My daughter is a softball player. Throughout her life, she has done many other things: dance, gymnastics, soccer, cheer and more. There is no limit to the things she can do and I can't even guess at all the wonderful things she will experience, but for now softball is her thing. I don't know how long it will last, but I know I'll miss it when it's gone.

Softball has helped her grow from a quiet, shy little girl to the brave and confident young woman she is today. I credit it with so many positive things in her life, but really those positive things came from inside her. She used softball as a tool to grow. She used softball as a way to make friends. She used softball as a way to mature and become a better person.

What she didn't realize (and still doesn't) is what she was doing for me along the way. I have become a better parent because of softball. I had to learn to let her fail and deal with failure on her own. I had to learn that sometimes people don't see her the way I see her - and that's ok. I had to learn that in the end she didn't need me as much as I thought she did - and that's ok, too.

Some day, the early morning tournament drives will end, the days of sitting on a bucket and catching for her will end and my daughter will move on to her next thing. I know, though, that partly becuase of softball, my daughter is strong enough to handle whatever happens in her life. She is strong, fierce and brave. She is better than I ever was and I couldn't be more proud