Players!! This is for you! You really need to listen up here!
One message I always try to share with players who come to me for lessons and who come to our camps is a simple one.
Give thanks!
Give it to the people who make it possible for you to play this beautiful game. For most of the kids, that means thanking their parents. For some, it means a grandparent or some other family member. There’s ALWAYS someone behind the scenes making these things possible.
Players, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Who paid for the camp, lesson, travel ball dues, and equipment?
2. Who sacrificed their time to drive you to your tournaments, practice, and lessons.?
3. Who works overtime, or an extra job to pay for your softball?
4. Who wears old shoes or drives an old car to allow you to play this great game?
5. Who gets up at the crack of dawn and drives while you sleep to get you there on time?
6. Who has to drink a gallon of coffee to stay awake to drive you home while you sleep after playing all day?
Do I need to go on?
After you answer these questions I want you to answer a few more.
1. When was the last time you told that person “thank you”?
2. When was the last time you hugged their neck and said “thank you”?
3. When was the last time you told them how much you appreciate them?
4. When was the last time you told them you love them?
If you haven’t done so in a while, please do it right away! You never know how life is going to go. My dad died when I was 12 years old. The last words I had with my father were in anger because I was in trouble for not cutting the grass. I don’t know how long it had been since I told him I loved him. I do know the last thing I said to him was angry. I’ve been carrying that weight for 45 years and it never gets any easier.
Give thanks!
About the Author: Tory Acheson brings a wealth of knowledge to the Fastpitch Prep staff. He has coached at all levels of the game, including the last 25 years at the college level at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, Tennessee Tech and Kennesaw State. He began his coaching career at the high school level spending 9 years Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wis. and is now working as a professional softball instructor.
