By Lisa Byers
Meadville Tribune
MEADVILLE —
Emma Parker was in the attic sorting through boxes to get ready for a yard sale at her home when she and her older sisters, Hannah and Addie, came across some old newspapers.
One of those newspapers, dated July 28, 2007, included a two-page story about Addie, the last remaining player from the Tri-Boro/Mid-East that appeared in the Senior League World Series in 2003, as she prepared for her final season with the club.
In the story, Addie and Hannah both recounted their experiences with the team, which to that point included the World Series berth and four state championships, and spoke about how difficult it was to see that chapter of their lives come to a close. The one thing Addie and Hannah had to hold on to at the time was their confidence that Emma, an outstanding player in her own right, would one day have the opportunity to write another chapter.
Emma is doing just that, though it’s a slightly different story than the one she and her sisters were hoping would be told.
Emma is a member of the Mid-East/Cochranton/Saegertown Senior League team that begins its quest for a state title Friday in Berwyn. But due to a back injury that plagued her through much of the high school season, Emma is unable to play and instead is relegated to what she jokingly refers to as the team’s cheering coordinator.
“I give everybody high fives before they go out to play,” Emma said. “I try to talk people up and try to make them better if they strike out or if they make a mistake.”
Emma was diagnosed with stress fractures in her back during the high school season. The fractures heeled and Emma was released to return to action with MECS. But shortly after her release, Emma began to experience pain again, pain that eventually led to her being removed from a game.
“The fractures healed but they caused my vertabrae to slip and caused the disks to bulge,” Emma said. “If I would have continued to play, I would have herniated a disk.”
So Emma won’t play. And that’s not something that is sitting well with the Parker family, especially Emma who has longed to help her team accomplish something incredible just like her sisters Hannah and Addie did.
“It’s terrible,” Emma said. “Just terrible. I could help out with pitching. I don’t care if I play out on the field. You can never have enough pitchers. I could help out pitching at least. I would just like to help the team instead of sitting on the bench.”
Then again, Emma would prefer to be sitting on a bench than not experiencing it at all.
“This has always been my dream to be a part of something like this,” she said. “My dad always said, ‘Maybe you’ll get to the World Series on day.’ Maybe I still will.”
Emma has a doctors appoint scheduled for Aug. 4 and she could be released to play. But Emma doesn’t see herself back on a softball diamond anytime soon.
“I’m so far behind,” she said. “They’ve been practicing for months. They are so far ahead of me. I wouldn’t be doing them any good.”
Her real hope is to continue to mend and then begin physical therapy so she can be ready in time for volleyball season. For now, Emma will be in the dug out, coordinating cheers and doing her part to lead her team to something special.
