Dear Softball - Emily Parrott

Dear Softball,
 
First, a big thank you! You have given me opportunities that many kids my age will never get to experience. You have allowed me to travel all over the country and see so many new places and meet so many amazing people. As a child, I dreamed of playing against the best teams and players in the country, and being able to say that I am a Division I athlete. I am now able to say this because I picked up a bat and a glove when I was 6-years-old. Every Saturday and Sunday, I put on those cleats knowing that we could play 4-6 games that day. I did it because I loved you and I continue to do it for that same reason. People always ask why we might put ourselves through the hard and mentally exhausting days of practice and games, but it all comes back to loving you, softball. Now that you have been taken away so unexpectedly, we have to rely on the love you have for us to know we will be back on the field as soon as we can.
 
Another thank you for allowing me to meet my best friends and for putting us through those mentally and physically draining weekends in the summer, where we felt nothing was going right. Because of those games and those weekends, it allowed me to develop such an amazing chemistry with the girls I call family today. Thanks to you, you have allowed for my 6-year-old dreams to come true and to develop friendships that will last a lifetime.
 
Lots of love,
Emily Parrott #4