Inside the Lines

New Year – New Start!

littlelima22 — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:26:16 +0000

Wow, so I really can’t believe that the new school year has started!!! Where did summer go???

Although I’m a little nervous about classes starting (as I’m sure many of us are), I am SO stoked to start the season with you guys! As last year, my time will be slightly split since I have to give a lot of dedication to my XC team this fall. We have 2 home meets! So you guys should try to hit them up
Even though I’m a little sad to not see the faces of our 3 seniors from last year… I’m really encouraged to see all the new faces on the team and get to know you guys better! You all seem like great girls and I know you will be SO beneficial to the team both on and off the field.
So of course, as the new year begins… along with it comes a new start… and a fresh clean slate. I know we were pretty disappointed to have last season end the way it did, but it’s all in the past as we’ll work harder and more tirelessly to earn a spot in Nationals I have no doubt in my mind we can do it… between our awesome coaching staff and the drive we have to succeed as a team, we can do just about anything (yes, I know that sounded a little cheesy, but it’s true).
I look forward to a year of friends, memories, and tons of wins with you guys! I’m glad to be back with those of you I missed over the summer and excited to create new friendships with all the newcomers

Much love,
Lima

Ps: Coach… Nice hair I really did mean it haha

V.I.

littlelima22 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:16:33 +0000

Hey guys! Looks like I’m writing again…

I know that today’s games were a slight disappointment when we came out with a split… but I just wanted to say that it was incredible to get to suit up with the team again! Ya’ll don’t understand how happy I was when I got the text this morning from Haven saying “you’re playing today, Jose approved”. I love being on the bench with ya’ll and being a part of the team!

Love you guys,
Lima

Ps: Thanks for nailin’ that triple Pikey and for hitting me in Kerbs! I’m glad I got to run… AND SCORE!

Easter break :)

littlelima22 — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:17:06 +0000

Happy Easter guys!

I hope all of you have had an amazing break and that most if not all of you have had the chance to spend and enjoy time with your families

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go home and see my family, and it’s been pretty rough not getting to see my mom or dad on easter… but even so, and as upset as I was… I have had a wonderful time with Pikey, Coach Payne, and Coach’s wonderful kids and wife

However, it’s back to work tomorrow as we all come back to school to face dreaded homework and the end of our athletic break… it’s been nice to just chill and relax and not have anything major to worry about athletics-wise and I’m sure you all can agree! For those of you who went to the beach, I’m sure you’re all going to come back with nice tans… and for the rest of you, I hope that you had a great vaca at home!

Finally, thanks so much Pikey for bringing me home with you rather than me sticking it back at the dorms alone… Thanks for Haven for taking/accompanying me to church this morning and finally, Coach, thanks for allowing me to play with the kids again… I really do love your family! They’re amazing! And you’re wife is awesome! They really need to come by more often.

Lima

Spring Break or Bust

pikeba32 — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 01:50:02 +0000

Words can’t describe the anguish I felt over letting my team down this past week. While we came out by breaking even at 3-3, I know that we could have easily been 6-0. As a senior, I know what it takes to win conference. I’ve seen us play like a number one team in the past and I’ve seen us get beat by teams that play like number 1 teams all the time. We are a number one team…when we all come to play.

I failed to step up like a senior should. I like the believe that others look to me as a leader, but on this road trip I hope they looked away. I cost us at least one win by not doing my job defensively, and if I had stepped up offensively in the other loses we could have easily won those games, too.

The only thing I can do now is move on. I’ve got to learn from my mistakes, go to practice and work on the things that need to be fixed. By letting my team down, I’ve now got to work twice as hard to earn their respect back. I want nothing more than to win conference and give this team a place in Montreat softball history.

I spent today contemplating what went wrong for me this weekend. I came to the conclusion that I’ve been playing for the wrong reasons. I haven’t been playing for my team. I want to make it clear that my intentions were not to be selfish. I care more about this team than any other team I’ve been on, but I’ve never once been fearful of letting my team down. That is my failure, because my teammates are the only ones out there backing me up and playing for me. I should be scared everytime I step to the plate or on the field that I might disappoint my team, and then I’ll have no choice except to give everything I’ve got.

So Coach asked us to play for someone else other than ourself, and I’m going to play for my team. I’m going to play for the friends I’ve made that I may not get to see again after this year, but who I’ll share these memories with forever.

Spring Break

littlelima22 — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:41:11 +0000

Hey guys! I can’t help but sit here and miss all of you!

V, that was a great post

Anyway, here I am, in Florida… my home… in the sunshine and warmth in shorts and tanks, etc. All the things everyone back up there told me they’d be jealous of… but even in all this awesome Florida-um-ness… lol, I wish I were with all of you, getting ready for Kentucky, and cursing curfew I know today (Monday’s game) was cancelled, but I wish you luck with all the rest! I’ll be thinking, praying, hoping, and cheering for you guys even as I run at my meet! Remember, that when you come together as a team, MC softball can do AMAZING things! Just wish I could be there to witness them

I love you all!

Lima

Always have fun!

vogelal — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:39:05 +0000

Hello all! It’s been awhile, and it’s about time I blogged again. I’ve been rereading some of the blogs that have been posted recently, especially by Pikey and Lima, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. As a senior, this is my last year and I really hate that it is because I see the potential this team has, and b/c this team is like a family. But, just like any family, we have our arguments and disagreements, but underneath all that, we come together and play. I’ve been lucky to be on close teams where we get along great and win, but this team is the one I will remember the most not only because it’s possibly the last team I am apart of but b/c I know we can accomplish many things. Now, enough of this sappy talk.

We played Mars Hill the other day and split with them. Not our finest, but definitely not our worse. We should have supported Mere more with hits and runs, but we have been lacking in that area all season. I’m hoping that changes and we can back her up with runs like we do Ray. Esp since they’re the best and working harder than anyone. We play Brevard this Saturday and I’m super excited.

A word of advice that I apply to softball, don’t play if it isn’t fun. B/c you should do what you love and you should have fun doing it. This year is the most fun I’ve had in a long time and I think everyone involved for that! I love you guys!! We better beat Brevard this weekend!

Carpe Diem

pikeba32 — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:35:47 +0000

Carpe Diem: Latin for seize the day.

“Why put off ’til tomorrow what you can do today?”

What we have this year is the opportunity to be special. We have the team that can go to nationals and can win in nationals. There is no doubt in my mind that we are that good. I do doubt that we are a team that can afford to make mistakes and still expect to win games. Have we won games this year and made mistakes? Yes, but those games we’ve won ended up being a lot closer than they should have been. Most certainly, we have lost games because of mistakes made. We are not a team that has room for error. We’re good when we’re good, and bad when we’re bad. We can’t hope for teams to have bad days on the same days we are having bad days, because 9 times out of 10 they won’t. And we will get beat. We can only control our own destiny, which I believe is to be number 1 in the conference and nationally ranked. In the end if we’ve played our game and still come up short of our goals, then I’ll have no regrets other than I won’t be a part of the future success Montreat softball will experience. But I guarantee that if we start to play the way we’re meant to play, then we can only succeed.

Some may find this blog a little urgent, but as a senior the only thing I feel is urgency. Me, Vogel, and Summerow have waited 4 years to win, and I finally feel like all the parts are in place to make it happen. If you have no other motivation, then think about the ones who are out of “next years” and “second chances.” While most of you have other opportunities to see this dream through, we don’t. This is our last chance…last chance to win…last chance to dream…last chance to play for something this important. We want to go out with a bang, and one that the rest of you can continue throughout your time with Montreat softball.

Now is our only opportunity, because we don’t know what is in store for the future. Work hard at every practice and in every game. Work to represent Michelle, who works hard at every practice despite knowing that she isn’t able to play this season. Work to represent Morgan, who has had to endure a lot of physical challenges and is still waiting patiently for her chance to step up, but is emotionally invested in every pitch. Work to represent all your teammates who work hard every day with no guarantees of when and where they’ll be needed in a game.

Nothing would make me prouder than to know that I was a part of the team that turned it around, and to see those of you who get a “next year” to continue to grow and succeed in the years to come!

Family? I think yes!

littlelima22 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:23:51 +0000

Hey guys! I’m excited to blog again

I just felt the need to say again how much I love you guys! I feel privileged and blessed to be a part of this team! As the season goes on, of course we’ve had our trouble, our drama (just like any team), but what makes us special is how we push through! I can tell you straight up, as a member of two other teams, no team here has the bond we do. Not one single person on our team is alike and yet it doesn’t stop us from being what I believe to be the closest knit and encouraging team on this campus. I have been involved in athletics since I was little, been on too many teams in too many sports for me to count, had great experiences with many of them… but I have never had to stay back from a game where all I could think about all day was how my team was doing. Monday, as you guys went to face Erskine College, I wanted more than anything to be there… I woke up that morning and went to the gym to wish you all luck because that’s where my heart was, with the softball team. All through classes that day, through lunch, and especially through track practice (the reason I couldn’t be with ya’ll), I couldn’t stop wondering, “How are they doing?”, “What’s going on?!”, “What inning are they in?”, “Are we winning?”, “God I hope everyone’s doing well!”, “I wish I were there!” and much more. I realized after, that I felt that way all day because I felt like I was separated from my family. That’s what you all are… I’m not an only child… I’ve got 15 sisters that I love and care for more than you guys could know! And I know that because we’re a family, we will stick through, fight, and work harder for each other than any other team. And because of that, we’re going to shock a lot people come conference

Lima

My perspective

kbarkdoll — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:02:42 +0000

I would like to talk about something from my personal experience. As many of my teammates would agree both from the past and present I really get down on myself when I make a mistake. I have a tendency to hang my head and let that one mistake affect my performance for the remainder of the game. This is an issue I have dealt with the majority of my athletic career. I openly admit that in yesterday’s game vs Tusculum I was not excited nor did I come ready to play. I was feeling under the weather but I knew I had an obligation to my team. I played the game to the best of my ability and I realized that by me feeling down it had an impact on my teammates. After the first game was over and coach gave us a talking too I was able to set aside everything and just be myself. I have to say the second game I was pumped and enthusiastic and hit the ball finally, it has been awhile since i have had that feeling when i had the perfect connection with the bat to the ball. It actually felt awesome, no numb fingers where the ball made contact with the end of the bat nothing at all. I knew that the contact felt good and I hit the ball the way I wanted to. That was one of the best games I feel like I have played in awhile, and even better I helped my teammates! By screaming my head off along with my teammates we were able to encourage one another and push us to a well deserved victory!!! I’m so very proud of my teammates and I love them all very much! I don’t think they honestly know how much I do care about every one of them. I love you ladies and together I know we can accomplish new heights!

Game vs. Tusculum

kbarkdoll — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:57:15 +0000

Good afternoon ladies!! I wanna start off by saying how proud of all of your efforts yesterday in game two vs. Tusculum. I know the first game was a Debbie downer and the majority of us were not feeling well, but way to regroup and come up with a win the second game! I personally think that that eye awakening butt chew after the first game really got us going and prepared for the next game. Everyone stayed pumped and stepped up to the plate at desperate times! So congrats! I hope everyone is feeling better today, have a great day and I will see y’all at practice! Love ya!