Better than golf

Last night was opening ceremonies for our softball league. Our Challenger League is made up of four teams, The Alley Cats, Superstars, Angels, and New Horizon. We gathered at the field along with all the other tee ball teams and softball teams for girls 14 and under. We Alley Cats wear a bright yellow t-shirt jersey with a kitten on the front that says, "Around Here The Cats Are In Charge." Amanda jumped into the middle of the team and hooked up with her best friend, M. From that point on she had nothing to do with me.

The team went out onto a field and from the air must have looked like 200 spilled Skittles. Amanda was in the front of our group and I just hung out in the back with the coach. I looked down and there was our newest player. Her name starts with a J. She is 16 years old, stands 4 ft 6 inches and and has Downs Syndrome. She is a living cherub. I squatted down and said hi and she waved back at me. Then she pushed her older sister away who had brought her on the field and and grunted a "GO" to her. She decided I was her friend. Before I knew it she was holding my hand and smiling at me. She doesn't speak much, which is something I'm very familiar with, she just kept waving to her parents who couldn't see her in the crush of people on the field.

While the commissioner was explaining the need to have all the paperwork turned in on time I felt a slap on my backside. I turned around and there was J. hopping up and down with a distressed look. I knew all about this, "You need to go potty?"

"YESSSSSSSSSS!" So she took my hand and we toddled off the field. Tina helped her sister get her to the bathroom and I went back to the field. About five minutes later there was another swat on my butt, I turn around and J. is back and smiling.

A few minutes later we did the balloon release. I gave her a couple of balloons and she smiled hard enough that my face hurt. Then we left the field. I delivered her back to her family and Amanda and M. were ready to play ball. It was tough to tell them we had another week before our first game because they are more than ready.

The whole hour was just a blast. We'll have six games and I will pitch to our players who don't need a tee. Amanda is deterimed to run to first base by herself this year. After that she said she wants me with her, so we'll have to set the batting order up accordingly. It should be a fun little season.