The Youngest Gold Digger

Softball is a new experience for the Wilcox family. As Brooke decided that "Boys Stink" and it would be much funner to play softball with friends from school, we have had to adapt to a new approach to youth sports.  It's girls softball (and we have just gotten over the learning curve of girls volleyball with Ali, the BIG learning curve) and we or better said Brooke is a Gold Digger (no idea the significance of the names, last year she was a Flaming Hot Cheeto.

Of course there is "no crying in baseball or softball" (I had that linked to that scene from "League of Their Own" but then playing it back I realized how much cussing there was in the clip, so I unlinked it as this is a family site and Mom just wouldn't approve), but that is hard to learn for a bunch of 9-10 years old that get hit with a ball that contrary to the name is really not that soft.

 

It is also interesting how many more rules are recognized in the softball leagues that are not in Little League Baseball, like; advancing on a dropped 3rd strike and stealing bases when you wish.  The part that is really entertaining are the chants, cheers, and skits performed by the girls in the dugouts during a game.  Not only is it perfectly accepting to taunt and make fun of the other team, you are encourages and expected to do it with style.  We are not just talking about "pitcher's got a rubber arm"... here are a couple of my favorites:

We don't play with barbie dolls (2 times)
we just play with bats and balls (2 times)
we dont wear no minny skirt (2 times)
we just wear pants and t-shirts (2 times)
we dont drink no lemonade (2 times)
we just drink our powerade (2 times)
so if I were you, I'd scoot your booty back (3 times)
but I'm not you so I'd stay where your at (3 times)

There she goes just a walkin' down the line,
Singin' do‐waa‐diddy‐diddy‐dum‐diddy‐do.
Pointing her finger and laughin' at you,
Singin' do‐waa‐diddy‐diddy‐dum‐diddy‐do.
ball two, ball three, ball four,
C'mon pitcher walk some more.
Do‐waa‐diddy‐diddy‐dum‐diddy‐do,
Next batter up says WALK ME TOO!

The Start of the 2010 Baseball/Softball Season

So starts another season of baseball/softball with the running around to different practices, games etc. I can't complain because 99.9% of that running around is done by Terry. No coaching or team mom duties for us this year.  We get to be little league parents with the occasion "snack mom" duties.

As we reach a time in our lives where we have 2 kids that have aged out of Little League, and only a couple years left for those that remain, I have some advice for those parents out there that are knee-deep or even kneck-deep in it all.

1. Skip the banners - they get hung on the dugout and after the initial "that's cute", which the boys after the age of 6 don't care about, they only get in the way (block the view) and then shortly get forgotten.
2. After the age of 11, skip the snacks. Under the age of 12 ther are surely kids that play ONLY for the snack that is given at the end of the game. But after the age of 12 they should play for the love of the game not for the "snack pack" that is put together by the "snack mom".
3. Snack pack competition - let's get serious parents, the competition should be on the field not among the snack moms that compete to see who can put together the best snack pack that many times seems to include all the major food groups along with 7 different types of processed sugar. What ever happened to the traditional "Snow Cone".
4. Picture Day - An age old traditional that will mark my words be forgotten. In this day and age where most soccer moms have better DSLR than the agency taking the pictures, and those that don't know someone that does, paying and posing for a pic of you kid standing there with a stupid grin doesn't compare to the action shots that the photo moms capture each and every game.




Chase would play baseball 365 days a week if he was given the chance, and is excited for each and every moment of baseball. Finally getting out of the shadow of his older brother, Chase while not talking much, carries a big stick, otherwise known as a bat and let's that do the talking. A great eye for the ball, he usually gets on base, and now is developing the power to get multiple bases per hit.

Brooke is strong willed player (that is a nice way of saying a player with attitude). Growing up with 2 older brothers and an athletic older sister, has pushed her to be fearless. After 3 years of baseball (easier on the parents to have the kids on one field), Brooke enters her second season of softball as the star player on her team. She controls the field from her catcher position, letting the players, coaches and umpire know who is really in charge.

Stop by for a game, they are easy to catch during the next couple of months, it is now one (1) down and about eighteen(18) each to go.

Sibling Rivalry

A child will mimic those around them, especially those they look up to. Brooke, I think got a little jealous when Ali had some pictures featured on a photographers website linked here. So she did what she could to see if she could make it on the website herself.

That reminds me of a joke.

Question: What kind of bees make honey?
Answer: Boobies!