No Ordinary Family
A Sisterhood in Softball
by
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In the rural southeastern corner of Arkansas I have found a story that I thought could only be found in Hollywood; well, the Hollywood of the Golden Era. Something in the tale seemed too good to be true; but fortunately it was true. This is the story of a small group of young girls, their parents and a town that has adopted them. These girls have found that being a team is more important than being individual stars. They are loyal to their communities. They have become a family and they simply love to play softball. The girls are called the Arkansas Playmakers; and they are the subject of this book. Friendship among families, heartbreak, youngsters being youngsters, daughters and that special tie that they have with their Dads – and the joy that comes with finally winning the big game – are subjects of the story that is the Arkansas Playmakers... This story is about what makes the Playmakers a special group of young ladies – a rare story of winners on the field and away from the park. Yes, they have won trophies and they win a lot of them; yet, the team is a winner because of who the girls are and who their parents are and their brothers and sisters. In and of themselves the girls, their families and parents are ordinary. There is nothing wrong with being ordinary. There is something to be proud about when you work 40 plus hours in a week, bring home an honest paycheck as a mother or a father and are there for your children. There is something to be proud about when you go to class, share laughs with friends, enjoy athletics, tease teammates and share special moments with one’s brother or sister. No greedy agents or players, no obnoxious fans or a win at any cost attitude can be found in the world of the Playmakers. “I’ve been fortunate,” Coach Todd Callaway said. “I’ve had a good group of girls.” OK, a motel door may have been broken, tears of joy and disappointment shed and learning hard lessons in life at too early an age may have taken place; however, the creation of a family that shares special moments is as important a story as any high-priced soaper or modern-day tell-all filled with drugs, sex and abusive parents. There are still stories in sport that tell the story of team and family. This is one of those stories. This is a story about Aubree, Miss Lissa, Kenzie, Kelbe, JadaBo and Destiny (D Bo to her coaches). It is a story of fathers and daughters. It is a tale about a brother and his twin sister – and her friends. It is a story about long drives. It is about Katie, Ashleigh and Kayla. It is a story about a week in Colorado. This is a story about the family I call the Arkansas Playmakers.
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About the Book
"No Ordinary Family," is a story, a true story, about young girls that came together and played softball as a team called the Arkansas Playmakers. I had a fellow author read an early copy before it was sent to the publisher. I asked him to look it over and then get back to me with ways the manuscript could be improved. He had many good ideas, and I hope I was able to implement them to his satisfaction. However, he had one question? Were these girls real? Yes. "Their names, too?" he asked. Yes. The story is real, and unlike "Dragnet" the names were not changed. I did not know what I was getting myself into when I chose this assignment; but, I hope everyone that reads this book will come to understand that not everything has to be a soap opera or a world of drama queens. There are parents that coach hard, but remain parents and see the world as one of many colors not just black and white where winning is everything. Fortunately for the Arkansas Playmakers, the parents and the girls have come together to form a unique family that lives, loves, plays and enjoys life together. This book is their story. It is a story of a brother and a sister, girls that came together to form a team but eventually became sisters first and foremost, the bond between softball fathers and their softball daughters and what makes a team a championship team (on and off the field). It is about how a team became part of a small, rural community in the southeastern corner of Arkansas. I hope those that read this book, find it enjoyable and worth your time and effort.
About the Author
I have been a journalist, mostly in the field as a newspaper reporter, for three decades. My expertise is in the area of hard news reporting, but I have been able to expand into feature writing, sports reporting and investigative journalism. Currently, I am a staff writer for the Ashley News Observer, an author and the editor/publisher/photographer for an on-line website about high school athletics. As a former sports writer and sports editor, I have had the opportunity to cover college sports, international track & field, professional athletics and high school athletics in additon to writing personal profiles and feature articles. My news background includes coverage of Hurricane Katrina, the BP Oil Spill, congresional elections, business and finance, tornadoes, an extremely rare winter blizzard in Georgia and the daily activities that range from the police beat to covering school boards and city councils. However, I have always wanted to step out and offer glimpses into what makes the South - a place where I have lived ever since I was 3-years-old - a special place to live, work, eat and enjoy life. I have written about Delta blues, Louisiana jazz, Georgia politics and rodeo. Yes, the South is a rodeo hotbed and Southern Rodeo is as American as the rodeo one finds in Colorado, Texas or Las Vegas. This book, "No Ordinary Family," is a refreshing look at a group of young ladies that are typical of what you will find in rural Arkansas. I got a chance to step away from writing about hot-button issues, crime and punishment and politics when I chose this assignment; and when I did I got a chance to enjoy a unique look inside the world of girls' softball. But, this book is less about the sport and more about the girls that came together as a team and as a family. I hope you enjoy my look at the Arkansas Playmakers and the girls that wear the team's Green-and-White uniforms.