Softball is an important means for people to form and maintain strong friendships that might otherwise not exist. These social bonds between players are so strong that many describe them in familial, kinship terms – 'my sisterhood' or 'my family'. 'Softball friends' are different from friends in other areas of life. Something special is shared and exchanged by them. Over half of all Softball players feel that being a part of the team is like having a long-term boyfriend. Softball plays a key role in family life, linking the shared experiences of family members across generations and creating a lasting sense of tradition and belonging. Most women become athlete because their mother or father would take them to matches as a child, and many older fans still retain strong memories of these formative experiences. While there are strong rivalries between fans at local and national levels, the striking feature of the research is the high degree to which Softball unites people from varied backgrounds and undoubtedly beyond.
I need a place where I can go, mentally and emotionally, and forget about all the crap, that is reality, at this moment. Softball is that bastion for me; it's not just Softball, either. It's the game of Softball that I so dearly love. But, to immerse myself into Softball, at what is supposed to be its purest level (the high school level), is what I ultimately prefer. The young women growing and maturing... the parents having a sense of pride in what their young woman is accomplishing... school pride... District bragging rights... State Championships... honor, respect and duty to one's teammates... all of this is what I love about Softball. All of this pays huge dividends later on in life and high school Softball helps forge great men. That's why I love it.
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