I Celebrate you!

I Celebrate you!

 

You are about to start the most challenging coaching summer of your careers.  There is no road map for this – many of you in the last couple months have experienced:

Parents losing jobs, getting Covid, seeing people around you affected by Covid, job changes, job losses, reductions in pay, extreme family stress.  You have had to field sometimes daily phone calls regarding all of the above from your parents.  They have many concerns – most you cant fix – but you are there to listen, like a great coach would.  Our Players need us more than ever!  And here you are leading!

 

You empathize with them, because as great coaches you are always putting yourself in others shoes in order to teach.  You are anxious to lead, but reserved enough to know we must try with all our might to lead, where no others have, while trying to keep ourselves and our players safe.  This is innate ability that only coaches know.

 

I Celebrate you – 

 

Because you have to scrap all your spring and summer tournaments and practices that have been set up for months and paid for.  And if we haven’t asked enough. – we need you to track down all those refunds, communicate with all the directors, find out what options there are for every weekend in June and July.  And then proceed to put all the pieces back together – week by week, to construct some semblance of a summer season.  Why you ask?

 

Because you know, what so few do, that our girls need softball, outside exercise, team player interaction, mental health time, relationship building time, 

They need to hear their familiar coaches voices tell them “its going to be alright” “ we have a plan” we can do this, we are a team, we will work together, it will be different, but we can do it – “YOU CAN DO IT”. That’s what they need and that’s what you provide.  You will do it day in day out – as a volunteer, because that’s what leaders do.

 

I Celebrate You!

 

Because you have chosen to sacrifice those company promotions, all your vacation time, financial gain, your mental health, the time spent with your family, friends, golf outings, camping trips, vacations…   All for the sake of 10-15 girls, teenagers, young women – so that they may be better people, so that some of their best memories of growing up were of a game they loved , coached by a coach they love.  Your impact on your players is immense – you may not see it today – but as they grow up , the time spent with you , the energy you brought to everyday, is never forgotten.  You are modeling young women to be great women, strong women, leaders!  And God knows we could use more female leaders!

 

I Celebrate You,

 

But most importantly I thank you – on behalf of one of the oldest softball programs in the nation – The DOLLS lead the way into the early days of college softball, we expanded to Rebels and Cheetehs – the name doesn’t matter – what matters is the 60 plus years of leadership, the commitment to our girls – all “our “ girls.

 

So when you are challenged with a player showing up without a mask, give em love and empathy, maybe have extra one they can have from you – don’t chastise them – pick them up, give em an air high five and say “I got you”. “ I always have, and always will”. 

            As coaches Lets look out for each other – no one else will.  Everyone is looking for us to make mistakes and call us out on it, suspend us, kick us off fields, yell at us, take our game and our girls away from us.  It’s up to us to expect that, to shelter our kids from the hate, and still continue day after day to put our kids and our parents above ourselves.  In Softball we trust – its not a game – its a life changing vehicle.

 

That’s coaches – no better people I would rather spend a day with !

 

I Celebrate you – I appreciate you – I see you!

 

Coach Bowman

630-888-8428

My cell – for any and all, call me, we can do this!