The Game Struck Me Out

Kenzie Waller

P. 3

8/29/2013

The Fear of the Game Struck Me Out

For many years I have played softball. I have strived to be better, dealt with the bruises, and had a blast seeing what I could do. I’ve been playing softball since the tee ball days. I strived to be tougher, better, and stronger as much as I could. I wanted to be great like all the other good softball players I had seen before, but one day, two years ago, changed everything for me. Earlier that year I had been having back problems. It started when I got back into my training for softball. I had kept putting the pain off like it would just go away. Now though, I couldn’t stand the excruciating pain that came with picking up a bat and swinging it, swinging it like I should be at least. So finally my mom made the appointment, and of course it was the week of tryouts. My mom took me to the doctor where I found out I had a stress fracture in my L5 on the left side of my back. I was not to play for 6 to 8 weeks, which would be my whole softball season. My softball season was ruined it seemed and I was only a sophomore. My coach was understanding and I was kept on the team, I attended every practice and every game, until I was finally cleared to play. So the last game of the season I played on JV, but unfortunately I was still having pain.

After that year I had all summer to rest and came back in the fall and started open hitting, and again did this in January until it was time for tryouts again. I was having a little back pain still but it was definitely a lot better and I was nervous, but feeling pretty good. I knew I had to work a lot harder than everyone else because I missed out on a whole season, so I was considered behind. At the end of the week of tryouts I was called into the office after practice. They said they didn’t think I was ready for varsity, I was behind the other girls because I missed out on a season. They did say though that they would let me be on JV, but that some people...