I doubt I will get everything I want to say out in this entry so expect a couple more this week. I've just been really really tired from the weekend and have not been home much. However, the pictures and the stories are coming in so I am starting to piece Saturday night together.
All in all I don't think we could have done better for ourselves from a Kickball standpoint. Finishing up Friday night with a split is something to be proud of. We finished 4th in that tournament, one out of trophy contention. Remember when we were forced to move up to the higher level at the beginning of the year? Well we were the only team left that moved up and we eliminated a higher level team. I'm not sure if anyone caught the article in the Free Press yesterday, but our league is probably the biggest in the state. So with the way we are playing right now, and without exaggeration, we are one of the best Kickball Teams in the state of Michigan, that's a fact. So I'm happy with the way the season in Oak Park ended, but I'm even happier with the way the tournament in Port Hope went from start to finish and especially the way it ended, with a Bayside Tiger's victory!
It is really hard for me to put into words (I know you don't believe me) what that tournament means to me. As a kid we would go to the ball fields to watch softball tournaments and have a great time. No one seems to do that anymore. I realized a few years ago kickball is nothing more than a product that people buy, and for some reason it is selling pretty well right now, so I thought if I brought it to PH it could be a good time and a positive for the town, and I believe we have started something there. If I wanted to I could have gotten a team of friends together from Port Hope and played with them, but the fact that the people from my team in Royal Oak took time out of there lives to travel up north 2 and a half hours with gas prices and how busy people are truly touched my heart.
At the end of last years tournament I thanked everyone for "making my kickball dreams come true", without really realizing I was saying it. Tim and Ang pointed it out to me later that night, and said "what made it funny was that you were 100% serious". I was serious, and everyone that played on my team and drove up to PH from the Detroit area and everyone else that drove from all over the state and even parts of Indiana are a big part of that dream. It's hard to describe the sense of satisfaction I felt Saturday night with a house full of close friend in the home I grew up in, with my parent and brother there, telling me "what a great group of friends I have" and those same friends telling me what great parents and family I have. A lot of hard work goes into making the Port Hope Kickball Tournament a success, but it is worth all the time and effort that goes into it, and I would like to thank everyone that was a part of it, it means more than you know.
I promise my next post won't be so sappy. Here is a preview.
She looks like a little Lady sitting there (worst picture of Autum ever. Those pants put on 30lbs in the hips, it's just a bad pic Big A, you don't look like that). Who is that in the background, it looks like someone in total control right? Stay tuned...
5 comments:
Wow, you almost made me cry:) We love you Woodke!
I was proud that my brother, sister in law, 3 nephews, and parents went to every game and cheered us on. They were some of our biggest fans! Evan truly cherishes his autographed shirt from the team and even asked his mom if they can buy a frame for it to hang on his wall.
My brother commented, "I don't think I've been more emotionally attached to a team since the Red Wings won this year". Upon that my oldest nephew replied, "But dad what about my t-ball team?"
My nephews really look up to Ryan and have expressed aspirations to play in the tournament when they are old enough. Last year I had bought them a kickball and bases for a birthday present to start the grooming. Somehow, I really do think this tournament will stick around that long! Definitely started something special and worthwhile! My only dilema now is that I don't I'll ever make it to nationals because the tournament seems to be more significant now. I am very satisfied with my decision to play in the tournament and skip nationals this year.
Kickball + Port Hope = 4ever!
Goooooooooooo Bayside!
Ryan,
I just wanted to tell you that I think you did a great job this year on the Kball tourney. I knew that I would have fun, but I didn't know I would have THAT much fun, both at the tournament and at the puke-fest later that night at the Hotel. I also didn't realize that I would be sore all week. I almost fell in the hallway (wet floor=workman's comp)at the hospital today and I tweaked my sore leg AGAIN! We are totally in for next year (as long as I am not heavy with child or something and even then...Jim could still play).
Dana
Thanks Dana! I was really glad to see you guys there. Sarah was a Little Tyrant on your team, and playing against your team was a highlight of the tournament for me. What happened at the Hotel? I've been going there for 7 years and have never seen anything like that! I think people are getting old. I too am limping around like a geriatric patient.
Woodke you did a great job, it was a great weekend all around. I don't think there is one person who could say they did not have a great time (injuries and soreness excluded) I was excited to see so many people from HB and PH back for the second year!
p.s Tim your brother and nephews are so cute and the best cheering section we could have.
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