On rain and softball and superstitions

If you thought the regular season of softball spread me thin and left me MIA around these parts, welcome to play offs.

The high school softball team I coach was seeded 4th in the State Tournament, based on our 12-4 record.  We won Prelims last week and were supposed to play in Quarterfinals on Saturday.

Saturday = Rain Delay.

Sunday = Rain Delay.

Monday = Rain Delay.

We are blessed to have a gymnasium with 3 full-sized basketball courts, one of which has netting to become a batting cage.  Practing indoors is not ideal, but we made it work.  The rain settled down a bit, but our gorgeous field was under water, so we had to make another field work.  Finally played on Tuesday and advanced to the Semi Finals.  It was an exciting game to play and watch.  My players were 100% in it to win it.  They were up and cheering the entire time.  It was awesome.

So, we were supposed to play Semis at 7pm last night.  The sun came out.  We rode a bus for over an hour to the neutral facility where Semis and Finals will be played.  Warmed up and watched the end of the first game to see first team to make it to Finals... and then... a bank of black clouds rolled in and the skies opened up.  We knew it wasn't good when they came and rolled out a huge tarp on the field.

*sigh*

Two things kept me front walking around with a permanant pouty face:  1) My new mantra of "let go of that which you cannot control" and 2) My players dancing like fools in the rain while the other team looked on with arms crossed within their dug out.

We packed it up and headed back on the bus for the long ride home.  Preparing to try again today.

Um, yeah.  As a write this, it just started pouring.  40% chance of rain today.  Again.  Supposed to be nice by first pitch.  I hope.

Oh, and the superstition part?

One of my biggest challenges right now, next to keeping the team active, focused and together?  Besides graduation(s)?  Besides other commitments needing to be broken due to scheduling changes? 

The laundry. 

You see, when we get on a winning streak in Playoffs, I always wash and wear the same exact clothing each game.  Yep, right down to underwear.  It's a silly superstition, but I know I'm not alone.  Where do these notions come from?  And please tell me you or your kids have them as well??