Family Tradition

This has been going on for years:  Clare stakes out the couch the last week of May into the first week or so of June to watch the NCAA D-I softball playoffs and world series.  She knows the schools, the players, the coaches.  She watches games while texting back and forth with friends and ex-teammates about plays.  A Georgia player hits a two-run walk-off homer to deny Florida a shot at a three-peat.  Did you see it?

I sit amazed at this display of athleticism and fandom.  What did girls such as these do 25 years ago?  What was this energy and interest funneled into instead?  Does it fade away the further young women get from playing?  Who’s the bigger loser, professional softball for not building on this foundation, or baseball for not caring less whether softball fans and players turn into baseball fans and players?

I wonder all these things every time this year.