Everyone needs that one person in there life that will go to bat for them. Everyone needs someone who will stand up for them no matter what, even if you don't deserve it. For many people this person can be their friend, their sibling, parent, or significant other. For me, that person has always been my Dad. You know when you get really excited about something and just have to share it, like you got a new job, or made a good grade or excelled in your sport? Well everyone has that one person they want to call who they know will be more excited for them then they are for themselves. When I have big news to share, I always call my Dad.
My special relationship with my Dad has dated back as far as I can remember. My Dad was going back to school to get his PhD when I was two and my Mom went back to work to put him through school. While Dad was in school, we spent a lot of time together, and he was always searching for something for me to excel at. It wasn't until we relocated to Greenville, NC that Dad got me in to softball. And let me tell you, when Dad does something, he doesn't do it half way, and softball was no exception. I started out trying softball when I was 8 and my Dad helped coach my team, and I was far away from being an athlete. I struggled tremendously trying to hit and catch and throw, yet my Dad continued to work with me and I improved and made the all star team. My Dad read countless books, went to clinics, and learned from others so he would be equipped to teach me. From there I decided that I wanted to be a softball pitcher and my Dad supported me through that and we worked super hard to make sure I was the best pitcher I could be. As I started going to middle school and high school, my Dad always made sure I played on the right teams, went to the right tournaments, and emailed the right coaches so I could realize my dream of playing college softball. There was not a camp, a tournament, or a showcase that my Dad did not take me too, and if he wasn't able to be there, my Mom was always there as my biggest cheerleader.
You see as I was going through school, other parents didn't really understand my Dad, and many thought he was too hardcore and pushed me too hard. I know a lot of other kids parents who would say things to me about how my Dad didn't need to take me to all of the places and do all of these camps to showcase my talent because it was just too much. However, my Dad always taught me that if you don't go overboard and aren't crazy about your dreams, you will never reach them. I remember a lot of times in high school thinking my Dad pushed me too hard but now looking back on it, I wouldn't be a division 1 athlete or half the person I am today if he had not have pushed me. The other parents who made comments about him, their kids didn't get the opportunity to play at the next level like I was fortunate enough to. I would have never gotten here on my own, it took a my whole family.
When people tell me I am a hard worker and that they are proud of where I have gotten, I now realize that most of it wasn't my own doing, it was my Dad's. He thought I was the best when nobody else did, and he fought for me when nobody else did, which is something I will never forget. Even as I play my last year on softball, and the dynamic of our relationship will inevitably change, I will never have any regrets that I could have done better and pushed harder because my Dad always pushed me enough to make sure I didn't end up with those regrets. And now that I am an adult, and I am going to graduate school soon, I am able to push myself and compete because he has instilled that since of pride in me. People may think that my Dad was super hard on me, but that is far from the truth. He pushed me, but he always encouraged me, always loved me, and always wanted my best interest, no matter how I performed.
My Dad is someone who you will find always striving to reach new goals he constantly sets for himself, he works two different jobs to support our family and he never complains. My Dad is also a diabetic, but not that many people even know about it because he doesn't advertise it, yet he still relies on insulin everyday and doesn't even bat an eye. It took me too long to realize how lucky I am to have a Dad that is so involved in my life and wants the absolute best for me. I know that I will fall in love someday and it will be great, but right now I just can't begin to imagine loving another guy as much as I love my Dad. He always jokes that I am going to marry someone like him, and I could only hope that I could be so lucky. It would be a miracle to find someone who is half the father to my kids as my Dad is to me and my brother. So cheers to you Dad, people like you are hard to find, and I am lucky enough to have you as my Dad.
