DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Bragging on my daughter

If you don't like it - that's fine. I consider this place family - with a couple of "in laws" I don't care for but......

My daughter - 10 yrs. old - 4th grade. The only person in her class (not grade - just class) that didn't miss a single spelling word all year!!! She was 1 of the 3 in her grade that didn't miss a single spelling word all year. A class of about 92. Didn't misspell a single word the whole year! And trust me - they weren't the easiest words, even for me.

Also - she's trying out for the 12 and under traveling team in softball. Tryouts were M, T, and W. This age includes 4th graders, 5th graders, and 6th graders. Last year, not a single 4th grader made it past day 2. (they cut people each night - but they do it in a nice way. Your name doesn't get called if you're cut - they only say "if you hear your name, come back tomorrow?)

I fully expected her to not make it - and she hasn't so far - even though try outs were done yesterday, they won't say who made the team until friday. But, she made it through Monday. She made it through Tuesday. That's something right there - geesh, I didn't realize how tall some 6th grade girls are. I didn't realize how good some 6th grade girls are when it comes to softball. I didn't realize how skinny and frail my daughter was........

Anyway - the first day of practice was throwing and catching. Pretty basic, right? 42 girls. As I found out tuesday - 10 got cut.

Tuesday was hitting - my daughter's strong point. She whacked the leather off the ball. 4' 9", 78 lbs..........and she was smacking it. Of the 32 girls left, she had to be in the top 15 as far as hitting.

Wed. - only 23 girls left. Wed. was fielding day. Don't know how or why, but my daughter was in the outfield. 1 of the 3 coaches was at home plate, hitting. 1 of the coaches (every day) was watching, holding a clip board. Anyway, when it came to the out fielders, the coach was jacking up fly balls. Sooga (my daughter) was the only one that caught them in the air.

I fully expect her to find out tomorrow that she did NOT make the team - but man, she impressed me. Scrawny little weigh nothing, skinny as my arm girl. If/when she doesn't make this team, she will be on the lower level traveling team.

Bottom line? I'm proud of her. For her schoolwork, and her ambition/desire to try out for a team that no one her age has made.

There's a huge difference between a 10 yr. old and a 12 yr. old.

Like I said - I'll be very forthright about it - I'm bragging my girl up. If - more than likely "when" she doesn't make that team - I'll still be bragging her up.

No matter what keep her interested. I was a HC for girls fast pitch softball at the high school level and did a 1 year stint in college as an assistant till the money became an issue and just couldn't do it. Sounds like though your daughter is young she has game, and that's good, keep her interested and it she makes it cool if not there is next year. Oh an FYI scouting is happening now so do not be surprised if "offers" come your way if your girl is really that good, but remember it's softball, it's not a career maker. Good luck.

Congrats to your daughter!

You should brag her up.....that's what Dad's do well.


I can say anything I want about a family member, good or bad, but if you do and it is bad, I'm in your face.


Really...no joke.

Good luck and I hope she does make the team. Sounds like you've got a gutsy little athlete for a daughter.

Glad she's such a good spellir!

Seriously, though, good for her!

Actually scouting starts around 10 years of age. We scout gotta keep up with the future. No different then football, but it is what teams do. Just no glamor involved.

Outstanding on both counts. Congrats to her and her proud dad.

There is nothing like witnessing your children excelling. Some is due to natural inclination, but more often than not it's because of hard work and determination. That is the most gratifying part.

A few examples if I may .....

I've got 4 kids ......

2 step daughters .... I came along when they were 3 and 7 respectively. Their dad completely stepped out of the picture (dude's worthless, but I digress). My wife used to joke, "instant family, just add water" and I knew what I was committing to. The oldest took a path of truancy and drugs .... we did everything to intervene ... it's something I don't wish on anyone ..... it broke her mom's heart and that is a damn shame .... we have since taken guardianship of her daughter, but I'll get to that ..... long story short with her is that after one incident at high school that we were called to the Principle's office for I told my wife, "Don't you ever blame yourself". We have reared our children better than that .....

Younger of my step-daughters ..... really it's "my daughter" ...... she calls me dad although that was never a reference we required. She's a responsible, loving mom of two girls. She is now working two jobs (maybe 40 to sometimes 50 hours a week) and is getting ready to go to college. I cannot express in words how proud I am of her.

16 yo daughter - smart and trusting, perhaps too much so. She has a solid young man of a boyfriend that comes from meager means, but is a lot like her in the trust department. Still though, if he breaks her heart or takes advantage of her trust.... well .....

21 yo son - good kid chasing a RPN degree. He's sensible, rational and compassionate. When he was a Freshman in high school his studies were suffering. He and I had a heart to heart about the due diligence of homework and effort. I spoke and listened and he did the same. He finished the year with A's and B's and graduated on the B honor roll. It was an important life lesson for him. Along the lines of life lessons I've always promoted Woody Hayes' ideals of "Pay It Forward". His compassion for others has been exemplified in the way he conducts himself and indeed the nursing degree he is studying for. He still lives at home while he commutes to Wright State. He and his mom redecorated his room in an Ohio State theme and he finished the job by hand painting, "You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward" on the stairway wall up to his room. I had already known that he "got it", but that was a nice, unexpected surprise.

12 yo granddaughter - as I mentioned before my wife and I had to intervene and take custody (legally, guardianship) of her when she was 3. I once again cannot properly express how impressed I am with this young lady. She has a loving relationship with her less than impressive mom and shows no signs of mental anguish from that situation. She too faced some academic challenges this past year as she transferred to parochial school whose curriculum is more challenging than the public school she previously attended. With advice and help from my wife and I along with her bearing down on her studies she has excelled (her effort is most important). She now literally rushes home to show us her report card and that is cool as hell. Action begets reaction, huh?

She finished her 2nd year of basketball this past winter and it serves as another example of hard work paying off. I just loved watching her and her teammates progressing their skill sets and knowledge of the game. She will attend middle school next year and just found out yesterday that she made the cheerleading squad. I have to admit that I was more interested in the CYO football team she cheered for last year than what her squad was doing on the sidelines, but I was none the less excited and so happy for her yesterday when the cheer coach called with the news.

Family is everything. Honesty, trust and work ethic have been the backbone of ours and it is so satisfying to see 3 of our 4 children become fine citizens that will carry on our values.

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Homework? Every night - either my wife or I are helping her - and by helping I don't mean "doing it for her", I mean helping her.

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Yup. Earlier in the year my granddaughter was in tears because I wouldn't do it for her. Now when she asks for help she pretty much instructs me not to do that (of course I wouldn't anyway ).

Bragg all you want man,, I sure as hell would....

Who can help me here? I want to put a picture of my daughter batting on here.......How do I do it?

Go to "my uploads" and upload the pic from your drive, click on "save to your clipboard" then paste it into your post by clicking the "image" UBB link.

This is from last year - but notice the level swing. She doesn't hit fly balls - just liners.

And since I'm bragging here anyway, here is her and Jim Leyland at the Mud Hens game a few years ago.

Congratulations.

If you won't brag about her, who will?

My 7 year old daughter was on American Idol 3 times tonight.

It is quite alright to brag Arch. You and Maddog have a lot going for you guys. It is refreshing to hear that there are good parents who work hard to raise good kids and good kids working hard to be sucessful. Too much botox mom and dead beat dads on the news . . .

Good job men!

Congrats! She sounds like her head is in a good place. Parents who support kids are great. Hope she loves getting better at what matters to her. Remember it is fun, not all of it, but fun. Coaches need love too. Was one, grew up under one's roof. Hope she has good coaching. Be proud, Dad! Enjoy this ride!

j/c

Well, as we expected, she didn't make the "top" team. Even though I tried to prepare her for it, she was disappointed. I'm not. Like I told her "this is a tough team for 4th graders to make."

Now, if she doesn't make it next year, I'll be a bit disappointed - but she'll never know it.

As for this year? When you're up against kids that are 3 to 6 inches taller than you? Kids that weigh 10 to 30 lbs more than you? Have more muscle and "oomph", what can you say? You did your best Sooga. Can't ask for anymore.

Life's good. Now I have to get showered for the father daughter dance tonight. Yippee. For months I was planning on going to a NRA taught shooting clinic tonight........until I was told it's the father daughter dance. Had to back out on the shooting.