As we prepare for the Holiday Season and reflect back on another year of practices and competitions, it is always a good time to give thanks for your health and God given talents that allow us to play a game that we love.  It is easy at times to lose a healthy perspective on the game in a culture that puts such a high emphasis on winning and being the best!  Not that being the best is a bad goal to have, but we must remind ourselves that softball is only a platform for us to develop our skills that will be necessary to being the “best” in life!  Yes, any good experience in athletics that are guided by coaches and parents that truly understand the athletic experience will always keep the game in perspective and associate the many lessons we learn through competition to our ability to prepare for success in life.

We all have a lot to be thankful for with the great relationships that are built throughout our softball experiences and this is a great time of the year to give thanks to all the coaches and teammates for their time and support in helping you develop as a total person.  Each year when we turn the calendar and begin a New Year, it is amazing how people are enthusiastic about making changes in their appearance, fitness and health come January, but quite often by February, we see 80% of our New Year’s goals forgotten. 

A New Year is a time for all to set goals that we truly want and not what you think you should want.  I love the beginning of the New Year as it marks a new season and a new roller coaster ride.  After 30+ years of coaching, it is still my favorite time of the year marked with great anticipation and the beginning of a new group of athletes trying to leave a legacy and develop friendships that they will enjoy for a life time.

The one thing we should never forget is how precious life really is!  We are not guaranteed tomorrow and so we need to make it a goal to enjoy each and every day along with the people in our lives that we sometimes take for granted.  This is the time of the year to give thanks and to express our love to parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teammates and anyone that has a special place in your life.  Softball will always be a game and it is the people and our relationships in softball that make the experience so very special.

Remember, life is not about how many victories we accomplish but more about how many people we can touch and affect in a positive way.

Happy Holidays!

Coach Candrea