Injuries are a part of the game, so the old sports adage goes. The unforeseen and unfortunate portion, but a part, nonetheless. My daughter Caitlin found that out the hard way during her just-concluded HS softball season this year.

Caitlin is a sophomore pitcher/2B for Birmingham Groves HS here in Michigan. Her team entered this season with high hopes — they had won 21 games last year and had a young squad that featured 2 frosh, 6 sophs and only one senior. Softball, like any other sport where the players take it seriously, is now a 12-month proposition for these girls. They compete on elite travel teams in the summer, play in a fall league and, in Caitlin’s case, take pitching lessons throughout the winter. Caitlin’s teammates refer to her as “The Beast” for her propensity to hit the ball hard to all fields.

Groves started out the season like the proverbial house afire. They opened with a 1-0 victory over West Bloomfield, the team that eliminated Groves from Districts last year, by an identical 1-0 score. Caitlin scored the only run when she singled, stole 2B, went to 3B on a ground out and scored on a passed ball. They then defeated archrival Brandon 2-0. Caitlin hit a ground-rule double over the CF’s head and scored the winning run. The team was 8-1 heading into a game with Rochester Adams, which just happens to be Madonna’s alma mater.

Caitlin was the starting pitcher for Groves. She struck out 11 Material Girls in 6 innings. In one frame, she threw 11 pitches-all of them strikes. At the plate, Caitlin went 3-3 including a triple and scored the winning run in a 3-2 victory. That’s where the “breaks (and sprains) of the game” part comes in to play. Sliding into home Caitlin severely sprained her right ankle and had to be carried off the field. At the time of her injury, Caitlin was batting .582 and had an OBP of .700. What once seemed like an extremely promising season for Groves and Caitlin was now very much in doubt.

When Caitlin showed up for school on Monday on crutches, one of her teammates took one look at her and said, “We’re screwed.” Without Caitlin, Groves dropped a doubleheader to Waterford Mott, a team they had beaten all 3 times they faced each other last year. Groves struggled in weekend tournaments because they only had one pitcher-a good one, but she naturally tired from having to carry the entire pitching load herself, without Caitlin.

Caitlin’s ankle was placed in a walking cast, as she had damaged ligaments and the Orthopedist wanted to immobilize it. After 2 weeks, the cast came off and Caitlin started therapy and exercise to rebuild the muscles. Her goal was to get back before the regular season ended.

With a lot of help from the Trainer at Groves, she was able to achieve it.

Yesterday was the first game of districts and Groves was again facing West Bloomfield. The pitcher for WB was a teammate of Caitlin’s on the Detroit Pistons travel team when they won the 14 and under State Championship. She’s going to play for Albion College next year. In a gut-wrenching extra-inning game, Groves again lost 1-0. Caitlin played her heart out, making several outstanding plays and contributing one base hit. The WB assistant coach said that he told his players to “stop hitting the ball to the second baseman because she isn’t going to make any mistakes.” The game ended on a very close play at the plate. With a runner on 2B, a WB batter hit a single up the middle that just eluded Caitlin’s glove. The CF held on to the ball momentarily until she threw home and just missed getting the runner at the plate.

Ballgame.

Caitlin was heartbroken. She had battled all the way back from injury to play, only to lose to WB again, just like last year. She blamed herself for not making the play, on what was clearly a base hit. She was frustrated and disappointed and the tears flowed freely. As a parent, what do you tell your kid?

We let Caitlin know that we couldn’t be more proud of her. Just the fact that she was out there playing after such a serious injury made her a winner. Most girls would have written the season off and not paid the painful price to recuperate in time to play again. But “The Beast” is not ‘most girls.’

All I can say is, I wouldn’t want to be West Bloomfield when the Districts roll around again next spring.

That’s it “From the Swamp.”