To the player I could have been,
Good job. I am proud of you. You are strong. It's okay you didn't make it this far because the love of the game will always be in your heart.
At 6 years old the love for softball grew inside of you and it was the best thing that ever could have happened to you. At 7 years old, you found what position you were good at. At 8 years old, you found the meaning of teamwork, but at age 9 you found the meaning of friendship. At 10 years old, you figured out how to explore new positions and become comfortable on the field. Age 11, you discovered the competitiveness. Congrats 12-year-old, you learned how to dominate and play your very best. At 13 years old, things got complicated.
"I don't want to play that position, coach."
"Why am I always on the bench?"
"Put me in, please."
14-year-old player learned what it was like to make varsity as a freshman in high school, but never really play. At 15 years old, you quit. Gone. Lost the motivation and left the game halfway through the season. You faced the whispers of the other teammates after you quit. You faced the weird looks in the hallways as they were talking about practice or upcoming games. You faced the awkward encounters by the coach after quitting. She thought you didn't care, that you couldn't put in the effort to love the game anymore. Little did she know, that at age 16 the next year, you would come back to tryouts without notice.
At age 16, you figured out what it's like to be bold, and you made a comeback. You stayed on varsity and I am proud of you for playing your game.
At age 17, the doctors told you that you would never throw a ball again.
"You cannot play softball ever again."
Okay, so now 17-year-old softball player is defeated. A very small tear in your right rotator cuff and an extreme case of tendonitis determines the rest of your career; that career is dead.
To the player I could have been,
I'm sorry. I knew I had shoulder pain yet I stuck you in that outfield and made you make vigorous throws. I'm sorry. All I wanted to do was finish my junior year strong and come back senior year of high school even stronger. Little did I know there would be nothing strong about my senior year except the heavy weight on my heart after hearing the words that I can never play a game again.
To all the softball players out there: Get up and go to practice. Don't complain about it being too hot and practice being too long, or how all you want to do is go out with your friends but you have an all day tournament. Play every single game you have to your absolute fullest. Never take advantage of any opportunities to do what you love. Wipe that dirt and that sweat off your face, and give it your all; because you never know when your last game is going to be your last game.
