300 Hugs and a trip to NCAA Regionals

I'm not on turf. I'm on a corked floor. My chair doesn't have a cup holder and it doesn't fold. I'm in a swivel chair. I'm working. I'm watching my iPad. I'm watching FloSports.

On Thursday, I watched them knock off the top seed. Holding on for a 1-run win after a 6-run lead slowly evaporated. Mayhem ensued along with a trip to the Winner's bracket.
On Friday, I watched them knock off the 2nd seed. Another 1-run game. Mayhem ensued along with a direct route to the finals with 2 lives remaining.
On Saturday, it rained.
On Sunday, I watched them fall behind 4-0 without even a spark of hope. With 1 out in the 7th, the rally started. I watched them earn a walk. A single. Another single. A walk. A run. And then I watched a 2-run single to make it 4-3. No chance. With 2nd and 3rd, the 2nd hitter struck out, bring up a 1st team All-Conference hitter. A masher. A hitter's hitter. With first base open, they did not walk her. They let her hit. I shook my head. An all-rookie freshman on deck. On a 1-2 pitch after 2 swings on wicked changeups, the 3rd hitter hit a no doubter, 3-run homer over the right field fence. The kind of homer that had the on-deck freshman jumping for joy in the frame before the 3rd hitter could even start running. Mayhem ensued unlike I have ever seen. Players sprinted out of the dugout. They jumpred up and down. Everyone hugged everyone. 25 players hugging 24 others. 300 hugs. Coaches ran in from their bases. I watched my daughter jumping for joy. The night before she told me "I want to go to Regionals so bad" And now, she was.

Many softball parents watch their children play at local parks and they enjoy it. Maybe they sneak a drink. Make friends with other parents. Chat and cheer and then go home. And that's great. My softball experience is different. In addition to local and city parks. I've been to the provincial championships in many Montreal area towns. The Eastern Canadian Championships in Cobourg,Ontario. The Canadian Nationals against the best players in the country. Montreal. Fredericton. Beautiful Victoria. Calgary. Saskatoon. I have been to the Canada Cup in Surrey,BC. I attended the Canada Games in Niagara Falls where I witnessed a silver medal, my daughter scoring the 1st run and driving in the 6th of a 6-5 win against powerhouse Ontario in the silver medal game. (We eventually lost to University of Washington pitcher Morgan Reimer in the final).

I have been all over Northern New York to watch her Junior College career. JUCO Nationals in Syracuse where they finished 3rd. I did NOT travel to Tennessee the following year when they earned a 2nd JUCO World Series trip.
I have been to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament in Pleasantville, New York where my daughter lost in the finals. No regionals.

I skipped the Conference Tournament this year since it was already scratched off my bucket list. But I will be going to the NCAA East Regional in New Hampshire in 2 days.

I have watched my daughter play in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts and Vermont. British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. And of course, also at the local park in my local town behind the local grocery store.

This will be my last hurrah as a Softball parent for my undersized Senior. My little 65-hit, 60-run daughter with sneaky power. I will soon go back to just being a parent.... but ... that's ONLY if they don't win Regionals. Because if they win...(Don't tell my wife I said this) I have never been to a SUPER REGIONAL. And if they win that? (And for sure don't tell my wife I said THIS) I have never been to the NCAA D2 Women's College World Series.