Konnichiwa!
Another week full of experiences and getting a bit of a taste of the pro season.
We played 10 games since I wrote the last blog and we are going up and down. We beat the number four of last years season, but then also lost to a university team. But overall making progress I would say!
I got to pitch in 3 games, and my hitting finally starts to get to the right timing resulting in a home run?! I did fail to put the sacrifice bunt down though, so definitely not where I need to be yet.
After the weekend with four games, the Monday and Tuesday the local TV was at practice to record some promotion videos. Tuesday after practice it was time for a quick shower and then a 3 hour drive to hotel with a dinner on the bus. Our team lunch/dinners are provided in a handy box, including rice, vegetables and some meat and/or fish and of course a bottle of green tea!
The next morning it was time for the second part of the drive, 2 more hours to the field. Then warmup, two games and a short practice before heading to the new hotel. A Japanese style hotel this time. I spend about 5 minutes looking for my bed and then figured out it was not there yet, and it would be prepared on the ground after dinner.
There were more teams staying at the same hotel so we all had dinner and breakfast together. After the physio I ran into two of the American players playing here, and we had a fun chat about softball, Japan and of course the Olympic games. Being here and getting this new experience makes me even more excited. It was kind of strange to just talk ‘normal’ english after a while. My team does understand a little bit of english, but I have to speak in a funny easy way, so strange how the brain adjusts so quickly haha
On Friday we had the last two games before heading back to Ogaki, this time a one time drive. Sleep, music and some chatting with the Netherlands make the bus rides pretty nice. We have a big team bus where everyone has their own seat and outlets, so enough space and entertainment.
Saturday morning it was time for some fitness, before we got our one day off of this month?! After the session I went home, took a shower and started on my walk to the mall. I did some grocery shopping, which takes me over an hour here trying to find out what I am actually buying, and then headed back with a nice iced coffee. The walk is about 30 minutes through Ogaki with a beautiful view, so it feels a little bit like vacation.
Today I baked some cookies, made a big cup of coffee and had a nice morning chilling in my bed, before…………… Tomo arrived!!!!!! Yeahhhh. Ellen will arrive this Tuesday and then the team is complete, ready for the season!
Only two more weeks.. which also means I have been in Japan for almost two months. It definitely has not been easy, but it has been such a good experience.
Next week I will introduce Team Minamo to you before we are headed into the season!
Now step 10 of the pitching. It is about the drag foot not being an actual dragging foot. The legs are still the strongest part of our body so we need to try and use them as much as we can, so no leaving behind. Push and push, make that butt work :)
