Friday, October 1, 2010

Fall Flashback Week: I’ve Given My Life to Sports

 

“And In Return, Sports Have Given Me A Life. A Beautiful Life."

I wanted to share a video about softball star Jennie Finch, as it truly hit home with me.
I felt it could have been me talking.
She reminds me so much of myself (minus the Olympic Gold Medals) in so many ways, when she describes her life growing up with a life filled with sports.

A lot of what she says reminds me so much of my entire family.

For my parents, sisters and I, softball tournaments were OUR summer vacations.

four viefhaus sisters

Me with my sisters from the left: Adie, Haley, me and Maggie.

viefhaus family pic girls maggies game

My sisters and I knew that we had to work hard to be the BEST we could at softball if we wanted to go to college.
For free.
Our parents were unable to pay for four girls to go to college.
We knew this and worked hard everyday from age 8 until 21 playing the game we loved.

My dad played professional baseball and we wanted to follow in his footsteps and be great at whatever we chose to do.

Me and my sisters all went to college for free.

And my twin sisters even played professionally for the Chicago Bandits with the girl in this video, Jennie Finch. 

twins desperate houswives

Look who they got to hang out with because they were celebrity softball players. Can you say DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES?

Our youngest sister Maggie played for the University of Michigan and on the USA Junior Olympic Team.

Maggie USA pic

maggie usa hitting

Michigan third baseman Maggie Viefhaus throws from her knees after stabbing a line shot down the third base line during fifth inning action of the Wolverine's 8-0 win over Central Michigan University, Wednesday evening, April 14th at UM's Alumni Field.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

maggie sub journal

050510_SPT_UM vs EMU Softball_MRM

maggie homer pic 2009

This is my favorite picture ever.
Taken as Maggie is just about to cross home plate after a homerun.

I hope that you will watch the video below and see what kind of life sports can give people and what it gave to our family.

*Please hit PAUSE on the music so you can hear the video.
Also, it's much better full screen if you want to enlarge it and watch.  ENJOY!

2 comments:

Tanya said...

My dad was a semi-pro ball player before I was born and continued to be one of the best amateur players in Canada all of my childhood. We spent all of our summers and weekends at HIS games. Great memories.
My husband and I just had a long talk about how team sports shape a person and how he really wants that for our kids.
Unfortunately my sisters and I had NO interest in sports and my parents never pushed us...we were into singing and the arts...that was my mom's background...but I plan to expose my kids to all of the amazing aspects that sports can bring to life!

mel @ the larson lingo said...

Love this post. Sports (soccer) have made my life 100 times better than it would have been if I didn't play! :)

 

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