retreat and stuff

So anyone who knows me, knows that softball is my favorite thing the entire world. When I was in my wreck and couldn't play anymore it literally tore my heart in two. I was miserable. When I came to college, and I found out there was a softball intramural, I of course wanted to play. i was kind of nervous because I hadn't thrown since my junior year, but I was able to throw the ball, not very well (obviously 2 years of not doing it will do that to you). I was so excited. The next year I wasn't able to play b/c I broke my ankle playing floor hockey. I was so mad. I told people to let me be catcher. I didn't have to run around for that, but apparently that's not allowed. Lol.

The reason I tell that story is because, now I can tell this story. Last year, when I was on executive board of my sorority, i found out that our chapter adviser was head coach of a local high school softball team. It was going to be her first year. I really wanted to see if I could help out, so I finally got up the courage to ask if she needed any help. The answer was yes! I got to be an assistant coach for Mater Dei High School Softball team. I got to coach first in JV games, and I had a blast. It was weird thought, because I was still pretty young, and I was used to playing, never coaching. I didn't speak up very much, just kind of observed. I knew all the players, but they didn't really know me. I had so much fun seeing this team do well though. The year before they had only won like 6 games. The won 15 games last year.



This year, I had planned to do it again, and so when Shelly asked, I was all over it. I did have to work this semester, so i couldn't attend all the practices. I attended maybe 2 a week starting in February. My last day at work is this Sunday, and after that I will be able to make most practices and games. We started practicing outside after I got back from Spring Break. That's when I met the other coaches. There's Shelly (who I already knew) the head Coach, Bill, the Assistant Varsity coach, Kyle, the head JV coach, and me, the assistant JV coach. This basically means I'm the lowest of the coaches, but I'm still a coach, so I don't care



This week is Mater Dei's Spring Break, and so they had a softball retreat. We went to Camp Ondessank in Ozark, IL and did some low ropes stuff and then stayed the night. We left around 9 am on Monday (I got to drive a huge van, it was like an 15 passenger with some seats missing, it was so weird), and got there a little before 11. We ate some lunch (PB&J and chips), then we headed out to the course. The first element they did was they all stood on a log and had to switch places so the weren't standing next to the same people. You couldn't touch the ground or else you had to start over. They got that pretty quickly. Next we moved to the wheel. They had to get everyone over a wheel (which turned) that was about 5 feet off the ground, and they had to stay connected the entire time. If they got disconnected, they had to start over. This one took a while for them to get. At one point we made them stop, and talk it out so everyone was on the same page. After that, they got it. It still took a while for them to do it, but they did it.



The last element the did was fun to watch. They had to get across a wire, that was about 6 in off the ground using only ropes hanging down, and once a rope was touched, it had to be continuously touched or else they would lose it. This one took a while as well, but only because people kept falling off, and they had to start over. Also, the juniors and seniors weren't allowed to talk during this time. After that, they sat in a circle and discussed the things they did that day and what they learned. Apparently last year they didn't get as much out of it, too many leaders and not enough people to step back. This year they enjoyed it a lot more.



After that we went back to the cabins, which they call tree houses. There's a picture below, but it's a cabin on stilts with one wall missing. It was interesting. Not what I was expecting at all. Of course the beds were very uncomfortable, so I didn't sleep that well, but it was great being outdoors. :) We had a campfire that night where we listened to stories, sang some songs (or therefore attempted to), and ate foil burgers, made s'mores, and roasted peeps. Lol. Of course the girls were up most of the night, and we left the next morning. Oh, and within the first 15 minutes of being there, one of girls got hurt. Kim Butts, one of our catchers, who is probably already out half the season because she is having rotater cuff issues. Anyways, she tripped (and not even overly tripped, she just kinda went down on one knee) and about 5 minutes later she came over and was like, I'm bleeding. Her leg was covered in blood, and she had a huge gash in her knee. It was so deep, it didn't bleed that much. She got to go to the hospital with Shelly and get internal and external stitches. So she had a good retreat.



I'm really excited about this season. We have a small team (only 19, minus two players, one for injury, one for grades, and so we're down to 17) so we probably won't be able to play a full JV schedule which stinks for the freshmen. Our first game is April 4, a week from Saturday (the morning after Phi Mu's formal) so that should be fun. Anyways, here's some pics form the retreat. Enjoy.