Dave over at Girls Fastpitch Softball just put up a great post with a list of 10 ways to know you’re addicted to fastpitch softball. He is definitely right on! A lot of the ways come back to watching games where you have no particular vested interest — no kids playing, don’t even know anyone on the team.

I had that experience last Spring. I had gone down to the St. Louis area (Illinois side) to watch my son’s soccer team play in a tournament down there. It was close to SIU-Edwardsville, a D2 college, and was excited to learn that 1) they would be playing at home, 2) one day the soccer game was within walking distance of the softball field and 3) a couple of the games would be at a different time than my son’s games so I could stop by to watch. I got to see all of one game and part of another on Saturday, plus part of a third game on Sunday. I didn’t know a soul there, but it was fun to watch nonetheless. I even e-mailed the SIU-E coach afterwards with a tip on their opponent’s pitcher giving away her curve ball (which she couldn’t throw for a strike, at least that day).

He is definitely right. There is no known cure. All you can do is feed the addiction and hope your spouse doesn’t catch on!