Coach Mike passed away on Saturday at 78. Coach Mike raised 4 softball daughter's. He coached them all and then after a nearly 10 year break returned to coach his granddaughters. I had the privilege of having Coach Mike as my assistant on my first year 12U team.
At his wake a bunch of us started to share our favorite Coach Mike quotes:
"I have a longer glove in my car", to an fielder who didn't get low when fielding a ground ball.
"You are missing a great game", to a base runner on 3rd day dreaming and forgetting to run
"Need oxygen?", to the slowest base runner on the team who legged out her first triple ever.
"You guys played 2 games today" interrupted by player "but coach we played 3 games today" coach replied "No you only played 2 that last one was not a game" said after an all star tournament loss with 8 errors
"You do 3 steps better than any pitcher I have ever seen, unfortunately it takes 4 steps to deliver a good pitch", to a pitcher who wasn't completing her motion
"I have a left handed bat in my trunk", to the lefty on the team who complained about the bat after a strikeout
"I meant the other lead runner", this was directed to my own DD just after he reminded the defense to get the lead runner, DD threw to first instead
"You have two choices, you can leave now on your own or you can leave in 10 seconds when I knock you out and carry you out of here", to a dad who showed up drunk to his DDs game despite a restraining order and started to curse at the mother.
I will miss Coach Mike. RIP.
At his wake a bunch of us started to share our favorite Coach Mike quotes:
"I have a longer glove in my car", to an fielder who didn't get low when fielding a ground ball.
"You are missing a great game", to a base runner on 3rd day dreaming and forgetting to run
"Need oxygen?", to the slowest base runner on the team who legged out her first triple ever.
"You guys played 2 games today" interrupted by player "but coach we played 3 games today" coach replied "No you only played 2 that last one was not a game" said after an all star tournament loss with 8 errors
"You do 3 steps better than any pitcher I have ever seen, unfortunately it takes 4 steps to deliver a good pitch", to a pitcher who wasn't completing her motion
"I have a left handed bat in my trunk", to the lefty on the team who complained about the bat after a strikeout
"I meant the other lead runner", this was directed to my own DD just after he reminded the defense to get the lead runner, DD threw to first instead
"You have two choices, you can leave now on your own or you can leave in 10 seconds when I knock you out and carry you out of here", to a dad who showed up drunk to his DDs game despite a restraining order and started to curse at the mother.
I will miss Coach Mike. RIP.
