The Final Inning: Grit, Glory, and the Gift of the Game

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There's a bittersweet beauty in watching a chapter close, especially one that's been thirteen years in the making. Sitting alone in the bleachers after my daughter's high school softball awards night, tears streaming down my face, I found myself overwhelmed not with sadness that it was over, but with profound gratitude that it happened at all.

This journey through softball fields and dugouts has taught me far more than how to keep score or pack the perfect game day snack. It revealed profound truths about perseverance when facing challenges like flooded fields and tough seasons. It demonstrated how true leadership isn't about wearing a captain's badge, but about the energy and encouragement you bring to others. And most powerfully, it showed how attitude becomes the ultimate game-changer – not just on the diamond, but in life.

From watching my daughter draw dragonflies in the dirt to honor her grandmother, to celebrating that game-winning home run bunt, each moment built toward something bigger than trophies or statistics. Whether you're a parent approaching the end of a childhood chapter, a leader navigating team dynamics, or someone simply trying to play your best game in life, these lessons resonate: grit wins long-term, teamwork multiplies strength, your attitude is your superpower, and the small victories deserve celebration too. The final scoreboard doesn't define success – the heart you bring to the game does. Share this episode with someone standing at the end of their own meaningful chapter, and remember: though seasons end, the impact of how we live them endures forever.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi friend, welcome to Holly's Highlights, a podcast
designed to encourage, inspireand equip you to intentionally
live your life full of purpose.
I'm your host, holly Kirby,motivational speaker, leadership
cultivator, marketingstrategist and personal
cheerleader.
Let's check out today'shighlights.
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(01:07):
Foundation.
Hi friends, today's episode is atribute not just to a game, but
to a journey 13 years in themaking, to a young woman who's
hung up her cleats and to everyparent who's ever stood or sat
behind the fence, heart pounding, cheering on their child.
I recently watched my daughterplay her last high school

(01:28):
softball game as a senior.
And not just any game they madeit to state.
And as I sat in the bleacherscheering her on, I saw more than
a player on a field.
I saw a young woman who's growninto quite the leader, a
fighter and an inspiration toall who know her.
The very next day, we had hersoftball awards dinner and it
marked the final chapter ofsomething that has shaped our

(01:50):
lives for over a decade 13 yearsof softball, 13 years of
practices and late nights, gamesnacks and countless hours spent
under the sun.
After the celebration, I foundmyself back at the field,
sitting in my seat, the one I'veoccupied for four years of high
school games Just me, the emptydiamond and that setting sun.

(02:12):
And, to my surprise, as I satthere, feeling the soft breeze
of the evening and watching thesun go down, just kind of
reflecting on so many games atthis field, so many memories,
tears began to stream down myface, not only because it was
over, but because I was sograteful that it happened.
I just sat there crying out toGod, overwhelmed with

(02:34):
thanksgiving for every cheer,every heartbreak, every moment
of joy and even frustration.
For every inning I watched herpour her heart onto that field.
For the friendships, thecoaches who believed in her, the
teammates and the families whobecame community.
For my dad, who so supportedlysat by my side and so proudly

(02:55):
would get down on a knee tocapture footage each time she
was up at bat so that he couldthen send her the footage with
some tips for the next game.
Oh, my tears of Thanksgivingturned into moments of worship
as my prayers of gratitudetransitioned to songs of praise.
There's a Bible verse that'sbeen echoing in my heart lately
that may resonate with you, andnot just for parents and the

(03:17):
bleachers but for anyone who'spoured themselves fully into a
season of life.
It's Ecclesiastes 3.1, where itsays to everything, there is a
season at a time of everypurpose under heaven.
The season, this beautiful,unforgettable season, is now
ending, and endings are hard.

(03:37):
I think of a few episodes hereon Holly's Highlights that I
just may have to re-listen tomyself, such as Embracing
Emotions with the Seven Dwarfsin season five, episode 13.
And of course, those post-eventblues in season four, episode
25, and even how to deal withgrief, season three, episode
four.
The ends, as hard as they maybe well, they also make space

(04:02):
for new beginnings and that'sthe hope that we can hold on to.
You know my daughter's freshmanyear in high school.
We were just trying to get toknow things the expectations,
routines, how things are done,where we fit into it all.
Then that second year seasoncame, and that second season
raised the bar for perseveranceand teamwork and showing up when

(04:23):
it mattered most.
That second year, her sophomoreyear, was rough.
The field flooded, and not justwith rain but sewage, and it
flooded again and again andagain.
The grass had to be dug up andnew grass put in.
It was horrible.
It was like playing in theweeds.
It just wasn't even safe.
Then, to make matters worse,the school administration who

(04:44):
was put over this was retiringthat year and honestly, he gave
off the impression to the teamand us parents that he just
didn't even care.
So the entire season theyweren't able to play a single
game on their field, not asingle game, including that
year's senior night for thosegraduating.
It was so sad.
We lost funds as we couldn't dobanner sponsorships for the

(05:05):
field.
We weren't able to operate oursnack shack.
Costs increased as we had tospend more on buses to get the
girls to other fields to playwhere what should have been our
home games.
It was rough, but this wasn'tjust a season, it was a journey,
one seemingly built on grit.
That year her team faced thosefield setbacks, but also

(05:27):
injuries, as some girls were outfor a bit with concussions and
other injuries.
There was the rough losses andthen just some tough competition
.
But you know, they didn't quit,they leaned in and they
practiced harder.
As legendary coach Pat Summittonce said, it's not what you
achieve, it's what you overcome.
That's what defines your career.

(05:48):
Well, you might not be dealingwith a flood or an injury, but
whether you're on a field, in anoffice, building a business or
even raising a family, there arefour things, I think, that we
can all take away from the field.
First, grit wins long-term.
You know, studies show thatgrit, defined as passion and
perseverance for long-term goals, is a better predictor of

(06:11):
success than talent or IQ.
Angela Duckworth has doneextensive research on this
subject and she reminds us thatpassion for your work is a
little bit of discovery,followed by a lot of development
, and then a lifetime ofdeepening, followed by a lot of
development and then a lifetimeof deepening.
This is not a sprint, but it'sa marathon, just as my
daughter's time playing thisgame was a 13-year journey.

(06:32):
We dive deeper into goalsetting in season two, episode
one.
But might we not forget thatgrit wins in the end?
Second, leadership is influence,not a title.
Although my daughter playedcatcher and was designated
co-captain, she didn't wear acaptain's badge for all to see.
Rather, it was herencouragement, her example, her

(06:55):
energy that made her a trueleader.
We take a deeper look atleadership styles in season five
, episode three, and we talkabout how to be a leader.
Others follow in season one,episode three, episode three,
and we talk about how to be aleader.
Others follow in season one,episode three.
But then John Maxwell says theability to influence those
around, to reach above andbeyond what they think is
possible, is what makes greatleaders.
So don't wait to be given atitle to be effective.

(07:18):
Third, teamwork multipliesstrength.
You know a solo home run isgreat.
Teamwork multiplies strength.
You know a solo home run isgreat, but softball, like life,
is one in doubles, assists andthe energy of everyone pulling
in the same direction.
Some of the most powerful playsI saw were when the team band
together to support each other.
You know, playing off eachother's strengths and knowing

(07:39):
each other's weaknesses so thatthey could be there to back them
up.
Just as the saying goes,teamwork makes the dream work.
Cheesy, yes, but ever so true.
And fourth, your attitude isyour superpower.
There were games they shouldhave lost, but her positivity
kept the dugout alive.
There was one game specificallythat I recall, where my

(08:02):
daughter hollered at the dugoutand some parents thought she was
asking for water.
However, what she was holleringwas for the girls in the dugout
to get up off their hineys, toget excited and have some energy
, and cheering on all the girlswho were on the field, because
she knew their attitude couldimpact that inning.
That's not fluff, that's fuel.

(08:23):
Now, if you're navigating yourown final innings in something
perhaps a chapter, closing achild, graduating a project,
wrapping up, here are fivethings to carry with you.
One celebrate the small wins.
Along the way, you know they doadd up to the big ones those
base hits, the stolen bases, thehigh fives and even the

(08:43):
strikeouts.
Every moment counts.
Every memory is a piece of yourstory.
So don't wait for the big winsto celebrate.
Zechariah 4.10 says do notdespise these small beginnings,
for the Lord rejoices to see thework begin.
Number two keep showing up whenit's hard.
Grit grows when it's tested.

(09:05):
Now I only missed one game in13 years and that was to care
for a loved one.
But the truth is, being thereisn't just about geography, it's
about presence In life, in love, in parenting.
Be all in, not just on thesidelines, but there in the
thick of it, whether it'scheering, driving, organizing,

(09:25):
volunteering or simply listeningafter a tough loss.
When we show up with our wholeheart, god meets us.
There.
We talk about the gift of beingin the present in season three,
episode 26.
But then Colossians 323 remindsus whatever you do, work at it
with all your heart as workingfor the Lord.
Three surround yourself withpeople who push you and believe

(09:48):
in you.
There was a moment my daughterlost her love of the game, but
when she had someone step in whoshowed her she believed in her.
Well, she seemed to be revived.
Just as Proverbs 27, 17 assuresus, as iron sharpens iron, so
one man sharpens the countenanceof another.
Four play your game.

(10:09):
Stay true to your strengths andyour style.
The field has taught her and me,if I'm being honest about
discipline, perseverance,teamwork, grace under pressure.
Softball became more than justa sport.
It became a classroom ofcharacter, and we talk about how
to be a leader of character inseason one, episode five.

(10:30):
But then Romans 5, threethrough four does say that we
rejoice in our sufferings,knowing that suffering produces
endurance and endurance producescharacter and character
produces hope.
And finally, don't miss the joy.
This season, this moment, itonly comes once.

(10:52):
Joy doesn't always come introphies or top rankings either.
Each and every game I soaked itup, although sometimes I joke.
The game could be finishedearly, with a third inning ahead
by 15 rule or the fifth inningahead by 10 rule.
But the truth is I could havewatched her play all day, every
day In fact.

(11:12):
The first three years of highschool I attended both the
varsity and the JV games.
Psalms 126.3 says the Lord hasdone great things for us and we
are filled with joy.
These aren't just lessons forathletes, my friends.
They're truths for life.
I was blessed with many joysthroughout the years watching my

(11:34):
daughter play.
Some tops from this year aloneinclude her home run bunt that
won the game.
Finally capturing her on video,drawing her tribute of a
dragonfly in the dirt during agame as she thought of her Momo,
my mom, who passed away fiveyears ago to glioblastoma brain
cancer.
But one I will cherish the mostis after her final game, making

(11:57):
her way through the crowd tocome and embrace me in the
biggest hug.
In that moment nothing elsemattered.
It wasn't about the win or theloss.
It was about love, connectionand the quiet ways our children
show us how much they'rewatching, how much they care.
That hug meant the world to me.
That moment meant everything tome, and it's a memory I'll

(12:21):
carry with me long after thisseason.
So to the parents still on thestands keep going, keep cheering
, keep praying.
These days are fleeting, buttheir impact is forever.
This time is sacred.
And to those whose final outhas already come and gone, like
it has for us, know this thelegacy doesn't end at the last

(12:44):
game.
It lives on in the characterwe've shaped, the love we've
shared and the memories we'vemade.
And now to my daughter, gatorGirl, from the first tee ball
swing to your last at bat, fromputting on your first catcher's
gear you got after a funshopping trip with your uncle,
to being a fierce competitor atstate, where we both came home

(13:05):
with quite the sunburn, might weadd.
It has been my greatest honorto be your mom, your biggest fan
and cheerleader, your biggestbeliever.
Sweetie, you've played thisgame with your whole heart and
with quite the hustle too.
You've inspired me with yourgrit, your grace and your growth
.
You taught all of us watchingmore about giving it your all

(13:28):
and leadership than we everexpected to learn from the
bleachers.
Watching you grow up on thesefields has been one of the
greatest joys of my life.
And though the season has endedand this chapter is closing,
know this what you've learnedwill take you places no
scoreboard could ever track.
I will always be in your dugout.

(13:49):
I will always be in your corner.
I will always be cheering youon, no matter where life takes
you.
Baby girl, I have known sinceyou were a little girl at age
three, asking me why God made mein charge that God had amazing
plans for you.
As one of your favorite Bibleverses, jeremiah 29, 11 assures

(14:10):
for I know the plans I have foryou declares the Lord plans to
prosper you, not to harm you.
Plans to give you hope and afuture.
So walk into the next chapterwith your head high, your heart
open and your faith strong.
The game may be over, but thenext chapter of your journey is
just beginning.

(14:31):
As coach John Wooden said,success is peace of mind, which
is a direct result ofself-satisfaction and knowing
you made the effort to becomethe best of which you were
capable.
Friends, whether you're raisinga child, leading a team or even
chasing a dream, remember thisthe final inning doesn't define
the game.
The heart you play with does.

(14:52):
So.
Go play your game, leave it allon the field and savor every
swing.
Thanks for joining me today.
If this episode touched yourheart, would you please share it
with someone who needs theencouragement, perhaps someone
who is standing at the end oftheir own chapter?
And to all the athletes andparents wrapping up a season
well done.
You've already won more thanyou know, and until next time,

(15:16):
keep enjoying your journey, stayrooted, stay grateful and keep
showing up.
Thank you for joining me onthis journey of life.
I hope that today's highlighthas been encouraging, inspiring
and equipping so you can go outand live your life full of
purpose.
I'd be honored if you'd take amoment to leave a review or,

(15:37):
better yet, subscribe.
We can also stay in touch byjoining my email list at holly
kirbycom.
That's H O L L Y C U R B Ycom.
Until next time.
Make it a great day for a greatday.