I think its always interesting to hear from the parents' point of view - especially when the player is someone like Kylie. He gave me permission to share his post here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kylie Aldridge… where do I even begin? This four-year journey of following you across the country has come to an end, and your mom and I couldn’t be more proud. We’ve watched you grow from a small, somewhat fragile freshman into a strong, confident young woman. Thinking back to when you first picked up a softball at your mom’s and sister’s games, who could have imagined it would lead us here? Playing Power 4 softball is something only about 0.5% of athletes in this country ever get to experience. Along the way, we’ve watched you grow not only as a player, but as a leader. Kellie and I want to thank everyone who has played a role in Kylie’s journey. From coaches to teammates to supporters—you’ve all made an impact. Despite one Division I assistant coach who was recruiting her saying she’d never play at Virginia Tech. Kylie went on to have an incredible career as a four-year starter at Virginia Tech. A special thank you to Coach Pete and Coach Mike. Kylie loved playing for you both and was fortunate to have you throughout her entire career. In our opinion, you do an outstanding job developing players both on and off the field, rather than relying on the portal. With mine and Kellie’s over 60 years in high school athletics, we know how rare that is—Virginia Tech is lucky to have you. We understand that coaching is the one job that everyone can do better than those who do it for a living. The support staff has been second to none, and Hokie Nation has embraced our family with nothing but kindness. The motto “This is Home” couldn’t be more true. Over these past four years, Virginia Tech has truly become home for Kylie—and for all of us. Her teammates and their families have become part of our extended family, and those relationships will last a lifetime. A special shoutout to Chip and Bonnie Grubb for their unwavering support, and to Arthur—the biggest Hokie softball fan out there. We’ll definitely miss those “Let’s go Hokies!” chants. To the parents out there pushing their kids in sports, remember this: softball is something they do—it does not define who they are. What these young women put their bodies through to compete at this level is something most people will never fully understand. Kylie has played all four years at Virginia Tech with a Lisfranc fracture in her foot—an injury that was originally misdiagnosed her senior year of high school volleyball. The pain worsened each year, and for the last year and a half it became extremely difficult. After games, she’d immediately put on a walking boot. This past season, the pain caused other issues, including severe tightness in her IT bands. Hopefully surgery will not be needed. The only good thing to her season being over, is a chance for body to heal up. I know she is tired of being in pain. On top of that, she battled through a broken wrist fall of her junior year, multiple concussions her sophomore year, and even had ribs popped back into place before the Baton Rouge Regional. Through it all, she never complained—she just kept showing up and competing. Her accomplishments speak for themselves:• 2x All-ACC• 2x NFCA All-Atlantic Region• 4x ACC All-Academic• 3x Easton Academic All-American• Swofford ACC Postgraduate Scholarship recipient• 3x Softball Scholar Athlete• Virginia Tech Golden Gobbler Award winner. But more important than any award—she’s an incredible person. Kylie, thank you for allowing us to be part of this journey. It’s been an honor to watch you chase your dreams. So what’s next for Kellie and me? Hopefully, before too long… spoiling a set of twin grandchildren. And as for Kylie—stay tuned. We’re hoping to have some exciting news to share soon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks, Vernon, for becoming part of the Hokie family and for sharing your incredible family with us.