Instagram story viewer> @jairagarlock> Tagged
POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED
dear bandits softball,

you started when i told my dad i was tired of playing in house because some of the girls on the team never really wanted to play. my dad pulled some strings and found you. i was so excited, especially when i found out the team was pink. yes the brand was going downhill but that didn’t matter at the time because by the end of the year at state, we got 3rd place. 

i stuck with you for a few years but heard that another team was “better” so i tried it. i didn’t like it as much so i came back because wearing pink was something that was made for me. wearing pink i felt a pride and confidence in myself ive never felt with anything else. 

then my dad became the president of the brand. building it around me, making it better, winning tournaments back to back. we’ve shared blood, sweat, tears and i stuck with you because you’ve all i’ve ever known. i’m never been the type to give up just because it gets hard. 

i’ve made so many good lifelong friends throughout the years while playing on the bandits. even on opposing teams. i’m so grateful for all of them. 

it never occurred to me throughout all the years that i would have to give up the bandits jersey one day. i do think throughout all of those years ive taken it for granted and i do regret it. but i don’t regret never giving up on you. never once. 

it also never occurred to me that my last game playing in my bandits jersey was july 24th, 2026. after my final game, it hit me hard. it was hard to hold back my tears watching my dad start to cry. everything has to come to an end eventually, i just didn’t think it would be this soon. i never thought this would one day be a distant memory. 

i’ve loved playing in pink since i was 10 years old. i regret a lot of things but i will never regret putting my pink jersey on for the first time. i hope one day i can come back and coach. maybe my daughter will play on my first ever travel team one day. whatever happens, i’ll always have a spot in my heart for the bandits. i really don’t think this is a goodbye, it’s a see you later. 

and even throughout all of these years, i make the same exact face every time i pitch. 

once a bandit, always a bandit. 🩷
33
🎇🌭250🇺🇸❤️
22
Same time next year? @tailgatentallboysbloomington
31
back to up