Fountain Valley Pride

Mia with her "main" uniform and all start bat bag

Softball All Stars is I-N-T-E-N-S-E!!!!  There is no other word to describe how absolutely hardcore it is, and basically, your life, the life of your all-star, and the life of the entire family revolves around softball.  Please don’t think I’m complaining about it, because I am grateful that Mia has this opportunity, but I’m also grateful that it is only for two months.  I don’t think I could continue at this level of intensity all year around.

You see,  Mia practices four days a week for two hours.  She practices from Tuesday – Friday from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.  She doesn’t eat dinner with the family.  In fact, her dinners are consisting of quick, simple dinners.  Lance and I rotate on transporting her to/from practices.  In addition to the practices, there are tournaments every weekend, and the tournaments are basically an all-day event.   It involves traveling to different counties as well.  You want to do something on the weekend? Well, you can forget that.  I'm grateful though I have Jacob (her dad) to share in the responsibility of taking her on some weekends.  We are only into our third week of softball, and I am very, very tired.  Mia does not complain, which shows me, she is enjoying it.  She does seem tired, and basically, other than school and softball, she has no life.  Sometimes I wonder if the intensity is a bit much.  These are only 7,8, and 9 year old girls.

Fountain Valley has a reputation as being one of the best softball programs in Southern California so it was a bit surprising that we lost three of our four games at last weekend’s tournament.  Mia is one of the less skilled players on the team, but don't take that as saying she is not good. She is good, very good.   She made gold, and these are the best of the best, and for her to make the top team was and is a really big deal.  The Fountain Valley All-Star Gold Team name is "Fountain Valley Pride".

Mia with her teammates in her alternate uniform

Day 1 of her first tournament

Day 2 of her tournament

So if you wonder where we will be this weekend, it will be on a softball field.