VIP at BYU

Warning:  Terrible post, it has sat on my computer screen for over a week now, staring me in the face.  I should have known to have skipped this event.  Softball posts are my downfall.  Too much information with too many pictures with no sense of fluency from one paragraph to the next.  It is what it is, and to avoid my blog re-entering hibernation I am publishing it, flaws and all.

Andy loves softball.  In case there is doubt, I hereby solemnly confirm and attest to his addiction.  For one of his birthday gifts he requested to attend a softball round table training hosted by the coaching staff of the BYU Cougars.  He enjoyed the evening and learned a few new things to teach his team.

The coaches in attendance were invited to bring their team to an upcoming college game.  Andy was quick to get it arranged.

The promise offered: BYU gives the girls and their families free tickets to the game,  a tour of the facility along with being introduced at the beginning of the game.  It was all this and so much more . . .

The event:

One never knows what to expect with the weather when you attend a March softball game but we couldn't have been blessed with a more perfect night.

All of the team was in attendance with two extra girls, Keanna and Stormy, coming along for the ride.

My mother presented the girls with ear warmers.  (While we were shopping she found them on clearance and paid to have them embroidered).  They look awesome.  I'm just hoping they never have to use them, never again playing in freezing cold temperatures.  If this could change fate I would mourn the fact they weren't purchased four years earlier.

The Steelers have decided it is cool to wear coordinating attire and hair styles on game days.  On the menu today: upside-down french braids finished off with a messy bun (Taylei requested I braid straight this time).  I went up her head higher than normal, and the bun landed right on top.  This added three or four inches to her height.  Maybe I should try it during a game, a little height might help her seem at least a little intimidating.

Andy -- I love him.  This is a fact.  I both love and hate (see below) his love of softball, fact.  He looks good carrying my purse, (he should just be grateful it isn't hot pink with extensive bling) fact.

Often times I become frustrated with the amount of time softball takes from other activities our family could be involved in.  In the summer when each weekend is dedicated to the ball field and most nights are spent practicing I reflect on the why.  Why?  In the good, better, best, scheme of things where does softball rank?  What benefit will pitching lessons, batting practice and hundreds of hours of game recaps be to my family's eternal salvation?  Then the money aspect floats through my brain: tournament fees, gasoline, food.  I'm spending thousands of dollars a year when the money could be spent increasing our food storage or decreasing our home mortgage.  Why?

Many reasons I guess.  He spends 10-20 hours a week with my daughters, teaching and coaching them.  How many other girls have a dad so involved in their lives?  My girls are both good at it, they are developing a talent.  There are many other reasons, both pros and cons involved with the obsession but a major reason for this madness . . . .

Our parents.

They love watching their granddaughters play.  Both sets of grandparents have watched my girls compete in four different states.  My mom even went to Tennessee.  Our dads will review situations with Andy for hours.

Today was a perfect example:

I was on the phone early this morning with Terry.  I reminded him of the invitation to come to the BYU game tonight and watch the girls play at an umpire training in the morning.  He wasn't feeling well and declined.  Then the phone rang at approximately noon.  Terry had changed his mind, he was just leaving and wanted to make sure he was still invited.

My father is the same.  Lately he has been assisting Andy with his practices.  He is watching videos and reading articles on softball philosophy.  My mom claims that games are the only thing he worries about being on time to.

Our dads are crazy.  A fantastic crazy.  And, our moms are much the same.

Back to the evening's events . . .

The girls were taken through the training rooms.  I was jealous of the laundry chute.  The players dump their dirty attire into a bin and when they come back for the next game it is laundered and ready to wear. Washing uniforms isn't on the top of my list, especially when St. George dirt is involved.

The team was on the field warming up so the coach allowed our tour guide to take us through the locker room.  Most of the lockers had three extra pairs of cleats and at least that many bats.  These are in addition to what the players had taken onto the field with them.  Impressive or excessive?

My brain began churning once again.  Is this something I hope for my girls, to play ball on the collegiate level?  What would they be giving up to achieve this?  The good, better, best question auto-populates again.

Then reality sets in, it isn't what I want, but what they want.  I need to support them.  Period.

The Steeler girls were sporting a new look -- uniform tops with bling-bling denim.  Not the usual attire you find these girls wearing at a ball field.

While the girls were out showing off during the warm-ups waiting for their introductions they began to notice their phones were becoming a liability.  The worm, back hand-springs, and sprinkler were in the plans and damage to their phones was inevitable.  My pockets were soon full (which does nothing but accentuate the size of my hips).

The game ended in the most perfect fashion -- BYU winning with a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh.  BYU handed out team posters and allowed the fans onto the field for player autographs.

While everyone else was in line garnishing signatures, Aysen had much better ideas.  After watching hundreds and hundreds of softball games he has picked up on some finer points of the game.  One of which, when the game is over he is allowed onto the field.  He snuck away to first base without anyone noticing -- when I noticed his location my thoughts went quickly to wondering if this was permitted.  He ran between the bases and was on top of the world, loving every minute of his base running action.

Before we left for ice cream, Keanna found her 'buddy' -- the girl she got introduced with and asked for a picture.  24 was more than happy to oblige, she was on cloud nine, it was her hit that won the game.

Miscellaneous Highlights:

• The tickets we were given to attend were not just for the game but the entire season.  It also included a ticket for a hot dog, we had dinner and entertainment all wrapped up in one, free of charge.
• My father, in his dedicated position behind home plate, never argued with a call BUT my mom was mortified when she realized they were on television the entire game.  Being filmed eating a hot dog was not on her bucket list.
• Cris and Ty Durbin competed in the hot dog eating contest -- they both barely ate one in a minutes time, they better stick to sports, shoveling food is not one of their talents.
• Keanna was hugged by Cosmo on live television -- adorable.
• Although you couldn't see Taylei on the television her voice was easily recognized, cheering the Cougars on to victory.
• The head coach's wife loved watching Kyler dance and recorded his moves on her cell phone.
• My dad conducted the wave, Steeler fans have become pros at following his lead.
• BYU couldn't have treated us better.  The girls were highlighted numerous times and everyone left with gigantic smiles on their faces!

Thanks BYU and thanks Andy!