When I think of the past four years, I think of cheering until my voice is gone. I remember meeting Richard Simmons in Venice, Italy, and Jess getting lost in Florence, Italy. I relive beating St. Thomas my junior year. I laugh at memories of Miss Cardinal. I turn red when I think of running into a bench while trying to scare people in Haunted Forest. I picture being on the Price is Right in California. I think of running onto the field as Bad to the Bone blasts through the speakers. I still cannot believe I met Wee Man in California. I dread 6 am workouts. I wish I could go back to the Sabino Canyon in Arizona. I get sick to my stomach when I hear the word sloppy joe. I get butterflies thinking of February 1st. I think of bulldogs. And I cherish every moment that Cardinal Softball has given to me. Every day I step onto the field in my red and white, I feel at home. Everything else on my mind is forgotten, and all I can think about are the games ahead of me. I have complete confidence that if our team plays our game, we will win. I feel this way because I know every single girl on this team and what they are capable of. Each player brings something unique to the team, and makes Saint Mary’s fastpitch an unforgettable experience. Without my teammates, coaches, and family, the past four years would not have been possible.
Miller and C Bray, thank you for convincing me to come to Saint Mary’s, and thank you for recruiting my fellow teammates. You guys have put one crazy team together, and you continue to put up with our insane shenanigans every day. Also, thank you for all the time, effort, and dedication that you put into our team. Finally, thank you for having confidence in me at third. You guys have always given me the opportunity to live up to my potential, and I am grateful for that.
Cassie, you did such a great job hosting me on my overnight! I loved playing with you for two years, and you were a great leader who I always looked up to you. This year you have been a wonderful coach. You dedicate a lot of your time to this team, and we all appreciate the knowledge you pass on to us. Thank you for all of your hard work my soon to be sister-in-law (sort of)!
Ambjor, you always know how to put people back together! Thank you for keeping me healthy, it is such an important job that you do. Not only are you a wonderful trainer, but an amazing cook. Thank you for all of the great meals that you have provided our team. Finally, I would like to thank Mikko for being your wonderful, loveable beast! He is my second favorite dog in Winona (Scooby gets number one since he lives with me). Good Luck next year at your new job. You will be terribly missed here.
Mom, you didn’t even want me to play fastpitch, and look at you now. You can’t even miss one game! You put my softball games before everything else in your schedule and I appreciate your support. Throughout my whole life you have supported my decisions and you have provided guidance and advice. You have spent countless hours driving me to practices, paying for apparel, setting up gatherings, and cheering for me on the sidelines. The help you have given me is one of the main reasons why I am able to graduate from college this year. Your selflessness and generosity does not go unnoticed. Thank you for being an amazing cheerleader, friend, and mom. I love you, and I hope I have made you proud these past four years.
Stetsy Poo, there are so many things that I admire about you and you are the best big sister I could have asked for. You are a role model of mine, and I am appreciative for everything that you continuously do for me. Growing up my sports took up a lot of mom and dad’s time, but you were never one to complain about the long hours they had to devote to my games and practices. Instead, you showed interest in my sports, even though I could tell you did not always understand what was going on. Thanks for being your beautiful and caring self. Love you sista!
Dad, you passed down your love for softball to me and I am forever grateful. When I was only four years old you believed in me, and you have never stopped. I look back on my softball career and you are my number one supporter and coach. Throughout all of t-ball, pitching machine, slow pitch, and a couple years of fast pitch you were THE coach. You taught me how to throw the ball, how to catch the ball, how to field the ball, how to hit the ball, and not to play in the dirt! I learned all of the basics from you and you obviously taught me well. You’ve made my softball career a passion of yours and I could not ask for a better dad to enjoy the ride with. Through your actions and words you taught me dedication, passion, hard work, and perseverance. You are one of the strongest, most caring people I know and I will always look up to you. You work relentlessly for our family, and you have always put Stephanie and me first. I cannot count the endless hours that you dedicated to practicing softball with me. The times that we would go to a field and you would hit hundreds of grounders to me, always testing my range, are memories with you that I cherish. Although I would get frustrated every time, because I thought you were hitting the balls too far beyond my reach, you would not let me give up. Instead you would calm me down, fill me with confidence, and then hit them again until I would make that diving play. Some people might think that you were too hard and critical, but I am your daughter and you know the limits that you can push me. You have watched me play my whole life, and you know exactly how to fix my skills to help me achieve success. After every game I look to you for advice. While I may not always appear to be grateful for it, I have used every piece of advice because you are the smartest coach I have had. And while I do not say it enough, thank you for attending almost every athletic event of mine. I have probably played in at least 1,000 games and you have maybe missed ten. Before every game I look forward to my blue PowerAde and a big hug. It is a small action, but it means the world to me. Then when you are in the stands your voice makes me nervous and relaxed at the same time. I get nervous because I want so badly to make you proud, and I am relaxed because I know my number one fan is there to cheer for me. You have never let me down dad, and because of that you are my hero. You have given me a gift that has changed my life. I owe so much of my softball career to you, and I hope that I have made you proud throughout it all. Thank you for supporting me and pushing me to achieve my dreams. I love you, and I look forward to the day when you can teach my kids how to play catch. You are my number one coach. Thanks again for everything, you are an amazing dad!
My dearest daughter, I will never forget our first night together in the trunk of a car. Looking back on freshmen year I don’t know what I would have done without you. You were my Vlazny Partner in Crime. Who else would have stayed awake until 3 am when we had lifting at 6 am? Yeah, we were dumb. We learned little by little as each year passed. Sophomore year we did not stay awake all night but we did return to Vlazny and leave our mark. I will always be proud to be a bandit with you! Joes was an adventure in itself, our fights over drinking each other’s milk or pretending we were ballerinas were some of my favorites. Off campus junior and senior year only led to more mature activities…fort making!! In softball you taught me to play every game like it was my last. I always admired your dedication and positive attitude amidst the problems that Arthur gave you. Instead of letting him get the best of you, you wore your knee brace with pride and showed off your picture perfect swing. I was always confident that you would give it your all whether you were tearing up the outfield or running for Miss Cardinal! Then senior year came around, and I learned I would have to play my final year without you. Needless to say, it was extremely difficult to accept that I would not have my daughter by my side going into the last season. Who was going to scream, “Kellie Kellie wanna get a hit hit? Wanna get a hit?” While it was hard for me, I know it was even harder for you. And as the year comes to an end, I am proud of the decision you made. You have excelled in many other aspects of your life and you make one heck of a crossing guard! Thank you daughter for making me a crazier mother and a better softball player. Momma loves you! AAAUUUGGHHHHH.
Mal, you have been a dominant pitcher these past four years. Every year you continued to improve, and you are truly going out with a bang! Your goofy personality and inappropriate jokes continue to make me laugh. We have been through a lot, and you have been a great teammate through it all. Italy will always be one the highlights while at Saint Mary’s, and I am glad that I got to enjoy that with you. Good luck in all that you do! Love you!
Hey Joanne ill give ya to da count a tree to make me some Italian suuausage. If there is one thing I do not understand about you it is why did you not play softball freshmen year? Well that and why do you like the Cubs? Anyways, thank goodness Saint Mary’s made you a smarter person and you joined sophomore year. Who would have been our stud catcher without you? And who would have taught me how to dance inappropriately and ghetto? For the past three years you have been an amazing teammate and friend. Whenever I am down you are always there to pick me up, and if anyone ever tried to hurt me I know you would kick some butt! Your BA attitude can always energize our team, and it probably intimidates every team we have to play. You control this team from behind the plate, and keep us calm through all the pressure situations. I am going to miss hearing your Chicago accent from behind that mask, especially when you are pissed off! I love you and I am thankful for the past three years we have spent together. I look forward to all of our future memories JoJo!
Ummm are you Balls? Yeah…are you Kellie? Yeah…Hi. Most awkward first meeting ever, but what more could we expect? We have played four seasons together, and there isn’t anyone else that I would rather play short. I can always count on you on the left side; we just know where each other are going to be. You keep me motivated and push me to be my best. Our freshmen year you taught me to dive, and every year you continue to make me a better player. Your leadership on this team is undeniable, and your dedication is contagious. When you make those diving plays, or when you hit one of your thousand homeruns I am proud to be your teammate. I am thankful for everything you have done for this team, and for all the times you hit groundballs with me. And how could I forget about our rapping?!? Our beats are tight and our raps are sick. Big hitter up to bat, take a step back chick. We rap like Weezy, and we got a sweet flow. Two outs Balls? Shoot I don’t know! It’s been a great ride with you, and if you’re ever in question about anything just ask yourself the basic question. Blue or Green? Left Side Strong Side Ballsy. Love you.
Jaclyn Marie Prondzinski. I was intimidated by you when you walked into the meeting late our sophomore year, and then I learned you were a pitcher and I had nothing to worry about. We went through fall ball with little interaction, and then I did not answer your phone call after you walked 3 miles to meet me at a party. But even after all that, you still asked me to live with you a month later. Time would tell it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Our first season together you proved to be a standout pitcher for our team. You dominated the mound and you were a great addition. Our junior year together was an unforgettable journey. You, me and Scooby under one roof. By living with you I learned how great of a dancer you are, that you are not a morning person, and that you have one of the biggest hearts. Your dedication to your teammates, friends, and family is one your best qualities. Our second season together was even better. I loved looking to the mound and seeing number 27. I always had complete confidence in that wicked screwball of yours! Finally, our senior year was here. You made one the hardest decisions of your life, and you chose to leave the sport that you love most. I know it has been difficult for you to watch your friends play this year, but amidst that hardship you have been at almost every game cheering us on. It just goes to show how caring and strong of a person you are. At the beginning of this season I did not think I could play without you. But being the friend that you are, you convinced me otherwise and have supported me this whole year. Thank you for helping me through all of my rough times and for cheering for me during all of the good. I am so proud of everything you have accomplished this year; you continue to succeed in everything you set your mind to. I know your time with softball is not over yet. You will make a great coach in the future. I love you Jacikiki!
Shawshank. Xiang Po. Danielle. Nicole. I am proud to be the first person you talked to on the softball team. I could tell you were good right away, and so I asked you to be my throwing partner. You would prove to not only be good, but to be phenomenal! The first game you played in Arizona I could not believe your defense. I swear you had extendable arms because there is no way a normal human being should have been to able to get that ground ball headed to right field. It was like watching Nick Punto!! Not to mention you led our team in batting average your freshmen year! Playing with you these past three years has been a privilege, and the memories are endless. First, you are a fellow co-founder of the clean plate club, because we would not want Africans children starving. Also, I cannot forget you representing the house along with Jaci in the sloppy joe eating contest, even if neither of you won. Finally, your butt is grass if you take another dump in the toilet! Living with you this past year has been a blessing to say the least. You were a good friend of mine before moving to 189 Harvester, and now I don’t know where I would be without you. Your loyalty to your friends and your ability to give advice are qualities that I truly admire. You always put your friends first even when you are going through a heck of a lot yourself. You are one of the strongest people I know Nicole, and you do not give yourself enough credit. This team looks up to you, and the hockey team as well. Your actions represent a true leader, and your dedication represents a true teammate. You are very knowledgeable about the game, and I look to you not only as my teammate but also as a coach. Even though I am exactly a year older (and obviously more mature) I still learn so much from you. I look to you for support and you have given me a lot of that this year. You have kept me positive and helped me through some tough spots, and without you I would have been lost. Thank you for being a wonderful teammate, roommate, and friend. The live we life has proven to be a great one! Ps…YOURE HORRIBLE!
To the rest of the junior class, enjoy your senior year. I know it is cliché but it goes by fast so take the time to enjoy it. As for the sophomores, you are one heck of a talented, crazy group of girls; I expect to see great things from every single one of you over the next two years. Leah Sophia, thank you for your many words of wisdom, and for every elephant you have given me! Your quotes can really put a smile on my face. Erin, I love turning around and watching you make daredevil dives in left field. You are a great player and an incredibly hard worker. Keep it up! Finally to the freshmen, I have loved getting to know each one of you this year. All four of you bring great qualities to this team, and I am glad I will be around next year to continue strengthening our friendships.
It has been an incredible ride, and I cannot believe it is coming to an end. Throughout all of the hard work and countless hours of practice, I have made memories and friends that I would not trade for anything else. Some people refer to the Saint Mary’s Softball team as a cult, but I refer to it as my family. It is built around a strong tradition of dedication, passion and friendship. These past four years have made me a stronger and better individual, and I am grateful for all I have learned. I now know that people from Minnesota are definitely cooler than people from Illinois. That bulldogs are the definition of a champion. That Nicole will never swear, and Jo will always swear. That eating 7 sloppy joes and then chugging a bottle of water is not a bright idea. That speaking in a British, Chinese, Mexican, or Game show accent is normal. That Balls is actually an appropriate nickname. That pitchers are the divas of the team. That my teammates will never let me down. And that the past four years are priceless. Thank you again to everyone who has been a part of my four years here. I love you all. Having a day Red. |
