By Nathan Apple - Softball Coach, Commissioner, Dad

It's a chilly day in April but our hearts couldn't be warmer.  The coaches and players are on the field practicing and the excitement is starting to build.  Opening Day is right around the corner and we get to blow off the rust of winter and have some fun in the sun.  I can't imagine spring without the anticipation of another great year in this program.  Some come for the friendship, some come for the competition, all of them stay for the fun.

I can still remember my oldest daughter playing in the dirt as a T-Baller while Dad was trying to get her to "pay attention" to the game without much luck.  For a lot of them at that age it is a combination of playing at the local park, hitting, running, and most importantly snacks.  Laughing with friends and family, learning how to catch and throw, and going for Ice Cream after the game.

Then somewhere along the way it happens. The girls start to pitch strikeouts, hit doubles, gun down runners at first, turn double plays, and do all those great things that happen in softball.  The crowds cheer, the excitement builds, bonds are made between teammates, coaches and families.  That shy little girl that you once knew is yelling at the top of her lungs, cheering on her team and learning some of life's important lessons that can only be taught in team sports.  Celebrating victories, how to bring each other up in defeat, how to push yourself and those around you to be better players, teammates, and ultimately stronger young women.  Empowered to take on life's many challenges as they come with the same tenacity they play the game.  As a father it's one of the best things to have witnessed and been apart of in this great journey of life.

Our mission as the SAA Softball Board is these girls. Making sure they are safe, learning this wonderful game, and most importantly having fun.  Please contact any of us if you have questions about the program and how to get yourself or your daughter involved.

The SAA Softball Board

"The point of the game is not how well the individual does, it's about the team. That is the beautiful part of the game, the blending of personalities, the mutual sacrifices for group success. Even when you've played the game of your life, it's the feeling of teamwork that you'll remember. You'll forget the plays, the hits, and the scores, but you'll never forget your teammates." - Anonymous

Produced by junior commissioner, Shane Cloherty (2018)