A Year in Review 2016

This is my year in review and my favorite blog post to write. I usually try to stick to one photo per month, but this year was softball heavy so I chose a couple more. Here is a look back at 2016.

 In January I started coaching the Half Moon Bay High Softball team. We began a 6 month journey together. The girls were eager to learn and easy to motivate. During one of our very first training sessions one of the seniors said "Coach, I want a parade." In our small town, any time a team wins a CCS championship, the team is honored with a parade down Main Street. Just like that, my team and I had a goal.

 If you remember from last Christmas, Syd got is first surfboard and started to learn to surf. February brought big, powerful waves, to surfer beach and Syd came home with only half a board. He was very excited to pick out a new surfboard from Cowboy Surf Shop. The shaper at Cowboy passed away this year so now his board is a collector's item.

In March we started playing softball games and we invited the entire HMB Girl's softball league to one of our home games. The younger girls became some of our biggest fans and followed us throughout the year.

Sabrina visited us in April for my 30th (!) birthday! It was fun showing her where we live and spending time with her. Sabrina will be starting grad school in the Bay Area soon and I am looking forward to seeing her more often in 2017!

In May, I introduced my team to The Energy Bus, a book by Jon Gordon. With positive energy from the Energy Bus, anything is possible. Our bus sat in our dugout for the rest of the season and each player and coach had a person riding the bus. We were all on the bus together working towards out goal.

Later in May we rode (literally and figuratively) our Energy Bus all the way to a CCS Championship! On the way to the game on our chartered Energy Bus, I looked around at my players. They were energized for the game, but also had a calmness like they knew it was their day. I am always confident in my teams when they play, but before the championship game I have never felt so sure that we would win. The girls played their hearts out and we won the game 9-2. Watching the girls' hard work pay off and accomplishing their goal was an amazing feeling.

 After a 15 year hiatus, I performed in a dance recital in June with my dance troop. We danced to the Waka Waka and it was really fun being on stage. Syd and my parents were in the audience cheering me on. I love to dance and I hope we are able to pull our troop together again next year.

We finally got our parade in July as the Grand Marshals of the HMB 4th of July Parade. Such a proud coach moment.

The next school year started in August and I began my new job at Mercy. I held my first Link Crew Orientation with 100 freshmen on their first day of school. The highlight was the pep rally in the morning where I welcomed them to Mercy and got them excited for the upcoming school year.

And because 2 months away from softball is too much, Mercy softball started fall training in September. I am excited to rebuild the softball program at my alma mater. The photo above is from Throw Back Thursday during Mercy Week. Stacey, my assistant coach, and I are wearing our old school uniforms and my player Amber is wearing my old high school softball softball uniform! I love Mercy High School because of the community and I am so happy to be back apart of it.

October is Syd's birthday month. We got him a new GoPro so he can video himself surfing. We also had beautiful Indian Summer weather on the coast and got to enjoy it on evening walks by the marine reserve in Moss Beach.

In November I hosted the Freshman Sleepover at the Kohl Mansion. About 100 girls "slept" in the Great Hall. It was a fun event, but next year I may think of a day activity for the class. I am too old for only 3 hours of sleep.

And on November 23rd, RR added George to our family! He is a beauty.

We ended December and 2016 on our Euro trip. It was fun to catch up with my European friends and enjoy a vacation. I hope to travel more in 2017.

This year had more personal ups than downs and many good memories I will never forget. I am grateful for all of the opportunities 2016 presented Syd and I. However, I am a bit worried about the state of our country/world and the direction it is going. In 2017 I hope to make my small corner of the world a better place. I am still figuring out exactly what I am going to do to help beyond educating young women and encouraging them to be leaders. Maybe I'll volunteer more and donate.

Good Bye 2016! Happy New Year Everyone