Last year, somebody thought it would be a really good idea to have a competitive soccer game amongst co-workers. That idea grew and it became an all out war for bragging rights between the water department, which I work for, and the sanitation/engineering department. Keep in mind, I haven't played organized soccer since I was about seven, I think. And even playing for fun has been sparingly since then. I'm not really great at any particular sport, but there are two sports I am just plain bad at, basketball and soccer.
In basketball, I have no shooting skills, no dribbling skills, no jumping skills and no defense skills. My limited abilities are to run around like a mad man, waving my arms in the air to cause a distraction and then every once in a while get the ball passed to me so I can pass it to another open person. I was so bad in basketball that when I was in college, I had to team up with another guy from my hall against my roommate just to have a somewhat even match. And my roommate would still beat the two of us just about every time. In fact I think the only time we actually won was because I made a miracle three pointer to end it. I think it was the only shot I made the whole year.
In soccer it wasn't much different. I still run around like a mad man to cause distractions and get in the way. Only difference is I'm not waving my arms around. We played three games total and I never scored a goal. Just did a lot of running and kicking the ball away from guys trying to score every once and a while. Even though I completely sucked, I still had a good time. I really enjoy competitive sports. The only problem was when it got taken too seriously. To the point that we had a trophy made and paid money to have uniforms made for our team. Only to wear them for just one game.
Now that the soccer season in our lives ended, it is time for the work coed softball team. A guy at my work put together a team and I got swindled in. Not really swindled, they just told me to sign up to get information about it and then one day said that the money was due. Now here I am in a softball league for the first time in my life. I haven't swung a bat since I was in high school and it wasn't because I was on the team. More like making a fool of myself at the local batting cages. I played little league at one point in my life many many years ago. I hear that I played shortstop, but it has been so long that I can't remember what I played. Just that I did at some point.
Tonight was the first game. I didn't have a glove. I didn't have cleats. I didn't have a bat. I barely had a clue to what I was doing. I watch plenty of baseball and know the ins and outs of the game, but softball is a different kind of beast different rules, different bat, and different ball. Even extra fielders. I just went for it though. They stuck me in right field because I think that is where the least amount of action is, so I am most likely not to make a mistake that way. I didn't do terrible. There were no defensive plays for me to have to make. I walked the first time up and scored a run. Struck out the second at bat. And made solid contact the third time but it was straight at the pitcher, allowing him to pick it out of the air. I really had a good time and hopefully I will get better, and hopefully not be so nervous when I get up to bat.
"I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it."
-Sandy Koufax
Proof that I actually played (Yes that's me)
So Wise
you finally went and became softball guy...you should have my brother play on your team...he's been softball guy forever.
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