Royals 2012 Fantasy Camp!!!

Re: Royals 2012 Fantasy Camp!!!

Good luck! I have always wanted to do one of those with the Pirates, or Steelers. I used to play sports up until my junior year in college, then "retired" from competitive scholastic sports. Though I continued going to the gym and lifting & swimming, age sucks!

I am now at the end of my 30s, much like yourself, and found out after joining a summer baseball league and a company softball league that being strong and fit does not account for: A) Older reflexes B) Trying to compete with guys who could be your kids C) PAIN.

It's not so bad now as the season/s progress, but before that I got skinned/blistered hands from hitting, a ball off the infield that bruised my calf and a bruised thumb and knee. All within the first month

!

Like Indiana Jones said, "It's not the years, it's the miles".

In January 2012, I will be fulfilling a decade-long promise to myself to attend and participate in a Royals Fantasy Camp. I purchased my spot in the Royals Fantasy Camp through the silent auction at a charity fundraising event (the price I couldn't pass up).

My participation is a bit tenuous due to some old injuries and ailments. As a child I had Perthes Syndrome, which essentially is a loss of blood supply to the hip which resulted in a weak and somewhat under-sized femural head. In high school, I fractured a piece off of my femoral ball and I have been living with pain and arthritis ever since. I have recently been consulting with surgeons on a full hip replacement. After the hip replacement, my doctor is strongly recommending I not play softball or baseball. Therefore I am kind of looking at this as my one chance to fulfill my desire to play in a baseball fantasy camp.

Also, I have what is referred to as a "snapping scapula" in my throwing shoulder. Basically the shoulder blade grinds, pops, snaps and there is significant loss of strength and range of motion to go with the pain and discomfort. I have been to two doctors so far and neither has been able to determine the cause for my snapping scapula. A third doctor is scheduled and hopefully we'll find a good treatment.

So now you know I am a 37yo with the hip and shoulder of a 65 year old. With luck (cortisone injections and pain killers), I hope to be able to hobble and limp my way through a week of baseball and not embarrass myself too bad.

Stay tuned. More to follow as I will track my progress in this thread from today through Camp which runs January 30 - February 3.