A Softball Story (rant)

(Baby, Peanut, Max)

(Mama, Daughter, Daddy)

If you stick around to the end of this post there is a cute photo of the other two daughters, Crackerjack and Mia!

We have been at our current little league for six years. This season would have been our seventh!. Honey has managed every year and has had winning teams five out out of the six years. This year the board decided Honey couldn't manage a team. We weren't told why just no. Have we done anything? Nope. Oh yes, we were trying to keep softball alive at our league. Six years ago, we had four teams in each division (minor, major, jr/sr), this year there is only ONE team in each division. There is no support for the girls. The board put $10,000. (I kid you not) into the baseball fields and ZERO into the softball field. Then they told the girls they were lucky to have one field.

Way back when we started, we went to our first umpiring clinic (little league is run all on volunteering, so managers umpire and we were there to learn how. Well, I was there to learn how, having never umpired a game in my life. (Which is a very bad memory of my childhood - being told I could not umpire because I was a girl!! Seriously?) Anyway, we showed up and we are the ONLY women there. A year later, Honey and I are certified umpires, two of three female umpires in our district. Now we are the only two female umpires in our district.

I was ok when the board told us the first place team manager, managed the all star team. I was not ok when they gave the team to a baseball coach, then the next year gave it to another coach because they thought Honey was more into umpiring and wouldn't have the time. Are you kidding me?! Not manage the all star team that our daughter is on, really?

During the fall, little leagues have what is known as fall ball. Except that our league there is no softball during the fall, girls must play baseball. Well, unless they goes over to ASA and play softball. Mostly the girls didn't play. This past season, we decided the girls should be able to play and joined up with ASA. We had 25 girls try out for 12 spots. And then went with two teams. The board was pissed we took girls over to ASA and wouldn't let practice on the field that WASN'T be used. Petty I know. Never mind the whole reason we were at ASA was there was no softball at our league. And as much as I believe that the boys and girls games are both just as athletic, at the upper divisions, the two games are so vastly different. Softball is a quicker, shorter game then baseball. I love watching both games. (Can't wait for Arizona this spring!!! Dodgertown!!! Opening Day, Spring Training!! One whole week! Yup, we are pretty much crazy for Dodger baseball around here!!) I have never loved discrimination at anything!!! The girls on our ASA team were all girls from our league and were going back to our league this spring!!! They just have never liked Honey and I. We get emails from "people" all the time about us being a manager and coach and umpires. These "people" didn't know that Honey is (was) the webmaster and read all of their hate emails. She only showed me one and it was so upsetting, she never showed me another one.

So, when she was told no to managing this spring, we decided ok, we will just be parents. Our two girls would still play at our little league. I was so upset. Honey of course, took it all in stride. She always does. I can't, it's the Italian/Mexican in me. Fiery blood I guess! Eventually, I just turned it over to the Big Man upstairs. It was just so unjust and unfair. No reason, just no. We only have two managers for three girl teams but you can't have one. The other manager is a teenager who coached middle daughter last year and she said the coach was more interested in being on her phone then coaching. THAT's who they gave a team too. Holy Moly!! And on top it all off, we have to now tell our girls that Honey didn't get a team. What do we tell them when they ask why? We just shrugged. We put off telling them for a week! Just didn't know what to say. Middle daughter was sooo excited Honey was going to coach her this spring.

Anyway, we got a call last night, and Honey was offered a team over ASA. I was not looking forward to going back to little league and now I don't have to!! Our experience over at ASA was so nice. And now I don't have to deal with our board anymore!!! Yeah!! Happy Day!!

Sorry for another long, rambling post. But I just had to let it out!! I can't yell at the stupid people I need to, but I can type really, really hard!! I feel better. Thank you.

Crackerjack and Mia at their home across town!! We see them all the time!