Getting Ready For Softball Again--Yippee!

I am going to join a co-ed church softball league this summer. I used to love playing softball so am looking forward to it although I haven't played in over 13 years! We walked up the the neighborhood fields and Gerard helped me practice some. He doesn't like to bat. He said he would join if he could just pitch and not bat like he used to do at his family picnics.

He pitched some to me and some I just tossed up and hit. In this picture I am hitting to left field to make sure I don't hit the camera. I do not hit with a lot of power, never did, but I can place the ball pretty good. I love hitting down the left field line and then changing it up and hitting one to right field, especially if there's a runner on first. I try not to pull the ball because it usually results in a ground out or pop-up and an easy out. I try to get the fat part of the bat on the ball. I like the ball waist high best but can also hit low balls well. I don't like the high balls so usually stand back as far as I can in the batter's box. To hit to right field, I take a step in that direction and as I swing, try not to bend my wrists until after I hit the ball. It's kind of hard to explain.

Since I do not have a strong throwing arm, my favorite position is first base since am good at catching. I also don't mind fielding grounders. I did have a first-baseman's glove but can't find it anywhere. I might have given it away or possibly thrown it out because the padding was worn. The glove I have on in the picture is a fielder's mitt. The difference it that the first baseman's glove has a thumb hole but just little loops for your other fingers which are all close together and separated from the thumb with a big web between them. This is really good because hard throws don't hurt so much. I think I'll have to shop for one before Saturday when our first game is.

I even ran a little, but I know I am slow. This I can practice some more on before Saturday. I need to get my knees higher so I can go quicker which I generally don't do running for the bus. It's kind of hard while carrying my big bag of things with me.

After this we had lunch at Kenny King's, walked at the park, then went to the gym. I sure wish Saturdays were longer than the other days, there's so much I want to do! What fun things did you do this weekend?