"Sorry... I have a tournament." A line that has always been pretty consistent in my life. Strangers, family members and friends all give weird looks when you try to explain your summer schedule and when you are finally done explaining they just look at you and say "wow" or my personal "favorite", "why on earth do you want to spend that much time playing softball" or "how on earth do your parents let you spend that much of their money on softball when you can just play school ball in a few months?"

What most don't know is that travel softball is SO much more than high tournament fees, 5 games a day and time spent away from home every weekend. But at the same time - to the kids that don't play - travel ball isn't just a weekend spent in the city messing around either.

There is a different atmosphere when it comes to travel ball. You're there to win but at the same time EVERYONE is there to have fun, parents included. It isn't the awful weekend from hell that everyone thinks travel parents go through... "I mean ew, hot weather!" whatever.

Here are a few things EVERYONE needs to know about travel ball:

1. Parents do spend a lot of money (and we are super appreciative of it) - but not all the money that you think. Just because we're in the city we don't use every trip as a shopping excursion. The closest thing to "shopping trips" are trips to Dicks to replace the batting glove that we just blew. Heres another thing - travel ball parents are GREAT barraging shoppers. They are searching for hotel rooms in January when the list of tournaments come out and all of those travel agencies are their BEST friends and they get along great. Yes, the team fees can be expensive - but we fundraise too. OH annnndddd they wash our uniforms in hotel room sinks to avoid the $5 in the laundry room.

2. No travel ball players aren't all weird and you have to look good to play good so the bow idea that everyone has is NOT true. We just like wearing bows...

3. We don't (completely) hate other travel teams... we're all just girls who love the sport, we chat on the bases, we tell each other "nice hit" when it is needed and when a clap for the other team even after the sting of losing the championship game is hot and heavy.

Now, on to the good stuff... 20 things travel ball players want you to understand.

1. "Win Saturday to sleep in on Sunday." Every teams method. Of course we LOVE winning - but sleeping in on Sunday is so much better than having to work your way up the bracket starting with dew on the field and ending with the lights on. Plus being ranked #1 all through the tournament is almost as great as winning the whole thing.

2. "If your pants aren't dirty, you didn't do much." Classic. Get down and dirty. This is explainable.

3. "Team dinners are the BEST dinners." Most of them are spent talking about softball, thinking about softball or making fun of our coaches. But we do it as a team and thats the best part.

4. "What are you thinking blue?!" Dance moms have NOTHING on softball moms (or even dads). Sometimes the players even feel bad for the umps.

5. "Heyyy Jane, nice hustle, yeah - all the way from 14U. LEAVE YOUR CHEERS IN 14U - heck maybe even 12U!

6. "Did you fill the cooler?" CONSTANT question for mom or dad.

7. "Diamonds are a girls best friend? No... Showers are." Cold showers are, actually. Nothing will beat the feeling of a cold shower after a long day of pool play.

8. "Can we change first?" Our uniforms are great and we LOVE showing them off - but uggghhhh these pants are tight.

9. Just because a team looks tough - doesn't mean they play tough. NEVER be fooled by the way their uniforms look.

10. You are getting a Frogg Togg. Why don't you have one already?

11. "Watch her hands!" such a satisfying feeling. Heck yes I bunt... watch it happen.

12. "I really just want that trophy." - said the team all weekend long.

13. Your mom will constantly say "Did you put on sunscreen?" and if you're smart you'll apply EVERY time she asks.

14. Bruises and cuts are so cool. The more disgusted you look - the more we love them.

15. We probably spend the most money on tournament t-shirts. that will be reworn over and over and over. Especially the tournaments that you win.

16. This isn't rec league if you want equal playing time - sign up there. This normally isn't a problem - but just in case you were wondering.

17. If your parent is the coach - you hate your life. Parents are always harder on their child.

18. "Clean it up or you're running!" Always results in perfect throws and plays.

19. Inside jokes are always made as a team - and even the parents don't understand them. I would explain - but obviously it would be hard to understand.

20. Together we are a family. Travel teams are together all the time. Your summers are planned around each others and the "whats yours is mine whats mine is yours" phrase is overly applied. With travel ball - softball becomes more than just a sport and teammates become family. You connect with each girl, each parent, and each coach on levels that are hard to explain. The field becomes home and you know no matter where it takes you - your "family" will always be there.