Mili-Wai Bobby Sox

My baby book has pictures of me in the backyard of the old house hitting off the tee.  I was two at the time and my dad had visions of me being a Rainbow Wahine softball player (actually a Rainbow Baseball Player but I was a GIRL).  My parents were baseball/softball players and it was the first sport I learned to play.

Mililani Waipio Bobby Sox was the first organized sport I played.  Mom and Dad were my Manager/Coach and us orange-hatted 3rd graders were the first crop of mini soxers in Mililani.  Our team, "Imua" ended up being undefeated in the first season of mini sox and we also got to play in an Exhibition game at the All Star Tournament played at Kipapa Park.

I have so many great memories of my days as a Bobby Soxer.  My parents coached all my teams, my brother was our bat boy and we spent many fun days practicing at socializing at the park.  Many of my team mates were my classmates and on the weekend we'd have sleep overs.  

My dad taught me A LOT about the game. I knew about all the strategies, I played many positions, and he taught me to bunt left handed.  I usually hit the lead off and I pitched or played short stop. Dad and I spent many afternoons on the side of the house pitching and throwing.  He taught me to throw knuckle balls, risers, drops and change ups.  I remember those afternoons like they were yesterday.

Somewhere along the road bobby sox took a back seat to soccer and when I got to high school the two sport seasons collided and I chose soccer.  

Today was the first time I have gone back to organized softball as an adult. I am helping my daughter's softball team and the two hours I spent this afternoon with the girls brought back so many happy memories.  I felt totally at home and at peace working with the girls, coaching them, encouraging them, sharing with them the years of knowledge that mom and dad taught me.  

It is by luck that we're here today.  My husband has always wanted her to play baseball and I have never been organized enough to find her a softball team to play on.  But one day while hanging out with a colleague after school, the planets aligned and a woman came in trying to recruit girls to play on a softball team.  We were supposed to take a break for summer but Danni wanted to play so we decided to sign up.  

Watching my daughter play was also amazing.  Although she played two seasons of Little League baseball this is her first season playing softball and I can't help but be so proud when I see her instincts take over.  Watching her move on the field the same way I did a million years ago made me feel whole.

And so a new chapter begins.  Today at practice I used the same black Mizuno glove that my dad brought back for me from Japan to use when I played on the Iolani Intermediate Softball Team.  Glove is over twenty years old but works just as good as the 40 year old body using it. The soccer mom is now a softball mom and my daughter is now a third generation softball player.  I am sure she will now hear the stories about how my grandma and great aunt were an amazing pitcher/catcher tandem and how my grandpa coached them.  I am really looking forward to the start of this season. It is  nice surprise and a special gift.