Many parents try to be as supportive of their children's sports endeavors as possible. Once their child enters college, it can become very problematic, as the athlete can travel to a school on the other side of the country in some cases.
This can create an interesting situation for both the parents and athletes, as both are accustomed to the parents attending the vast majority of games. This can also make parents' visits very special for athletes who rarely see their parents.
This weekend, freshman Amanda Montalto's parents, Danny and Renee, flew from their home in Las Vegas to watch the Ball State University's four-game home stand.
They picked a great weekend to visit.
On Saturday, they watched their daughter hit not only her first collegiate home run, but her second as well. Montalto ended the day going 4-for-5 from the plate with six RBIs and a pair of runs.
Todd Montalto said he and his wife try to come as often as they can. This weekend was the second time they have made the roughly 2,000-mile trip. They plan to attend the Mid-American Conference Tournament from May 6-9.
He also said he loves to make the trip because he can tell how much his daughter enjoys her time at Ball State and that her experience is something she will never forget.
"It's worth every penny, as far as flying out here from Nevada," he said. "It's an incredible experience just watching how much she really loves playing for Craig, Steph and Cubs, as well as the team itself."
This weekend was very special for Amanda Montalto, not because of her home runs or her parents visiting, but because they happened to be during the same weekend.
"The first thing that went through my mind was, 'It's about time,' and the second was, 'Thank God my parents are here to see my first career home run,'" she said. "They have been there through everything and just for them to see it, it means a lot."
Montalto's parents weren't the only to make a long venture to see their daughter this weekend.
Jen Reifschneider's parents made the 12-hour, 750-mile drive from Wichita, Kan., to Muncie for the home stand as well.
On Friday, they were able to watch as their daughter hit her Ball State single season record-tying eighth home run.
"It's important to come watch her, and it feels good to watch your child succeed in life and reach and exceed their goals," father Todd Reifschneider said.
This will be the last time the Reifschneiders will be able to attend a game this season, but said they plan to travel to Muncie for more games next year, which will be Jen Reifschneider's senior year.
The Montaltos and Reifschneiders aren't the only parents to make the trek to Muncie. Many of the parents have been able to attend games, some driving only an hour and others, like the Montaltos, fly in to see their daughters play.
For Todd Montalto, he thinks the travel time and cost are well worth it to see his daughter play.
"I don't think if she wasn't enjoying herself, she wouldn't be doing as well as she is," he said. "It can all be attributed to the coaching staff and her teammates."
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