So Embarrasing

This summer I coached my youngest daughter's softball team. I had 12 girls ages 7-11 on the team. At the end of the year the adults play the girls in a game. We played on a field that is not used regularly so the condition of the field left a lot to be desired.

All of the parents were surprisingly willing to play. We all joked about being old and someone hurting themselves. I laughed and said I should have a base runner. One of the hot dads told us that everytime he plays he breaks something so I was sure it would be he that would end up in the body cast.

Each child gets to pitch to their parent. The adult only gets three pitches no matter what. (We have to make it fair. They are just kids.) The ball can be thrown any way the kid chooses so most were wild or high and way outside.

I get up to bat and my daughter stands on the mound and shoots one at me that is high but I hit it and think, "Wow, that's a home run if I ever saw one." As I am running to first base, I catch my toe on a clump of grass and in slow motion I am falling. It was like my top half was ahead of my bottom half. It seemed like I fell for 1 full minute.

My first reaction was to keep my head up. I've seen what gravel can do to a face and didn't want any part of it. I was able to catch myself using my left arm. After I fell, I rolled onto my back and tried to get up. As I lay on my back looking up, I could see about 10 peoples faces forming a circle around me. It was like when someone falls on TV and you have the perception of just the faces looking down.

I started to laugh uncontrollably which made it all the harder to get up. I did manage to get up and shamefully hung my head. I said, "I think I'm out."

It really didn't hurt so bad at first, only my pride. I'm sure I left a lasting impression on those poor girls. I did finish the game and went home and iced it. It didn't look too bad that night. The next day, my entire leg turned blue. A blood vessel had exploded from the impact. It was ugly.

I asked my daughter's if they were embarrassed by me and they both said they would have been if I hadn't hurt myself so badly. Thanks girls, I feel much better.