Mesa, AZ, Home of the Mahoney Mesa MuffintopsI was guilted into joining the womens' softball team in late February/early March, saying I would play only if my pal Kara would play. To my surprise she agreed instantly... "crap, now I have to play," I thought to myself. I have never been one for team sports, because I tend to take competition to a whole new level. Playing a game "for fun" makes absolutely NO sense to me. I play to win... which is why I didn't want to play softball, especially with people I see for 40 hours a week!
I've never actually played a softball game. I have never had the desire. Knowing that the office needed more women for their team, I agreed, on the condition that we practice. I showed up to the ballpark after work for the first day. I was nervous, only having worked with these women for just a couple months. I knew a couple and had muttered morning hellos to most all of them, but knew they only recognized me as the "receptionist." I think I took most of them by surprise, when I started cat calling and screaming cheers from the outfield...
It only took a couple more practices until, we really became a team. Walking through the halls at work, slapping high fives and re-living great moments from the batting cages and scrimmages. We all had the same goal... not to have fun, but to beat the other teams! I love these ladies!
We had the big tournament this last Friday. We, the Mesa Muffintops (yes, coined by yours truely), started off playing the other Mahoney offices- Tucson and Casa Grande. The first pitch was 5:30. So we hustled from our office and straight on to the field. We ended up beating them 11 to 4 or something like that. I was able to get the last out and end the game as the firstbase woman.
That was our warm-up game since we REALLY only cared about beating the Phoenix office. Well as that goes, we lost by one stupid little point! I was so mad! I was mostly upset because one of the players on the other team was talking A LOT of trash, and it was not in a competitive friendly way. It was rude and malicious. I really wanted to trip her or something while she was standing on MY first base! However, I took the high road and did nothing of the sort. Instead I ignored her and cheered my ladies on SO loud they couldn't hear any negative comments. There was even a point where I got so excited for my teammate I literally was clinging to the dugout fence a foot above the pavement!
My throat was raw and my eyes were sagging by the time we left, but it was all so worth it!
I've never actually played a softball game. I have never had the desire. Knowing that the office needed more women for their team, I agreed, on the condition that we practice. I showed up to the ballpark after work for the first day. I was nervous, only having worked with these women for just a couple months. I knew a couple and had muttered morning hellos to most all of them, but knew they only recognized me as the "receptionist." I think I took most of them by surprise, when I started cat calling and screaming cheers from the outfield...
It only took a couple more practices until, we really became a team. Walking through the halls at work, slapping high fives and re-living great moments from the batting cages and scrimmages. We all had the same goal... not to have fun, but to beat the other teams! I love these ladies!
We had the big tournament this last Friday. We, the Mesa Muffintops (yes, coined by yours truely), started off playing the other Mahoney offices- Tucson and Casa Grande. The first pitch was 5:30. So we hustled from our office and straight on to the field. We ended up beating them 11 to 4 or something like that. I was able to get the last out and end the game as the firstbase woman.
That was our warm-up game since we REALLY only cared about beating the Phoenix office. Well as that goes, we lost by one stupid little point! I was so mad! I was mostly upset because one of the players on the other team was talking A LOT of trash, and it was not in a competitive friendly way. It was rude and malicious. I really wanted to trip her or something while she was standing on MY first base! However, I took the high road and did nothing of the sort. Instead I ignored her and cheered my ladies on SO loud they couldn't hear any negative comments. There was even a point where I got so excited for my teammate I literally was clinging to the dugout fence a foot above the pavement!
My throat was raw and my eyes were sagging by the time we left, but it was all so worth it!
