I'm so glad you told that story! I don't know why, but it felt to me like you coached for ten years. Those experiences had a big impact on me. I took advantage of being the Coach's daughter, and I'm sure I aggravated more than one player. I even had a few fleeting crushes, but nothing ever came of that. Travis was very clear with his friends and teammates that I was off limits. I think he was well-liked and respected enough that the other boys resisted my charm.

Bigger than that, I knew that you were doing good things for our family and the community. Even at that age, I was distressed by apathy, and I saw it everywhere. You were anything but apathetic. You cared about your boys. You pushed them hard, and you demanded that they have good skills and good character. You were universally respected, and parents wanted you to coach their boys.

While I respected your commitment to baseball, it made me feel like I had to play softball to get your approval or to connect with you. Playing ball was such a big part of our lives. I played for 3 years before I got up the guts to say that I didn't like playing. It was after you guys sent me to that skills camp for a week. I did very well there, and I knew that I was getting better and better, but I just did not enjoy playing. We know now how severely my illness must have impacted my athleticism, but at the time, I thought I was disappointing you guys.

Telling you I didn't want to play anymore turned out to be... inconsequential. You and Mom both encouraged me to follow my own interests. Getting that kind of support gave me so much confidence moving forward. I knew that you guys would support me, even if the activity was not something you were interested in.

I needed that.

You managed to coach me in the things that mattered.