Posted: 6/13/02

Full Count: Softball team strengthens Stennes-Rogness

Berk Brown
Sports Editor

Even though the softball season has been over for a couple weeks now, Forest Lake coach Sue Stennes-Rogness is still in the midst of this seasonís biggest battle.

Just as the season was beginning to take shape, Stennes-Rognessí father Les suffered a pair of strokes, throwing a series of curveballs into an already demanding season.

Most every day during the softball season for Stennes-Rogness was crazy. As the only child in the Twin Cities to help care for her parents, Stennes-Rognessí typical day consisted of an early-morning alarm, a full day of teaching, coaching softball and late evenings at the hospital followed by a handful of hours of sleep before starting the cycle over.

The experience only strengthen Stennes-Rognessí deeply rooted faiths and beliefs. It also allowed her an opportunity to see a completely different side of her softball players.

ìMy strength, some of it came from adrenaline, but more importantly it came from knowing that people were praying for me and my family,î she said. ìIt uplifted me and I feel like peopleís prayers made the biggest difference.

ìIím grateful to God for every day, one day at a time. Whatever I need for each day, it has been there.î

Just like her players were for her during the season.

ìMaybe Iíve been able to help them see that life is so much more important than this awesome game of softball,î Stennes-Rogness said. ìBesides (the players) obviously caring, they were supportive of me and Iíve seen growth in their perspective of life.î

Ordinally, Les would have been at quite a few Ranger games. Heís a fairly regular at home games and usually makes the trip from his south Minneapolis home to the Richfield and Holy Angels tournaments.

Most often, Stennes-Rogness said, the first thing Les asked from his hospital bed was, ìHow the Rangers doing?î

The time crunches also made Stennes-Rogness give up on some superstitions, such as always riding the team bus. In fact, one moment during the whole ordeal nearly started a new superstition.

After a long night at the hospital, Sue went to get the car from the parking lot to take her mom ñÝRachel ñÝhome. With everything on her mind, Stennes-Rogness forgot her mother in the Minneapolis hospital lobby and got all the way to Roseville before realizing it.

She quickly turned around, picked up her patiently-waiting, 82-year-old mother and took her home.

The next day, Forest Lake got a much-needed win over Roseville on the softball field.

Then, the night before a big softball game against Hastings, Les suggested to Stennes-Rogness that she leave Rachel in the lobby, drive to Hastings and come back to continue the winning trend. Stennes-Rogness declined.

Although there were times Les nearly lost his life, he never lost his sense of humor or passion for Forest Lake softball, which helped Stennes-Rogness move forward.

But mostly, Stennes-Rogness said, it was the escape from the real-life battle that softball and her team gave her which provided the most important outlet.

The game between her father and the strokes he suffered isnít over yet, but Les is ahead and looking strong. Heís a man who has made a big impact in Stennes-Rognessí life and in the world as a translator largely responsible for putting Fulani, a trade language used by several African tribes, into written form ñÝincluding translating the Bible.

As much as this experience has helped pull her family closer together, it has also reinforced Stennes-Rognessí belief in the character of those in her softball family in Forest Lake.

ìIíve been strengthened by their kindness,î she said. ìThe softball community really takes care of each other.î

On ñÝand more importantly ñÝoff the field.

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