Saturday, September 26, 2009

Email from Ed…Sept 25, 2009

We received this email this morning from our son-in-law regarding our granddaughter, Lindsey. We are so proud of you Lindsey and LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!!

Ed’s email….

Hey,

Ok…I couldn’t sit on this anymore…I have to share it.

Last year soon after the 2008 Finch Camp, Lindsey wrote this essay (see bottom of this email) for school. As she’s always inspired to support her, my wife Jenny took the letter and forwarded it on to the Director of Communications of the International Softball Federation (ISF). Who had a very nice reply (see below). Well…this week received a letter back from Don Porter – he’s the ISF President. And…the best of all at the end below is a scanned copy of a letter from a member of the International Olympic Committee – it actually mentions Lindsey by name. Please take a moment and let these soak in. It’s a good reminder of how one little essay can make a piercing difference.

And…I can’t forget here’s Lindsey with Jennie Finch (yes that’s from tonight’s dinner).

I hope you enjoy this light read,

Coach Ed

lindsey_Jennie finch

FYI--Jennie Finch is one of the greatest softball players and Lindsey sat with her at the banquet preceding the Softball camp in Folsom, CA.

Jenny’s email about Lindsey’s essay…

Hi Mr. Wawrzyniak,

I am writing to you to share with you what an impact softball has been on my 11 year old child. She has been playing competitive softball for 1 year. She has always been an average student and an average athlete. She was always sincere in her relationships with others, but lacked a genuine spark that compelled her to try harder. This is a report she wrote for school last year. Please consider how the decisions that are made for the future of softball have lasting repercussions for the young student athletes just beginning to realize their dreams. Please consider this when the vote for allowing softball back into the Olympic games is considered. Thank you. See report below:

Please feel free to forward this to the appropriate person, if needed.

Sincerely,Jennifer Fenton

Here is Lindsey’s essay…

My Dream Come True

By Lindsey Fenton

10/23/2008

My heart wants to be an Olympian, not any Olympian, a softball Olympian. I have put many hours into softball; it takes a ton of commitment. If I could have the chance to win a gold medal, it would be a dream come true. Because of softball I’ve learned to try really hard at things like studying.

I have put time and effort into softball. From learning new things or reviewing old things, I do my best. I take hitting and catching lessons, also I play year round softball. I’ve put at least 350 hours into practicing and playing softball. I wouldn’t be able to live without softball, I love it!

Winning a gold medal is something I could only dream of. Being up on the podium with your teammates getting gold medals together, it would be outstanding. I would use the medal and my stories to inspire young children to follow their dreams.

Softball has taught me to try hard in school and on the field. I have great grades and I try my best in all things that I can. I know that you need good grades and a good attitude to make it through college and to make it on the Olympic team. I know one day my grades will count.

I hope one day I will be able to succeed in my dream. I know that you have to put in effort and time to succeed. I want to know what it feels like to win a gold medal with my teammates. I know that if I do well in school, that I will have the outstanding ability to be able to play on the field without worrying about school because of all the discipline I will have already developed on and off the field.

From: Bruce Wawrzyniak Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 7:34 AM
To: ejfenton

Subject: RE: Future of softball

Dear Jennifer:

Please accept my sincere apologies. You sent the email below one month ago and it was brought to my attention today that no one ever responded to you.

You'll be interested to learn what transpired with your email, however. Upon receiving it I'd immediately forwarded it to our president. I knew he would want to read such a touching email. In a box on his desk, he keeps all of these that we have gotten over the last few years, using it as his motivation to continue steering the efforts to get softball back into the Olympics. He, in turn, forwarded the email on to a number of people that have been involved with our BackSoftball campaign.

It is (keeping alive) the dreams of young girls like Lindsey that we are fighting for. And even though the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board last month put forth golf and rugby (and not softball or any of the other candidate sports) for the October vote on which sport(s) will be added to the 2016 Games, we still haven't given up our hope and our efforts to see our sport restored to its rightful place on the world's stage.

So thank you for having sent this to us and please know that we admire and appreciate your daughter's passion for softball.

Sincerely,

Bruce R. Wawrzyniak, Director of Communications International Softball Federation (ISF)1900 So. Park Road Plant City, FL 33563USA

www.internationalsoftball.com

From: Don Porter Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 6:16 AM
To: ejfenton
Cc: Bruce Wawrzyniak
Subject: Lindsey's Letter

Dear Ed and Jennifer:

I am contacting you after having received yours’ and Lindsey’s memos, to first thank you for taking to write and for Lindsey’s expression about her “Olympic dream”. We have passed on Lindsey’s memo to members of the International Olympic Committee in our continuing efforts to bring the “Olympic dream” back to young athletes like Lindsey and others around the world.

I am forwarding to you one of the responses we received relative to the letters.

Personal regards.Don E. PorterISF President

olympic

1 comment:

Kat said...

Wow!

Related Posts with Thumbnails