the inevitable softball debate

Nearly every year - right around this time I have an important decision to make. I have decide where I want to be play softball and the level of commitment that I am willing to make. I have played on my mixed orthodox team for the past five years and enjoy the laid back (yet slightly competitive) atmosphere of playing with men. I have also played women's fastpitch pretty much as long as I have been old enough to throw a ball.

The issue at hand is relatively simple:

• Do I want to play on one team or two?


• If I only want to play on one team, how do I choose?


• If I play on two teams, which one becomes the primary and which one becomes the secondary?

If I break it down to the pros and cons of each, I still generally end up at the same place - uncertain what the best course of action is.

Mixed Ortho

PROS:

• Fun and relaxing atmosphere


• Men are faster and stronger which makes me work harder and results in a vast improvement of skills


• I generally get along better with men - they are so much easier to understand


• Loyalty - I have played on this team for the past five years


• The field is close to home


• Beer...mmmm


CONS:

• Regardless how good of a player you are, as a woman you will ALWAYS be in the bottom 30% with respect to skill level - which sucks (this is a fact, please don't try and dispute it with me)


• Drinking beer sometimes leads to sucky plays and getting your ass kicked


• I run slow compared to women so I can rarely outrun a ball thrown by a man

Women's Fastpitch

PROS:

• I've learned to play shortstop in the past few years and DAMN is it fun to be in the center of the action


• I can throw harder, faster and more accurately than many other women


• I consider myself in the top 30% at the house level of ball that I play


• I can play with friends I have played with since I was about 11


CONS:

• Up to 15 women in one place - competing for 9 positions (that's a lot of estrogen)


• Women are bitchy (It is a rare occurence to attend a game where at least one woman isn't on a rant about something - myself included)


• Women complain (A LOT & about everything & anything)


• Women can be self-centered and look out for themselves rather than the team

So, as you can see I'm rather torn (and have felt this way since the last season ended). Over the past few years I have alternated playing just ortho and playing on both. When I only play ortho I feel unfulfilled as I spend much of my time playing first which I can do well, but gets a little boring in all honesty. However, when I play both, I tend to get overtired, overworked and feel like I have to be a million places at once.

I fully intended to give up the girls team this year but I just found out a good friend (and my favourite person to play fastpitch with) is playing on one of our old teams. Since I know some of the girls, I have inquired whether I would be welcome as a part-time player - perhaps committing to only one game a week.

The problem is that the last time I tried to play women's part-time I ended up feeling guilty saying no and was playing two-teams full time. Well, I guess time will tell, but for now I am definitely considering a busy summer full of softball, softball, softball!

Ooh yeah...and one more thing:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TO MY VERY SPECIAL BROTHER!

Tags:/softball/women's fastpitch/orthodox/