I Hit The Ball!!!!

Monday was my FIRST EVER softball game.

It was difficult, as I've never played before, but the team members and the coaches were really great and really encouraging and told me I did well, even though I thought I was horrible. But then again, I can't really compare myself to everyone else, they've all been playing for years and years and years. I must have looked terrified the whole time because people kept telling me to calm down and relax and I was doing fine for someone who's never played before. I definately felt all scared and tense and nervous for a good while into the game. I guess it showed more than I thought. I think though, if I just felt more confident in my skills, if I had more time to practice with someone who knows what they're doing and who can give me pointers, I'd feel a lot better. At least then I'd be DOING something to improve more than throwing balls at the fence.

I played catcher, so my legs are SO SORE!!! All that squatting down and standing up and squatting down and standing up.... It was tough. But my role was relatively easy, all I had to do was catch the ball and throw it back to the pitcher. Everyone said that catcher is actually one of the harder positions, but I don't see how unless you count all the squatting and standing. But then again it's also slow pitch, and an easygoing game/league, and they were probably taking it easy on me because it was completely obvious that I had absolutely no clue as to what I was doing.

I got to bat about 4 times during the game, and I struck out the first three. Go figure. I have no clue what to swing at or what not to swing at, and I have no technique so I just swung at everything and hoped. Finally at one point I actually made contact, it was a foul but I made contact with the ball. And then I actually hit a fair ball!!!! WHOOO HOOO!!! You should have seen the look of shock on my face. I couldn't believe it. I was so shocked that I actually hit the ball and it was a fair ball that I almost forgot to run. There was too much going on through my head.... Hmmmm, not agai........ WOW I HIT IT!! I ACTUALLY HIT IT!!! Now what?? oh yeah, RUN!!! But I hit it directly to the firstbase-woman. I'll be out anyway, maybe I shouldn't run. I can't believe I actually HIT THE BALL!!! COOL! Oh, wait they're telling me to run! Ok so I'll run. And halfway there I was out because duh, don't hit the ball directly to first base!!! Oh well. BUT I HIT THE BALL!!!! WHOO HOO!!!!

And that was that. It was somewhat fun and somewhat frustrating and somewhat tiring. We won, I think. Not, I'm actually pretty sure we won. Because it was the last inning and we didn't bat the last inning, the game ended after the other team got out. And we started off fielding, so we should have finished off batting, right? So I guess that means we won. Why bother to hit more if you've already won, right??? But don't ask me the score, I have no clue. My mind was too absorbed in how the heck to I throw and catch this ball and how do I hit it again? Which bat should I use? Oh, is it my turn already? Ok, we're fielding again now... I was like a completely lost puppy being shuttled along with the flow of things not quite realizing what's actually going on.

Softball is a lot less complicated when you're just watching it and not figuring out how to play it by being thrown into a game. The score gets lost in the shuffle. It's the least of ones worries. Hitting and catching the ball comes first. I'm still completely shocked at myself that I'm actually doing this. That I had the guts to try something I've never done before, with a whole lot of people who are great at it, and in front of a crowd too!!! Who are you and what have you done with Carie??? What happened to the kind of shy, don't like new and unfamiliar social situations, not in front of a crowd, don't embarrass me please, nervous inside person??? But it's good in a way. This is a good thing. I think I need the challenge of all that scary stuff. Hopefully it'll be good for me and I'll learn to be less scared and I'll learn a new sport and hopefully have fun in the process.

WHOO HOO!!! I HIT THE BALL!!!!