Photoessay #531 - Play at second

I know that my readers are expecting another puppy picture.

It's getting close to the beginning of the collegiate softball season. And maybe I'm missing the planning to go to the tournaments. But, it took a lot of time, effort and money. But, fun! Glad I had the experience of being a Pac 10 parent. Being the parent of a student athlete is different that being the parent of a general population college student. For the usual college student, parents are not involved much. They're not supposed to be involved. The education and the experience belong to the student, it's one form of emancipation.

But parents of student athletes are expected and want to be more involved. Five pre-season tournaments in multiple states, no problem. Regionals that are announced on Sunday and start on Friday in some far away place, sure. Actually I only went to one NCAA Regional tournament, Susanna's senior year. Keep in mind, the program of 16 regional tournaments of 4 teams each is supposed to cut down on travel expense. However if you are University of Oregon, you are going to have to go far away. Because you have to be ranked in the top 16 to host and you are protected from your own conference in the first round. That means Oregon gets sent some crazy place. Like Columbia South Carolina. I remember Jen Poore, early on saying to her parents "Mom! Dad! Just start driving east and I'll tell you when to stop!"

Susanna's senior year, it was real iffy if they would make the tournament. Instead of a public affair at the Casadero Center with all the fans invited to watch the draw, they had a private affair at the coach's office. It's really embarassing to have all the media there and then be left out of the show. Happened to Oregon Women's soccer one year. They finishes the year beating a very highly ranked UCLA and finished second in the Pac 10. And were not invited.

That same senior year, they somehow did not have any SportsID for softball. I see that they already have the 2009 media guide out. That year (2007), the media guide did not come out until the last weekend of the season, how dumb is that? Parents (Margo and myself, mostly Margo) were keeping the official book at the Kajikawa Tournament. It's UNHEARD of for parents to keep score for a major conference D1 at an important tournament.

This picture taken at the 2007 Regional in South Carolina. Susanna says this was the end of a double play. They entered the final day having to win one game out of two. And lost both.

Teddy went to his first vet appt. Declared in good health. Vet thinks he will be pretty big.