One of the most influential people in my life so far has been my softball coach. She's quite the woman! Today her ability to influence people was laid out perfectly for me again- this time from another perspective. Our team played the group of younger girls she's coaching this year. I don't think I've actually ever played against her before. And because she knows me, and most of the girls on our team, things don't work quite the same- the left fielder moves way in when I hit (ready for the bloopers!!!) and our pick-offs never work at first because she's standing right there.
Anyway, we still beat the little whipper snappers (I feel old at the ball diamond these days!), but it would have been a faster game if it hadn't been for Darlene's late appearance. The minute she showed up, they were a different team. It was like they finally saw possibility. The woman's energy, passion and pure belief in people impacts in such a powerful way. She's exploding with excitement when it comes to softball. If you see her in the coaches box, she's usually jumping up and down waving her arms and whooping it up for some reason or the other. Yeah, she is a lot of fun- life flows out of her pretty naturally it seems.
Her example of a coach and teacher is such an important one for me. When she coached me, I knew she absolutely believed in me, and that made all the difference. Why, if she believed in me, I could surely believe in myself! I would like to be that kind of believer in people, too.
Anyway- her impact on my life was realized again today. I had to smile as I walked by to overhear her post-game comments on "learning experiences and the value of the process rather than the product"- things I heard so many times as a player myself.
Tomorrow is another day of ball- we're 3-0 so far and we'll be in at least the semi-final. Should be fun!
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