We did a Mother’s Day blog but ran right through Father’s Day. I was in Missouri for Father’s Day but no worries – I remembered a gift.
I was watching a Rockies game and they were talking about how baseball is still the American pastime and I can’t say that I disagree. In fact, I might completely agree. They said something about looking back and remembering baseball games with Dad, and I have a lot of those memories. There are so many that I have a hard time narrowing it down to just a few. I remember, very clearly, going to the All Star game when it was in Denver. We went to a lot of Sky Sox games where he taught me a lot about baseball and how to do the score sheets. I can remember him teaching me how to catch a pop fly and a grounder and the always helpful line: “keep your eye on the ball” after getting hit in the face.
My dad has never declared himself a fan of a specific team. I think, maybe, that’s one of the coolest things about watching sports with my dad. He knows the Rockies, but he also knows the Cardinals, the Yankees, the Cubs, the Red Sox, and everyone else. He can talk to you about Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Dexter Fowler, but he can also tell you anything you want to know about Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose.
But my dad doesn’t just know baseball. He knows hockey, football, basketball, volleyball, softball, and soccer. He taught me all about wildlife and gun safety. Some of my favorite days with my dad are out in a field with him and our dogs. While some people have a problem with hunting and guns my dad taught me to not be afraid of guns and how hunting isn’t mindless shooting of hundreds of animals. When CSU threatened our right to bear arms last year, I was furious. People are so afraid of guns because “they kill people”. No, they don’t, but you can’t just leave the safety off and play around with it and expect to walk away with no one hurt. They are dangerous when you put one in a dumbass’s hands. As far as hunting goes, how was that hamburger you had for lunch?
He is also an amazing cook. His steaks are the best steaks I’ve ever had. Seriously. I don’t know how he does it, but they are awesome, all the time. Obviously, we are not a vegetarian family and it’s completely unanimous. Politics are a different sorry. While my dad and I have different views when it comes to what party we’re with, I love having debates with him – especially at the dinner table, where my mom hates it.
My dad supported me in everything I wanted to try. He suffered through tap classes when I was little, he watched me play soccer, hockey and volleyball games even if I wasn’t very good, and he even watched me coach a little last year. He always made it to everything he could, and still makes it to anything important. He taught me how to be competitive. I can remember, when I played volleyball and hockey, how he always said to play every game like it was my last. He has taught me a lot of things, but I think this might be one of the more important, because I get to pass it on to the girls I coach. I get to look them straight in the eye and tell them that I have nothing to regret when I look back on the time I played because I played my heart out at all times. He was right. One day, it all comes to an end. When it comes down to it, though, I have him to thank that I don’t regret anything. He pushed me to be my best 100% of the time, and still does.
My dad didn’t go to college but he’s one of the smartest people I know. If he doesn’t know something, he goes and learns about it and he is never shy about sharing his knowledge, but he’s also not afraid to say he doesn’t know. Whether it is cooking, politics, sports, or life, he’ll tell you what he knows. He’s a very proud man, and I’m proud to be his daughter.
-Katie
