The Only Feeling



You start early in the year hoping to have an advantage. Working on you body strength and simple skills. Your tolerate the heartless sting of winters weather on you body, its worth the harsh burn down your throat as your breathing heavily. Looking at catalogs and magazines like a predator stalks its prey. Unintentionally becoming the new spokes person for a product you desperately want but can't afford. The pre-season game start playing on ESPN you watch it religiously looking for any technique to call you own. The intense vibe projecting off the TV as you grip the closest thing waiting for the final moment when it all ends. The grocery store turns into your new favorite store, it is filled with everything that could make or break you. Pulling out the old songs "Harder, Faster, Stronger." and watching inspiring movies to give you that feeling.

A turn in seasons and the sensual smell of spring creeping on you like a small child playing hide-n-sneak. Stopped in your tracks you take a large, long needed, deep breath. For the first time this year a jolt of happiness strikes you and jumping for joy you continue on you way. Gossip of dates and time scatter like a virus spreading in a small area. Familiar faces smirk knowing your happiness comes from the same thing. Small groups gather at the holy place where dreams come true. Starting small with unofficial visits and moving to gatherings of veterans and hopeful armatures. Taking a moment looking out, as you get in position, appreciating the whole world at that instant. Like you just became a millionaire you smirk, hold your excitement in, and giggle inside. The chill up your back strikes you as a small sensation and knowing this is it.

A week goes by it becomes an everyday thing. People coming together talking strategy discussing their winter experiences. Perfect strangers and enemies act as if they were best of friends for years as they step on the sweet green grass. The first challenge comes closer and you start to get the feeling like small insects inside your stomach are slowly eating you away. You long for this feeling, the feeling of all your hard work being worth it. Starting to count the hours as if the world is going to come at an end at that moment. No one except the other out there with you knows how the world really does stop. It stands still and for that period of time nothing else matters except the fullment of defeat. You all become the most superstitious people to ever walk to earth. Going through the mental list of do's and don'ts. Putting your hands in, you block out the noise in the back ground, becoming super woman with tunnel vision and the whole 9 yards.

Standing there while being introduced you realize this is the time where everyone comes together. You were the colors proud, strong, and respectfully. Hearing your name like you just won the presidential election. Counting the steps of the light jog to shake hands as if it is a life evaluation. One last talk with the others and everyone become serious it is no longer a happy time it's much much more. Your first and you step up. Time seems to slow down as you grip, your muscles tighten, and you do whatever method you have. Feeling the wind blowing by you watch with eager eyes hoping she will explode. When that doesn't happen you follow the bright yellow object. See it slowly wind around her body and starts to come towards you it ZOOMS by you. That’s when time moves at normal speed. You convince yourself that you really didn't want that one. Waiting for the next one you adjust your footing and watch again as she winds up. The wind is perfect the yellow is in you range. You step forward and ship all you weight. Rotating your body and swinging it right down the middle. The time is now and this is where all your work pays off.

Feeling the contact and the faint noise of metal against another hard object. Take the first step to victory pushing with all your force to your destination. Turning to your next detination like an owl you spot it our of the corner of your eye. It sores through the sky like an eagle looking for food. You start to see it fall down, but you struck it with such force that it is over the barrier. The yellow ball drops to the ground and lands outside of the giant wall. Heading to your third destination you see people you know and some you don't jumping in excitement. That’s the moment the moment you know that you have been waiting for and working to. The moment when everything works in perfect harmony.


You take the last step o your final destination and look around. You notice the disappointment on the faces of your opponents faces. The team and the teams’ supporters yelling your name and congratulating you. Telling you that it was an amazing hit and any other thing they can find comment on. This feeling can only come from one thing. It’s a sport, the feeling of succeeding in something you work so hard for. Something so physical that kills you and you complain for a week, but in the end you love the pain you long for the tight muscle and hard times. It’s the only thing that makes you complete a sport!