Middle School Softball Champs!

In a surprising come from behind season, Tori’s middle school girls’ softball team just won their league! What this means is that Tori’s team beat out seven other teams in a two day tournament that ended the season. What Tori tells us it means is that she got a medal, her team got a trophy and her team gets a banner hung up in the gym.

Tori tried out for softball this year primarily because her homeroom teacher was the coach and asked her to. Tori did not have a mitt or a bat or cleats but soon accumulated all of the above, though it was a little difficult to get an extra small left handed softball glove in Germany. Tori  struggled at the beginning of the season, enduring the indignity of striking out multiple times. She got her bat and made us take her out into the fields behind our house for practice. There she hit the ball (our one ball) into the knee high weeds over and over until she figured it out. She traveled with the team to Vienna and Zurich and came home happy, despite limited wins. She reported that she liked softball a lot because of the uniform and the cheers!

Our school hosted the league tournament, so no traveling for us and the chance for parents to watch. The weather was horrible; cold and rainy. During one game, play was halted due to hard hail. Tori was on second base at the time and was hesitant to give up her base and take shelter. When the game was back on, Tori was the first one back on the field, resuming her second base spot in pouring rain. Her team went on to win all their games in the tournament and win the title with a good sized crowd watching, including one very proud little sister.

Adam somehow missed the championship game with an ongoing school fair and some slight boy scout responsibilities as well. But he attended earlier games and was definitely caught up in the spirit. As we drove to watch the other big sporting event of the weekend, Championship League football, Bayern vs. Dortmund, the radio was full of the news about the hometown team, Bayern Munich. Adam said in all earnestness that the radio show should be announcing Tori’s team as well. They are league champions too he reasoned. We all heartily agreed.