You give her the opportunity to play like a girl.
Girls play rough on the diamond. They dedicate themselves to the field and dominate it every practice, every game, and every championship. No matter the team that girl is on, she will play with all of her heart.
Softball is a special kind of passion. A kind of passion where getting dirt in her cleats and scrapes on her knees means she's played a hell of a game. A passion where you become close with teammates on and off the field, inside jokes are inevitable and your coach becomes a third parent.
Whether she starts at age 5 or age 15, she will practice her batting stance, she will find the best position for her on the team, and she will put forth all of the effort she carries inside of her heart. She will play for the love of the game.
And when it's softball season once again, the time of the year she thrives for, her passion only grows. She looks forward to grass-stained everything and the crunch of the gravel as she steps up to the plate.
When a girl hits her first home run, the feeling in her heart is indescribable. The intense feeling of accomplishment rushes through her veins as she rounds the bases and when she meets her teammates at home plate, she is soaring.
When a girl wins her first big game, she feels on top of the world. She played her position right, she came back from her mistakes, and she wouldn't let herself quit. She played for herself and for her team.
She will train hard. She will sweat in places she didn't know could get sweaty. She will get low for the grounders, she will target the fly balls, and she will crow hop her way to victory.
There is no place that gives a young softball player such a rush except the diamond.
When you give a girl a softball, doors to a different world are opened. She could be the next Jessica Mendoza. She could be the next Cat Ostermann,
She is determined to be the next Jennie Finch.