Yes it is also Easter so happy Easter to all.
For anybody reading this from another land outside of Australia or New Zealand, ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps after the Australian and New Zealand forces who were sent to Turkey in WWI in an attempt to take that country as an entry into Europe for Allied troops. This was ultimately a failed campaign which lead to the deaths of many Australian and New Zealand forces but it was the first war Australia had entered as a new nation who became federated on 1 January 1901. This campaign came to form a very large basis for who we are as a nation. ANZAC Day came to be as it was 25 April 1915 that Australians landed at ANZAC Cove in Gallipoli. ANZAC Day is now always celebrated on 25 April and is not only to be celebrated as a remembrance Day for troops of that campaign but also to remember Australian's who fought for our country in any war. It is a particularly proud day for me. Not only does it tug at my patriotic heart strings but I also had a grand father who was incredibly dear to me who fought in the 2/28th Battalion for Australia during the second world war against the Japanese in New Britain.
Grandad, you are remembered fondly, every day.
Later on today, there will be the traditional ANZAC Day game of Australian rules football between Essendon and Collingwood at the MCG in Melbourne. There will be about 100,000 people at the game not only due to their love of the game and either team, but also as a tribute to ANZAC Day its self. I am going to miss it, but oh boy do I wish I was at least watching it on TV somewhere.
But instead I am on a bus on the way home from State College, Pennsylvania where we today beat Penn State in both games of a double header! However let me retrace my steps a bit...
Yesterday was seniors day at Longwood Softball Stadium. Our under classmen did a great job making it a wonderful celebration for our 6 seniors, with balloons, signs and other tributes. All of the girls parents, friends and family came from far and wide to see their girls play, as well as many of the parents and friends of the under classmen also. Before the game began, there was an introduction ceremony and presentation of gifts to the 6 seniors. Each of them walked out onto the field with their parents, to a statement about them as a person and as a player over the loudspeaker, where they were greeted by coach and the Athletic director and presented with a couple of gifts. Those gifts included a framed picture memorial and lovely ring. The rings were very feminine and not like the big bulky things you normally see. I really thought they were beautiful.
Once the ceremony was over, each of the 6 mothers of the girls threw out the ceremonial first pitch to their respective daughters. It was a really nice ceremony. But then it was time for the real business.
We were playing Liberty College which is a Christian school from the next town over and quite the rival. I was impressed with the ceremonies, but worried that they may create a difficult emotional situation. But the fact is it truly inspired our girls to go crazy. We won the first game 6-0 and then the second 2-1. I was incredibly pleased with their efforts and praised them for keeping their emotions in check and having such a great day to commemorate the seniors. I also praised our pitcher Bri for throwing two complete games and only giving up one run. I also pointed to our centrefielder Kammy who got on base every at bat for the day. She had been in a major slump for weeks, but over the last two weeks had worked so hard on her own to get her groove back. I pointed to her as an example to the underclassmen of how hard work really shows through on the field. Everyone was pretty chuffed with that.
It was after the game I found, well, interesting. As Liberty is a Christian school, I was surprised still to find both teams gathering in the middle of the field. Curious I joined hands with two Liberty people, coach and player. The head coach then began a prayer session!!!! Now I appreciate the prayers for mine and my teams safety as we traveled to Penn State, however please don't force your beliefs on me. Just because you have a divine faith in something, that does not mean that I do and should not have that forced upon me. I certainly did not force my beliefs on them. It is also said that their coach ran around after last year telling anyone who would listen that we were a dirty team. Now he wants to pray for us. Spreading rumours to other team does not appear very Christian to me. But I did respect their beliefs, so please in future, think about mine.
After the game we had a picnic. On seniors day it is traditional that the mothers of the seniors provide a picnic for the team and spectators. The tucker was amazing. I ate like a pig and then felt yuck for it ha ha. Then it was home for a shower and then back to the field for 8pm where we jumped on a bus for the ride up to State College. Before leaving I asked the bus driver how long the ride would be. He said 5 hours. One, two, three, four, fives hours, O.K we'd get into our hotel at 1am.
It was about 1am that we hit a detour sign saying the bridge was out up ahead. Pretty soon we were driving down roads that I am sure did not have big coach type buses in mind when they were built. Think American Warewolf in London, merky and misty narrow roads, trees on both sides of the road and the proverbial bridge out horror film scenario. I was honestly waiting for vampires and warewolves to come running out onto the road! I closed my eyes and hoped for sleep. At 0430hrs, we pulled into our hotel!!! Opps sorry, nope not our hotel, our hotel is across the road! So the whole team were back on the bus again. Coach quite rightly told the team to get their sleep in, get up at 1030, leave the hotel at 1100hrs.
I may have got to sleep by 0530 and got some sleep. When I woke up I did wonder how the girls would go today if they felt anything like I did! But I have to tell you, they were awesome! There have been some proud moments since I have been here, however after that first game I was the most proud of them I have been. After everything, including making sandwiches on the bus on the way to the field as breakfast, we beat Penn State 5-3 in 8 innings. Our home run hitting machine Brooke Short hitting her 16th home run in extra innings. This girl could play for any team on the planet, she is that good.
I was a little worried for the second game as they had begun to get hold of Bri a little in the first game, but she just powered on in the second game and we won again 3-0. I told them after the game about my pride as well as the fact that after weeks of talking to them about the mental side of the game, today they did not wait for someone else to take the reins, each of them took responsibility when it was their turn and did what was needed. Brilliant!
I have also provide pictures below of Penn States new $10.4M field, which just opened for this year. Just gorgeous and probably the best i have seen.
So after two great days of softball, we are now back on the road and heading home. So far so good except for the poor deer we hit a while ago. Lets hope for getting in at a more reasonable hour!
D
By the way, you can double click on the photos to make them bigger.
6 posters prepared by the underclassmen to commemorate the 6 seniors
The team awaiting the entry of the 6 seniors. Seniors and parents in the dugout.
Our 6 seniors with their parents posing in the middle of the diamond. By the way please do not underestimate the primping that goes on for these games. Make-up and hair preparation very important.
Our 6 seniors
The team waiting for the National anthem.
The 6 mums throwing out the first pitch.
A view of Penn States field looking out to the basketball stadium on the right and the 80,000 seat football stadium on the left. Our team int he outfield.
The field looking from the outfield in.
The building above the dugout contains, change rooms, personal shower rooms and coaches offices. The cream building to the left is an indoor hitting facility. The NE of the USA is very cold during winter as well in March and April for the beginning of the season, so NE teams need good indoor facilities.
Our door training facility with coach and Kayla throwing batting practice.
The Penn State 250,000 electronic scoreboard.
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