Ottawa Softball Post Game 4, SBW Comp vs Brawlers

Ottawa Softball Post Game 4, SBW Comp vs Brawlers

The Ottawa softball SBW were handed their first loss, 10-1, but the team felt like it lost 20-1 for self-defeating reasons. The team struggled, both in hitting and fielding, but the team has pick to themselves up and dust themselves off and prepare for a new game the following week.   The team has a notoriety of beating themselves and this week, such was the case.   Maybe it was the long tournament weekend of softball that many players participated in, but as the game went into the final innings, the heart of team died.  Errors became rampant and communication was lacking.  The pitcher’s backspin pitches once again gave problems to many hitters.

Even if it is baseball, not softball, I remember a saying by Ted Williams “The hardest thing to do in baseball is to hit a round ball with a round bat, squarely”. Ain’t it true.  This is recreational softball after all and we aren’t all-stars, despite what anyone thinks.  If any one of us was, we would be at the Skydome/Rogers Centre, instead of the RA Centre.  Why does this matter?  Because it implies as a team, we should be there for each other and to support each other.  Unfortunately Pete wasn’t present for the game, but every time anyone mentions Pete, they mention how he pull aside players and helps them improve their game; that’s the epitome of support and team.  Everyone makes errors, some more than others, but it’s irrelevant.  The team is built the way it is and you work around the team that has been created; if one player makes an error, you cover him or her, and reduce the impact of the error; that’s true teamwork, especially in softball.

I have included a saying by one of the classiest baseball players of my generation not named Ken Griffey Jr, Derek Jeter (see below).  It is true in all sense; if it means getting together to practice hitting by having 60-100 pitches tossed for a few hours or practicing tossing a ball from third to second to first to home tens of time, it will help the team, because at the end of the day, the team hates losing and to avoid it happening again, it comes down to better team spirit and refining our skills, both at the bat and in the field.  The only thing anyone on the team can ask from anyone else on the team, is that they take the extra step to improve their play and become better.
The team was only down 10-1 in this game, but the team spirit made it feel like we had to swim to the deepest depths of the ocean, build a rocketship and fly to Mars and eliminate the U.S. deficit.   Regardless, next Tuesday is a new week and the true spirit of the team will be how they come back from such a difficult loss and the definition of adversity is how we rebound from being down.
Brent was the player of the game because of his double and strong play in right field.  The rookie has started to shine and seems like he will only get better as the season progresses.
Check back next week for another Ottawa softball postgame from the RA Centre softball league.

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