that day, or if Coach Jay just saw potential in me, but I found myself getting in the games more and more often.

I played for Coach Jay for the following seven years. Although he and my dad had almost the exact same thoughts and things to say, I always worked on everything that Coach Jay told me to, and for that, I would like to thank him. Of course, he taught me how to be a better softball player, but he taught me so much more than that. He taught me how to be a team player and work well with others; he taught me how you have to work for the things you want instead of it being handed to you and, most importantly, he taught me how to believe in myself. Thank you Coach Jay. Without you, I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today.