94: beginning

Azia started softball practice this week.

I forgot again how little nine-year-olds really are. Some of them played last year and do pretty well. A few others don't even have basic throwing and catching skills.

I was helping the kids out in the outfield figure out where to go to field the ball or back up other players and one little girl finally said, "Sometimes I'm on this side of the base and sometime I'm supposed to run to the other side and sometimes I just have to get the ball myself and throw it to them! And it was all different when I was on that other part of the field! This is a lot to remember!" Luckily she was still smiling as she said it. Softball is a pretty basic sport, but if you've never even seen a game there is quite a lot to remember when you only have a few short weeks of practice before you're going to play your first game.

Then there is their field. The younger girls are clearly at the bottom of the heap when it comes to field options. Azia in that picture up there? That's her in her shortstop position. As you can see, the infield needs a bit of work.