At last, Some GOOD Sport News...

[Lord Jim]

Opening Day is here!

[Scooter]

I actually found myself last night glued to the television watching a bit of March madness - Wichita State vs. Ohio State in a game that went down to the wire for a spot in the Final Four.

When did I become a basketball fan? More evidence of what happens when we fuck with the ozone layer.

[MajGenl.Meade]

LJ, it's just not right to use a subject line that (to any sane person) could only introduce a thread dealing with Tottenham's thrashing of Swansea (1-2) and Chelsea's simultaneous loss to Southampton - two joyous Easter events on the same day!

Thirty lashes with a wet noodle for you!

Yrs,
Disgusted

[Lord Jim]

The lovely sound of ash wood smacking cow hide....

[Gob]

Leather on willow dear boy, leather on willow.

[oldr_n_wsr]

The lovely sound of ash wood smacking cow hide....

I read somewhere that hard rock maple is coming into favor.

PLAY BALL!!!!!!!!

of course as a Mets fan, I have no expectations nor hope

[Jarlaxle]

Maple bats have been pretty common for several years.

And the Red Sox pounded the Yankees 8-2 on opening day!

[oldr_n_wsr]

And the Mets won 11-2

[Gob]

Low scores for basketball?

[oldr_n_wsr]

High run total for baseball. For soccer an impossible score.

[Lord Jim]

For soccer an impossible score.

Unless of course you're playing the Caerphilly Castle Ladies...

[Sue U]

The Phillies went down to Atlanta (literally and figuratively) in the season opener, putting them at the bottom of their division. But my older daughter's softball league has its first game on Saturday night (under the lights at the big fancy field), so I'm totally looking forward to that.

[oldr_n_wsr]

How old is she Sue U?
I used to coach my daughters team (having played fast and slow pitch softball for some 25 years). I wasn't in the ol' boys network in the league so I got all the "lesser skilled" young ladies. No biggy, we won some and always had fun.

[Sue U]

She's playing in the U12 league (she turns 11 in a few weeks -- technically she's too young, but they took her). She's a solid hitter and a so-so fielder. But she likes the game and especially likes the camaraderie of a team sport.

[Gob]

Great age to get her involved Sue! Hatch is now moving up to women's (under 25 yrs,) basketball this season, she started playing when she was your daughter's age. In terms of fitness, self-esteem, sportsmanship, and socialising its been a real blessing for her.

[Sue U]

She played for the same organization last year, and played in the municipal recreation department league the year before that. My younger daughter (now 9) has been playing on a travel soccer team for the last year (season ends in June) and played rec league soccer for two years before that. One of the (many) nice things about living in this town is the size, quality and variety of youth sports programs available.

[oldr_n_wsr]

She's playing in the U12 league (she turns 11 in a few weeks -- technically she's too young, but they took her). She's a solid hitter and a so-so fielder. But she likes the game and especially likes the camaraderie of a team sport.

Good for her. I won't tell her how to bat as it takes direct involvement and if she has a good bat, don't fix what ain't broken.
(I batted .600 in slow pitch and .400 in fast pitch but only hit 4 home runs in my whole career. Singles/base stealer was I in fast pitch. Doubles and score on a single in slow pitch) Also I was mostly a catcher. You bunt, you were thrown out, nobody got out from behind the plate faster than me. Of course that is why my knees are shot (and I have hemmroids.)

Tell her there are only three things she has to do to be a good ball player, Catch the ball, throw the ball and hit the ball. All there is to it.


ETA
And learn the game. Especially the basics. Being ahead of what might happen is great. If this happens, what will I do. If that happens, what will I do. Have her think about that before every pitch. Look at the situation. What base is someone on, what out is it. How many runs are we up or down. If I get the ball, do I go to first, second, third or home? Think before the pitch and the reaction after the hit will become automatic. It's a game of knowing ahead of time what to do when the time comes. (but isn't that life too?)

[Gob]

If she gets really good she may be able to convert to cricket!

[oldr_n_wsr]

And do nothing for the rest of her life.

[Sue U]

ETA:
No wait, there's lunch!