New Things: Go To A Batting Cage

Each year I make a list of new things I want to try.  Some are easy, some are hard, some are shockingly mundane.  You can read about past adventures here.

 

Have you guys ever had an unshakeable sense that you’re going to be good at something?And this belief is based on, well, nothing?Despite a total lack of evidence, I’m fairly sure I’d be really good (re: not terrible) at:
1. batting cages*
2. riding a mechanical bull
3. dancing in a tiny, sparkly outfit in a Carnivale parade

So, armed with nothing more than my hubris, a friend and I showed up at the batting cages on a cold Thursday night.  Said friend regularly plays baseball, has kids in little league, and is one of those people who played varsity sports.

I was a state-level competitor in choir, dance, one-act, and speech.  And yet!  I was completely convinced that I’d be good at this.So after I dramatically posed next to a giant poster of Minnesota Twins legend Dave Winfield and found the one helmet that fit my giant head, I sidled into the cage and prepared to hit slow pitch softballs.

And you guys!  I was good!  Or rather “totally good enough to play on a co-ed softball team” as my friend said. Over the course of three rounds of batting, I missed 6 or so balls, which I felt was pretty good since I hadn’t picked up a bat since fifth grade.

Next up?  9 holes of golf.  Which, oddly, I’m convinced I’ll be bad at.

Are you athletic?  What are the things that (regardless of experience) you’re convinced you’d be good at if you tried it just once?
* Note: this is not the same as being a productive member of a softball team. I’m a terrible throw and I’m not really a team player.  There. I said it.

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6 Comments

  1. Katie Lee

    I love sports as an adult because they are the only place where you can run as fast as you can, hit as hard as you want and overall exert a lot of physical force without being socially awkward. It's great!

  2. galfriday612.com

    You look adorable at the batting cage – I'm excited to see your 9 holes of golf!

  3. Allysh223

    Two things that I crossed off my life list this year and was SURPRISED I was good at : riding a mechanical bull, and shooting (at a range). As I consider myself uncoordinated, a rather shaky hand, and blind (oh and also terrified of guns), I did not expect to be good at either. I want to try archery next!
    I took a horseback riding lesson (I've gone riding before, but only while traveling where they just sort of send you off through the rain forest with a good luck…) and tried fishing this
    year, too. I was not as good at horseback riding as I thought I would be, but I did ok fishing.

    Overall I think I'm mediocre athletically. Never the worst, but never the best- and I'm ok with that. =)

  4. Lilybet Murray

    I've always thought I would be good at tennis – this is purely based on the 2 weeks a year I spend watching Wimbledon though…

  5. Stacia, the Homey Owl

    I've always thought going to the batting cages would be terrifying. Teach me a dance, and I'm golden whatever kind it may be, but anything athletic has me falling on my face/tush and laughing at myself. Once I went roller skating and fell on my tush so many times I couldn't walk the next day. I'm slightly less terrible at ice skating.

    Golf takes practice and a deeper understanding of how to aim the ball and ball speed/the curve of the green when putting, but it can be fun. (My dad works for a huge golf company, so I spent a lot of time at the golf course attempting to learn.) I look forward to hearing how it goes for you!

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