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.