Tough girl.

She has spent a lot of time squatting behind home plate the past couple of years. 

She’s made A LOT of catches.  She’s also missed and/or dropped A LOT of catches.  A missed or dropped catch in previous years was never a big deal.  This year?   Missed catches or dropped balls are immediate invitations for competitors to steal bases.  Points rack up quickly when people steal home.  It’s the catcher’s responsibility to make sure this does not happen.

Sydney’s catching philosophy?   Look mean and act tough.  She thinks she’s scary in her catcher’s gear.

A couple of times this season a runner on third base leads off and acts like she is going to steal home while Sydney scrambles to get the ball under control.  Sydney, looking mean and acting tough, answers this taunt with a couple of hops, skips and jumps  towards the runner in an attempt to “scare” the girl back onto the base. 

The runner answers with a not-so-quick scoot back to her safe position.  Then, and only then, will Sydney release the ball  to the pitcher.   It’s really a comical dance.  They are, after all, only 10 years old.

We, on the sidelines, laugh and snicker.   I mean, really.  It’s not like she would ever really do something about it.

Last night.  The first inning.  The other team was leading 5-0 with two outs.  Sydney and the runner on third base danced their comical dance a couple of times.  We all laughed. 

And then…..it happened.  Sydney missed the catch.  The runner wasted no time heading for home but tough girl was having none of it!!  She scooped up the ball and then…well…she did this:

The pitcher, #9 there, did exactly what she was supposed to do.  Cover home plate, wait for the catcher to toss her the ball and tag the girl before she slides home.

 

Ya, except this time Sydney did not toss her the ball.  Nope.  This time she called the runner’s bluff.

Tough girl caught the runner.  Tagged her out via knocking her to the ground, spun on her heels and marched her tough self right off the field.  Maybe she’s tougher than I thought.

Photography note:  This is where the fine line between a nervously cheering parent and wanna-be-photographer are, literally, blurred.  While I usually keep my composure long enough to snap pictures at the beginning and middle of the action shots, I always lose it at the end!  Clearly I need to take lessons from tough girl!