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Members of the Midland Lady Explorers 18U team which finished second at the NSA state tournament in Grand Blanc this past weekend are (front, from left) Jillian Krawczak, Summer Stone, Gabby Schloop, Mady Snyder, Hailey Leister; and (back, from left) assistant coach Fred Kelly, manager Casey Kristin, Addison Cooley, Katie Bickham, Lakin Fryzel, assistant coach Tim Gilbert, Krista Moe, Ashley Roper, Markie Hooton, scorebook keeper Gillian Schloop, and assistant coach Jodi Mayan.

Members of the Midland Lady Explorers 18U team which finished second at the NSA state tournament in Grand Blanc this past weekend are (front, from left) Jillian Krawczak, Summer Stone, Gabby Schloop, Mady

Members of the Midland Lady Explorers 18U team which finished second at the NSA state tournament in Grand Blanc this past weekend are (front, from left) Jillian Krawczak, Summer Stone, Gabby Schloop, Mady Snyder, Hailey Leister; and (back, from left) assistant coach Fred Kelly, manager Casey Kristin, Addison Cooley, Katie Bickham, Lakin Fryzel, assistant coach Tim Gilbert, Krista Moe, Ashley Roper, Markie Hooton, scorebook keeper Gillian Schloop, and assistant coach Jodi Mayan.

Members of the Midland Lady Explorers 18U team which finished second at the NSA state tournament in Grand Blanc this past weekend are (front, from left) Jillian Krawczak, Summer Stone, Gabby Schloop, Mady

Kelly: Return to softball action was awesome

This past weekend, I had the joyful opportunity to experience something which I didnt think Id be able to experience all summer. As I told numerous people Saturday, I didnt think that that day was going to come.

After months of speculation and uncertainty, the travel softball team for which Im an assistant coach (the Midland Lady Explorers 18U team) finally got to play an actual game of softball ... on an actual outdoor field ... in an actual tournament ... with actual fans in attendance. Honestly, if you had asked me as recently as mid- to late-May if I thought we were going to have any softball this summer, I wouldve said sadly that, no, I really dont see it happening.

A lot has changed in the past few weeks, though. With the easing of restrictions on outdoor gatherings, we were able to start practicing as a team four weeks ago in the hope that the tournaments we had registered for would still be held. Since we coaches and players had not seen each other since our last indoor winter tournament in mid-February and since these girls, the vast majority of them being high school seniors, had been robbed of their final prep season it was wonderful just to get together, step onto a softball field, and go through some light workouts.

That first day of practice was awesome. After doing some catching up socially and inquiring as to how everyone was faring amid the twin tribulations of the coronavirus crisis and local flooding, we took the field for the first time in months and attempted to shake off the considerable and inevitable rust.

Those first couple of practices in early June were not a thing of beauty, to be sure. There were booted grounders and wild throws galore and not many solidly-hit balls, but that hardly mattered. It was a pleasure just to be back on the dirt and grass, feeling the sun on our faces, and practicing the game we love so deeply.

As we continued to practice throughout the month of June, the girls skills in the field got sharper, their contact at the plate got meatier, and their confidence slowly but surely began to build as did our anticipation for the first tournament of the summer. As Saturday, June 27 crept ever nearer, the reality began to set in: we were really going to be playing ball after all!

And what a glorious weekend of softball it was. Competing in the NSA state tournament in Grand Blanc, we won twice on Saturday to advance to the winners bracket semifinal, then walloped our next opponent 18-3 bright and early Sunday morning to move on to the winners bracket final later in the day.

The rest of the day Sunday was a blur of drama and big hits and great pitching and key plays.

We played four more seven-inning games in quick succession, falling 5-2 to a very good Caledonia Chaos team in the winners bracket final, beating the defending state champion Hurricanes 4-1 in the losers bracket final, then edging the Chaos 3-2 in a gripping championship game to force an if-necessary rematch with the Chaos for all the beans.

Our debut tournament came to an end with a 4-2 loss to the Chaos in the second championship game, and we had to settle for runner-up rings, which was admittedly a tad disappointing. We have a great team with great players, and I, for one, was expecting to win it all.

But lets face it: winning a state championship, which definitely wouldve been nice, was not the most important thing. Getting out on the field and just playing ball was the most important thing. For all of these girls not only ours but girls from all over the state who had been forced to sit at home spinning their wheels, watching the weeks of what shouldve been their senior season drift away and wondering what mightve been, finally getting the chance to play again was a small measure of redemption for opportunities lost.

And thats what I truly enjoyed most about spending an entire weekend in the blistering heat just watching our girls enjoy the moment. Competing. Smiling. Laughing. Having fun again, for heavens sake. Yes, winning five of our seven games was rewarding, and taking second in the state was great. But watching the girls excel on the field and enjoying every minute of it thats the good stuff.

And every single one of our players, still somewhat rusty though they may have been, made positive contributions to our runner-up finish. Some struggled to hit at times but played excellent defense, some pitched their butts off against terrific competition, a couple hit the daylights out of the ball all weekend long, some did little things well at the plate and/or in the field to help us win games, one fought through a heat-induced migraine headache to make some great plays in the title game, and one even missed her high school graduation commencement to play ball. We coaches were as proud of our players as we were delighted just to be back on the field.

In case youre wondering what it was like to participate in a tournament during our ongoing health crisis, I will admit that, in some regards, the experience was a bit strange. For instance, spectators were required to sit beyond the outfield fences and not in close proximity to the teams, and opposing teams were not allowed to engage in the traditional postgame handshake line. Those nuggets of protocol seemed odd and unnatural, but they in no way detracted from my enjoyment of the tournament.

Other precautions included requests for teams to disinfect balls regularly, social distance in the dugouts, avoid crossing paths with other teams, sanitize dugout benches before and after games, and avoid huddling together for team chats or cheers. These regulations were sometimes adhered to and sometimes not.

For the most part, I think that most people tried to do the right things to make it a relatively safe environment. It should be noted that it is virtually impossible to participate in a team sport and not be within six feet of each other. Apparently, thats a risk that all of us present were willing to take, and, hopefully, the regular sanitation of balls, dugouts, and hands was enough to keep everyone safe. Time will tell if we were wrong, and I sincerely hope we were not.

Personally, I felt blessedly free from fear. Was I cautious? Yes. I sanitized my hands countless times during the weekend and wiped down the balls and dugouts routinely. Was I concerned? Of course. I dont want to get sick, nor see anyone else get sick. But was I fearful? Not really. Ill try to keep myself clean and pray that God keeps me healthy, but I wont let fear steal my joy for a game I love. Besides, living in a perpetual state of fear to the point of paralysis isnt really living in the first place.

Next up for us is a tournament right here in Midland on the weekend of July 10-12, hosted by the Midland Line Drive Express, after which we have two additional tourneys in Davison and Battle Creek. Will we win one or all of those tournaments? I dont know that, but I do know that I like our chances.

And as we prepare for these last three tournaments, I am nothing if not acutely grateful. Grateful to have these opportunities. Grateful that people like Line Drive President Doug Hill and others like him are willing to host tournaments during an admittedly trying time in our history.

Most of all, Im grateful for our players, who are striving to make the most of a truly bizarre 2020. To get to watch them compete and test their abilities, their desire, and their mental toughness and to get to enjoy the company of some of the nicest young ladies you could ever meet I cant imagine a better way to spend the summer.

Fred Kelly is a sportswriter for the Daily News.

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Kelly: Return to softball action was awesome - Midland Daily News