Writing is one of the things that I enjoy in life, and I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to write a youth softball publication or column for at least three publications off and on, but mostly on, for over 25 years. I’m not really sure how long it has been, but it started out when I prepared a monthly newsletter for all travel teams and youth recreation leagues in the Pacific Coast Region as part of my duties as the Pacific Coast Region’s Regional Junior Olympic Commissioner back in the early 1980’s.

After the Region, or perhaps I, decided that this publication was not the best use of resources or my time, I was asked to write a monthly column for some long ago discontinued rag out of the Bay Area. After that came another stint for another “magazine” that no longer exists, before I hooked up with Softball West. I can’t recall when I started with this publication, but I know it has been a very long time.

What’s so unique about my experience with writing about this sport is the fact that for at least the first 10 years that I wrote about the sport, I didn’t even have a daughter playing it. My daughter was born in 1984. Originally, my first publication and early entry into writing for magazines centered around providing information on ASA rule and code issues, editorials about positives and negatives in the sport as I saw them, and happenings within the Region and ASA nationally.

But as my daughter began her playing career and throughout her playing days in the travel ball arena, the content of some of my columns began to transform into insights into the travel ball world and the experiences involved in traveling the country playing softball. This transformation also provided me the opportunity to pen several humorous pieces on the world of travel softball. But still I was able to provide insight into the ASA Regional and National youth softball scene, as I was a voting member of the ASA National Council and attended every Council Meeting, and experienced the ASA process of code and rule changes, as well as the awarding of National Championship tournaments.

In 2003, when I moved back to Northern California and lost my voting position with ASA, I considered pulling the plug on this column. After all, I no longer had direct access to the inner workings of ASA Regionally or Nationally, and my daughter was entering her Junior year playing softball at a Division I university. Did I have that much left to give? But I enjoy writing, so I continued on, relying on what information I could receive from friends, the Internet and from attending a few softball tournaments.

When my daughter graduated from San Jose State in 2006, I wrote one of my finest columns as a tribute to her and her playing career. I had intended to call it quits after that year with Softball West, but again, as the New Year dawned, I was inspired to attend more softball events, renew friendships and craft more columns to inform and entertain readers of this publication. As a writer, I still wanted to write.

This is the final issue of Softball West for the year. As usual, it will most likely contain information on the latest and greatest equipment that you should buy for your daughter to excel at the game of softball, some fine stories about recent softball tournaments, and this, my final column for Softball West. Ending my relationship with Softball West will not be easy, as it has been a long and satisfying time together.

However, during the past month, as I prepared to write this column, I had some time to go back and read many of the columns that I have written for this publication for the past two years, and I have found them lacking. They are not up to the standards that I expect of myself based on some of the work I have done in the past. My columns are starting to read like someone struggling to fill space, not someone trying to inform and/or entertain.

I have met several fine people through this column, and appreciate the opportunity to communicate with each of you that have contacted me in the past. I realize that there are many individuals that have been long time readers, and I thank you for the emails you have sent commenting on the position I have taken in the past on many issues, or expressing an opposing position. I’ll continue to be a lover of this wonderful game and attend tournaments, and hopefully bump into those with whom I have formed friendships with in the past. I wish all of you the best, and especially my good friends at Softball West that have put up with me for these many years.

FINAL FOUL TIPS
I want to take some space to congratulate the Lady Magic out of Elk Grove, CA for their win at the ASA 16U National Championships. A mother of one of the Lady Magic players emailed me last Fall about one of my columns and we exchanged emails throughout this past year. She invited me out to one of their tournaments in Stockton, so I attended and had an opportunity to see this team play as they prepared for the 2008 season. And now, a year later, they are National Champions. I enjoyed keeping up with their march to win via the Internet * * * * I’m sure you are all as shocked as I was at Team USA’s loss at the Olympics. Our team was so loaded that it is difficult to imagine such a loss. What makes it even more disappointing is the prospect that we may never get an opportunity to avenge the loss * * * * As always, you can contact me at floydeunslip@yahoo.com * * * * and so the ball rolls.

Editor’s note: Floyd has been writing columns for SWM for over 10 years. He has always exceeded our expectations as a columnist and will be greatly missed as part of the SWM family. Thanks for the many years of softball dedication Floyd!