softball

some of the coaches that I spend almost everyday with: Kinney, Orrick, Berberich

i just like this shot. the girls are warming up before the game

just a cool shot - i mean really how many times is there a hot air balloon in the air, let alone during my softball game

Ellen: our voice and our catcher. I put her picture on here because she is going through a tough time right now and is not with our team 100% right now due to somethings going on in her personal life. We miss her but understand what she is going through is more important than softball!

this is how the girls act all the time when a camera is around so i wanted to show you their real side - silly high school girl side/weirdos

Serious picture for the parents - notice how the coaches were not in the silly one :)

this bat got broken at practice while Kelsey hit an inside pitch off the hitting machine. too cool not to post it on here in my opinion. i have never seen this happen in real life, i have seen many pictures of it though.

well the softball season is almost over. it has been a difficult season. I knew it was going to be more about building up the team and not about wins. However i thought we would have at least 8-10 wins. we had tons of trouble getting multiple hits in a row or when people we are on base. so we have ended the regular season with a 2-15 record. we won our first game and our last game - ouch long season. we have gotten better and there were lots of games where we were right in there fighting the whole time. we have also had some drama - which really is no surprise I am coaching girls :). we had a pitcher quit half way through the season because we were going to move her down to JV. Yes that is hard to do as a coach, however when the pitcher is hitting more batters with the ball then they are hitting into the field it is time to do something different. Then just a little over a week ago an emotional/difficult event happened that involves our catcher emotionally. A junior at the high school tried to take his own life. his girlfriend is our catcher. the boy is still hanging on, he is in a coma. Ellen (catcher) is doing okay considering. i text her and try to help keep her chin up. she is reading the Bible - yippee, and told another player that i am her favorite adult to text. i just wish our team did not have to walk through both of these experiences I just wish sometimes i could just stop all of it and they could just practice and play softball games. however that is not what sports is all about. i am reminded multiple times of "this is why i coach" - not for the victories but for the life that happens outside of sports. i sort of wish right now i was one of those coaches that didn't care about the life/relationship part and only cared about the wins/losses. i know that wont happen I am just saying my heart would not be so sad right now if i thought like that.

next week we play our regional game on Wednesday 4:45pm at the CBAC (college Blvd. activity complex - its by Olathe Northwest) and we play Olathe East! this is the make or break it game, you lose you are done - you win you keep playing. now i am sure most of my readers do not know about Olathe East Softball - in fact i am pretty sure only 2 of you do (leah - cause i told her and she comes to my games & maybe because her sister played softball, yoh - because she use to come to my games & listens to me talk softball) So I am here to give you the facts: they have won 6 state championships (2007,2006,2005,2004,2001,1998), they are typically the best softball team around here. they have 4 seniors that are going on to play softball in college. they are just plain GOOD!! They should by all means beat us if you just compare us on paper. however sports fans things happen. for example last 2 softball seasons we should have gone to state because we had 3 division 1 softball players on our team. but we didn't - why? because we made mental errors and the underdog beat us! Also if you remember that KU men's basketball team was ranked #1 and was suppose to win the championship this year - did they NO they lost to who - an Underdog. So on Wednesday night I will be coaching first base for the underdogs! I will be praying/coaching the underdogs - however they are my girls and i think that they deserve this victory for many reasons all physically and emotionally. so yes on paper we should not win but when it comes to softball 1 little bunt, 1 overthrow, 1 pass ball can change the whole game. so yep I am praying for a victory of course and I am praying that my team THE HUSKIES show up in full to dominate the game, to not make physical or mental errors and to get more hits than the other team, and of course more runs than the other team.

LET'S GO HUSKIES!!!

Exciting

photo by Lauren Blake

So the big day is here!! My little brother has moved back home or at least for now! I am super stoked for many reasons: he will be close, he can hang out with me and/or my friends, he will be at the family events, he is cool, he is funny, it will just be plain great. He is moving home with out a job - currently- however I fully believe that the Lord is going to bless him in his boldness and give him a great job right here in his home town. So please pray that his auditions he has May 1, 2, 3 all go fantastically and he will land a great acting or technically job. There is a slim chance that he would look for jobs elsewhere if he doesn't have a job when we get back from our amazing 2 week trip to Australia, New Zealand, Fuji, and Hawaii. Even if that happens I am okay with it because he will have been here for a few months. If the Lord wants him to go somewhere else for the job of his dreams I'm cool with it as long as I get my quality Markus Parkus time while he is here in KC! I love you little bro - and WELCOME HOME!

The ball is slightly rolling

Well friends I have someone who wants to buy some of my photos. Exciting! I made some greeting cards a few weeks ago, these greeting cards are blank on the inside and have some of my photos on the front. So I took them to work and have been kind of showing them to some of my co-workers and one of them wants to buy 10 however she wants it to have my name on the back (it currently has Shutterfly on it and my name handwritten on there). So I have gotten a few suggestions on how to do that now I just got to finalize on a name. Right now I am just thinking Maasen Photography, as my mom said wow that creative. So any suggestions from my readers would be beneficial.

The Summitt

This weekend I got to go to the 1st round of the women's NCAA tournament, in Tennessee home of my favorite basketball coach. The game was great the Lady Vols won 75-42, the seats were great too: mid-court 11 rows up. Company was good: my mom, peanut, mary ann, shirley, brad, elizabeth and jason. All big hoops fans. During the second half I went with Shirley to try and get right behind the Tennessee bench to take some pictures - and we did! Nobody even asked for our tickets or anything. I took lots of time out pictures. I was so close to the bench I could hear what Pat Summitt was telling her players, I don't really remember what she said because I was so excited I was shaking. I posted a few pictures for you readers to see. It was a great weekend. I almost forgot I did see myself on TV during the ESPN highlights!!!

the Tennessee court - named after Pat Summitt

the pre game dance/huddle

a timeout huddle, I heard her coaching them so awesome

I am pretty sure she is waving at me and saying "thanks maasen for driving down to watch the game. Maybe next year we can have some dinner together and talk strategy."

after the game prayer with both of the teams

Why Do I Coach

Not because I expect you to be P.E. teachers, though some of you will be.

Not because I expect you to be coaches, though some of you will be.

Not because I expect you to play in college, though some of you will.

Not because you are Olympic athletes, though some of you might be.

Not because we will always be State Champions, though we hope to be.

Not because the competition, any competition, is the big picture, or the final goal.

Not just so you can have fun, though I hope you do have fun.

Not just so you can be entertained, though we share many games and trips.

Not just to channel your excess energy, though I will.

Not just so you are out of your parents' hair for a while.

Not because of the financial empire I am accumulating.

Why Do I Coach?

Because life is more than academics, grades, and homework.

Because you are the future.

Because the season's journey is more important than the result.

To help you find self-worth and self-confidence in all you do.

To help you develop strong character and solid ethics.

To make you believe that "Together Everyone Achieves More."

To teach you that each member of the team is significant, and everyone contributes.

To watch you grow from 6th grade runts, to graduating Seniors.

So you can have something to cling to when life is turbulent.

Why Do I Coach?

So you will always remember how to dream big dreams.

So you will experience life, learn from it, and be better because of it.

So you will learn responsibility and time management.

So you will learn sportsmanship, teamwork and cooperation.

So you will learn mutual respect and courtesy.

So you will learn the importance of commitment and follow-through.

So you will learn to face failure and humility, but not crumble.

So you will learn to show pride without arrogance.

So you will learn that disappointment and success are both part of life.

So you will know it's alright to need help and to ask for help.

So you will have positive peer group and be strong enough to stay straight.

So you will learn to trust the people in your life.

Why Do I Coach?

So you will have a way to relieve anxiety, anger and stress in rough times of life.

So you will begin good habits to stay fit for life - and always be in great health.

So you will learn how to work hard, and play hard, and have fun doing both.

So you will always know there are people who love you.

Why Do I Coach?

So you will cherish each moment, and get the most life has to give.

So you can always "Do What You Love to Do."

And because your smiles and hugs are worth everything.

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So I found this poem that someone gave to me when I became a coach. I found it and I feel like it is how I truly try to coach. Here are a few other reasons that I would like to add.

Why Do I Coach?

So you can see that people other than your parents and friends love you and want what is best for you.

So I can do my best to be involved in your life so that later on we will be friends.

Its not about the scoreboard at all it's about accomplishments.

Its really about life after sports: the weddings, the phone calls, the visits.

I love coaching way more than I love to win games.

beautythrualens

Okay fellow readers the new site is up and running. Allison, Jessica, and myself have been going out and taking pictures at different locations throughout the city. We are calling this 'beautythrualens' - anyways we have a website where we are posting these photos for you to look at. We hope that you like them and can enjoy them. If you see something and would like a print or a digital copy then just email us and we can hook you up.

How to get to the website: www.beautythrualens.tumblr.com (you can also click on the link I have on the right side of my blog page) Keep in mind we are still working out the details of the website and learning how to use it to our and your advantage.

Things you may or may not know about me

So here are some random things about me that maybe you may or may not know. Enjoy!

• I know how to juggle
• My favorite athlete is Cal Ripken Jr.
• I can ride and own a unicycle
• I am 32 years old.
• My favorite color is orange - because it is so bright and bold!
• I have been a KU Jayhawk fan since the day I was born - even though I was born in Missouri. My mom grew up in Kansas and went to KU.
• My favorite ice cream is Peanut Butter and Chocolate from Baskin Robbins. Birthday Cake Remix for Cold Stone is a very close second.
• I have a younger brother who is truly amazing and thankfully we have a very close relationship - it was touch and go there for awhile when I was in middle school.
• I never really like to run until I signed up to run a marathon in 2004-2005.
• I use to work at the Cookie Factory and Baskin Robbins. So I can decorate a tad on cakes and cookies.
• I love taking pictures. It is so fun to see things in a different view.
• I will never be able to cheer for MU even if they ever make it to the national championship.
• I think it would be fun to be a personal trainer.
• I am going to Australia this summer.
• Comfort food: cookie dough and macaroni and cheese
• I enjoy coaching softball the most.
• My favorite place to visit right now is Ann Arbor Michigan - but that will change if Yoh moves.
• Favorite vacation I have been on as an adult would be Jamaica.
• Favorite vacation as a kid would be Disneyland! We got to take the airplane - pretty cool.
• I have never been water or snow skiing.
• Every Valentines Day my dad gets me something and delivers it to wherever I am that day (home or work) - I wonder what will happen when I get married? I hope it continues I like it and look forward to it.
• I helped my dad rebuild my first car - a 19701/2 Camaro - super cool and super fast.
• I get to go to the first round of the women's basketball tournament this spring in Tennessee with my mom. Check that off the 'bucket list' next is the final four for men's!:)
• I really think that I want to look into selling my pictures.
• 2 of my roommates are under the age of 5!
• Coca-cola classic = awesomeness.