For Love of the Game

We all have our first loves and for some the first love is the last love. For some it was Brad Pitt when he popped up on the screen in Thelma & Louise, Kurt Cobain from Nirvana, or Jimmy, the next door neighbor. For some the first love happened at the age of ten, others sixteen, or maybe for some not until later in life. For me I had my first love when I was 6 years old and no it wasn't Brad, Kurt, or the next door neighbor. Actually, my first love wasn't a person but rather, a game. Softball.

Freshman Year 2011, Coach Wares 900th win at Cornell.

I played multiple sports growing up and loved everything from soccer, basketball, to tennis but nothing filled me with joy like softball did. I remember the first time I put on my glove and played catch, hearing the snap of the ball into the glove is something I could listen to forever. The first time I gripped a bat and made contact with the ball when I was hitting. Running around the bases at, well, definitely not high speed, probably not above average speed, maybe more like normal speed. We'll just say when I was in school I certainly didn't come in first at the relay races but I didn't come in last either :) I remember the first time I got to play on a team and how much fun it was to be young and playing because you love the game. I think sometimes that is lost. Today's athletes sometimes seem more focused on playing for a scholarship, to impress others, or because their parents want them to. The unfortunate reality is that along the way, the reason they started playing in the first place gets lost and they aren't doing it for the right reasons anymore.

Senior Year 2014

An important mantra that I heard quite often while playing softball, particularly during my college years is to, "Play for Her." This phrase is so pure because it helped me think back to when I was younger and to remember what it felt like to play without a care in the world and to just play for the love and passion of the game. I think as I got older at times, I lost that. I became more concerned with how I was performing, statistics, and who was watching me. It became more of an investment in those things than the game itself.  I was taking from the game but I wasn't giving much back and that was very selfish of me. It wasn't until college that I really understood what it meant to invest fully in something and that getting to play the game is an opportunity that shouldn't be taken for granted.

Sophomore Year 2012, Coach O'Brien's 600th win at home.

I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play softball at Central College. Those four years had a huge impact on me as a person and in my life, they still continue to do so today because of all the great relationships I made. I learned early on that being a part of Central Softball is bigger than any one person and it is bigger than yourself. It is about being invested in achieving a common goal and being invested in each other. Whether you were a starter on the field or someone in the dugout the roles are equally as important. The teammates I played with made me better every day and I was inspired by them daily. Our coaches were always finding ways to make us better, and not just as softball players but as leaders and people. I learned more at times from our coaches life lessons than I did about the game of softball.

Junior year 2013 after winning the Regional Title at home and advancing to the National Tournament.

I wish every day I could go back and put on that Central Softball uniform and step on the field with my teammates. When I finished playing it felt like a piece of my heart wasn't there anymore, and to a certain degree it still feels that way. However, I have come to realize that Central Softball will always be in my heart and I will always return to the field I once played on and support the new generations that come through the program because that is what Central Softball is, a family. It is a family made up of all the teams and players that came before and the current team now. So whether you graduated in 1998, 2005, or 2014, we are all connected through Central Softball and that is what makes it so special, the tradition. Central Softball gave me more than I could probably ever repay it for, but for everyone reading this with a connection to the program I just want you to know, "My heart is always on the field, and my eyes are still on the prize."

Greatest softball field in the country, always feels like home.

When you truly find something you love, hold on to it and never let it go. Whether that is a sport, playing an instrument, or painting, always cherish the opportunity to do what you love. If you find yourself struggling or at a crossroads remember why you fell in love in the first place. Never take it for granted, always respect it, and remember to "Play For Her."

"Somewhere behind the athlete you've become 

and the hours of practice

and the coaches who have pushed you

is a little girl who fell in love with the game

and never looked back....

play for her."

- Mia Hamm