Married To Baseball

Home Turf.

Jailyn~

Tying up my cleats for what very well could be my final game ever as a member of this team the room is almost silent. Everyone's nerves are through the roof right now, Maddy, Carly, and I being the only members of this team being in this position before. Everything we've worked for this entire season comes down to today's game. Having a second Olympic Gold medal would be incredible especially if this does end up being my last game ever. As much as losing today would absolutely fucking suck, it's been an incredible season with this team. No matter the outcome today, it's been a damn good season for everyone.

Watching everyone finish getting ready I stand and go to the center of the room. "Alright, gather around!" I call out getting everyone's attention. Maddy and Carly are the first ones over and I wrap my arms around them starting off the huddle, they're the only ones that know what today could very easily be for me right now. Both of them hold their arm around me tightly letting me know they're here for me right now.

Once everyone is in the huddle I start the little speech that I've got for them right now. I'm not going to psych them out by telling them it might be my last game, but I need to say something. "Well look at where we are today," I start off, "In the clubhouse waiting to take the field on the Olympic Stage to compete for another gold medal for Team USA. I know a lot of emotions are going into this and there's a lot of pressure on us right now because of the expectations people have for us, I just want you guys to know that no matter what happens out there today. I'm proud of who we are as a team. This season has been more than I could've ever asked for and it's been one of my favorites. Carly, Maddy, and I are obviously the only ones who've been here before and we know how daunting this is. I swear I like blacked out for most of the competition in Tokyo eight years ago," Holy shit I'm old.

"Yeah and then tore your Achilles," Maddy comments making me laugh at the jab, "Don't pull that shit again bro."

"I don't plan on it asshole," I respond as all the girls laugh with us, "But anyway, I just want all of us to go out there and play like we have all season. We've won seven World Championships straight. We go out there and play like we've been this whole season and I have no doubt we'll be sporting some shiny new gold medals in a few hours. Regardless of what goes down today, I've loved being a part of this team, and you all should be incredibly proud of everything we've accomplished so far." Pausing I look around at all the girls and smile before finishing off the huddle, "Alright, now let's go kick some Japanese ass."

I put my hand up first before very quickly being joined by the rest of the girls as we all chant, "USA" getting hyped to hit the field for the last time this season.

We take the field for warm-up to the absolute roar of the LA stadium filled to the brim with fans for this gold medal game as 'Formation' by Beyonce plays through the speakers while our Hype video plays on the video-board overhead. I gotta say this one was probably my favorite that we did. All of us got formal dresses to wear in the shoot to just pop off showing all of our strengths. It's absolutely badass and arguably the most fun I've had doing any campaign shoot. I take a second to take this all in. We've had incredible turnouts for games before, this, however, is completely unreal. The sheer amount of people packed into the stadium right now to watch is, wow. We gotta put on a show for them now.

After warm-ups, we're lined up on the baselines in front of our dugouts. As the home team, we're along the first baseline and Japan is lined up along the third-base side. The announcers in charge of today's game call off Japan's line up first, each girl turns and gives a wave to the audience here today before it's our turn. The atmosphere completely shifts from respectful sportsmanlike cheers to almost pandemonium as our team is announced.

We went in order of our batting order today meaning I was third to be called. Nat was called and she waves before I hear over the speakers, "Number thirteen, Jailyn James-Yelich!" By the end of my name, you can barely hear it over the absolute roar of the stadium. The only thing I even think this remotely compares to is the first game at Miller Park when Christian signed his extension. I step forward and wave to the one side before turning around and waving to the opposite side a massive smile on my face. Fuck I'm going to miss this shit.