NOLA Recap: GAME DAY

Yes, you read the title correctly,

I'm STILL recapping my NOLA trip. 

Better late then never right?!

RIGHT?!?!?! Ok, moving on.....

The day had finally arrived, GAME DAY!

We were ready.

We were excited.

It was time to win a Championship!

Morning of GAMEDAY

SO EXCITED FOR CC

Sissys and Teamies

We were at the fields bright and early to get warmed up.

The tournament consisted of 4 pool play games

 followed by lunch then elimination games.

Since we had 25ish people travel to the tournamnet, playing time was very limited.

WE HAD 9 GIRLS participating on Saturday......NINE!

Teams MUST have four girls on the field/in the batting order at all times.

More than four girls can be on the field at one time,
 but teams VERY rarely play five girls.
Something to do with genetics or what not [curse you aquascum].

As most teams, the girls were very competitive [but good natured] 

about playing time

and everyone wanted to play as much as possible.

I did not envy the captians and the decisions they had to make

in the least.

We were all told, boys and girls respectivlye, that during pool play

people would be given equal playing time,

but once elims started

the best players would be on the field.

So, girls played two games in pool play.

Yup, just two and the boys probably

had two or three.

I was kind of bummed it never worked
for the three sisters to play on the
field together, but
it was nice knowing we had
a true cheerleader on the sidelines
whenever we were playing.

My two favorite sideline faces 

What up SportySpice?!?!

Bunt it

First at bat

RUUUUUUNNNNN

Pool play came and went and despite a few hiccups as a team
we were sitting pretty well over all.

We had JUST lost to one team
and found out we had to play them
first round of elims so we were pretty geeked up.

As many people know, the winning team

usually has a hard time beating a team twice in a row.

We also had our best player back after being out

all but one game in pool play.

Yup, MVP C hurt his Achilles again and looked

to be OUT for the rest of the day.

Y'all this kid has the pain tolerance of a pro athlete.

He plays no matter what, 

so when he sits out because he's hurt

you KNOW something is wrong.

I felt so badly for him, because he looked like

a wounded deer walking. 

He could barely put pressure on his leg

so running was out of the equation.

First he loses his voice in Vegas and now this?!?!

I knew he was pissed, but really didn't

know what I could really do for him.

And then, I remember my stash of pain killers

and basically FORCED them down his throat.

LUCKILY, they worked and he

was feeling better by elims time.

I am 100% convinced we would have been OUT

by the second game of elims without him.

C = ROCKSTAR!

That's my super star man

Now, I don't know if you've picked up on the scale

of my competitiveness,

but y'all it's a BIIIIIIIIGGGGG DEAL!

I had a whole post dedicated to my bruised ego

and my competitiveness

pertaining to kickball,

but felt way to prima-donnaesque

so I never posted it.

Basically, at other tournaments this year

I was NOT one of the top 4 girls

and was NOT picked to play in 

the elimination games. 

I was livid each and every time.

NOT at the captain or because

I felt there was favoritism.

But because I HAD NOT shown

that I WAS the girl that needed to be on field.

I WANTED to be
 the girl that would help the team win.

So, I worked my tail off with C

all year, trying to become better

at reading plays,

making catches

and bunting. 

The entire month of November I worried

and analyzed whether I would

be one of the four to play in elims.

I played in the last game of pool play

but didn't know if that meant anything 

special regarding elims.

Then, the moment I was hoping for happened
and I was named to the elimination team.

And y'all, I played lights out on defense.

I caught everything that came my way
and I was where I needed to be
every play.

I wish my offense had been better,
but I don't know a single girl that
was able to get on base once eliminations started.

Both BabySpice and I were on the elimination team
and we were so lucky
to have this wonderful sissy
as our 'get ready' gal
and number one cheerleader.
I can't WAIT till she isn't a newbie anymore!

BEST middle sissy and cheerer EVER

We rolled through the Sweet 16 

and Elite 8 games. 

Wouldn't you know the team we met in 

the Final Four 

was the team we beat in Vegas. 

They had a major chip on their shoulder

and we knew they REALLY

wanted to knock us out

this time. 

Once again, our whole team played

lights out

and we were able to win

and move on into the finals...

....against the defending champs,

whom we as a team had never beaten.

But, we were ready.

We knew we could do it,

we believed.

Finals

So, after 8 games

with the Final being 12 innings

[ 5 of them over time]

we came out.....

2nd.

That's right, we lost.

By ONE RUN!

ONE MOTHER EFFING RUN!

After we had C on third with one out

as the go ahead run.

WE couldn't score.

They did and they won.

IT HURT.

A LOT!

And it still does,

2 months later.

 There were a few times on our cruise where 

C & I turned to one another and said

"this would be perfect if we had won"

or 

"I can't believe we lost"!

But we did 

and it was a tough pill 

to swallow.

Are there worst things out there?

HELL YES!

But, winning the tournament was

one of my goals this year

and it didn't happen. 

As you can imagine, people were pretty upset

but we were happy there wasn't

a SINGLE play that led to the loss.

The team that won

had nothing but praise towards 

our team

and that made it .1% better.

If we weren't in New Orleans

and if my sisters 

hadn't have been on the team

I would have holed up in 

the hotel room,

cried and pouted

and not gone out.

But luckily for me, they were there

and so we all got dressed up

and headed out to the 

after party.

All of us, except C.

His leg was in NO shape 

to stand after all the playing

he did injured. 

He was asleep before we 

left the hotel, poor kid.

I wasn't expecting to have fun

after the loss,

but it's hard to pout for long

when you're lucky enough

to have these pretty faces around.

They don't look alike....NOPE!?!

Fun memories with my two favorites 

 Only a few teammates made it out, 

but we all enjoyed some drinks,

memories

and fun times in NOLA.

I mean, could they be any more beautiful?

I enjoyed the evening 

despite the loss.

We stayed till about midnight

then decided to head 

back to the hotel.

Word to the wise...

not the best idea for three ladies

to walk alone on bourbon street

or around it alone.

We were fine, but there

were some very interesting characters

that caused the MAMA BEAR in 

me to rear her head ;)!

Even though we didn't win,

this year was an amazing year

for me as a kickballer.

I earned my A team position

and was able to share a favorite 

pastime with three of my 

most favorite people in the world.

Having my boyfriend and two sisters

on the field with me was pretty darn special.

No matter what,

OSC = BEST TEAM EVER!

We'll get em next year OSC!

MY TEAM