Watched US Olympic team last night

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May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
We were lucky enough to score 4 tickets to go see the US Olympic team play the Stratford Brakettes last night.

Gorgeous night! My daughters got up yesterday AM and that's all they could talk about.

Brakettes were 40-0 going into this game with only a couple of runs scored against them all season.

Finch pitched (Abbott warmed up a couple of times). USA won 7-0.

I know that you read how tall they are...but in real life ...my girls were awestruck at the height....the spped of Lowe an others getting around the bases......much more vivid in real life!

Autographs after were a nightmare...parents teach their kids the worst behaviors..line jumpers, saving a spot for eight people...etc....
My 10 year old wanted Monica's autograph picture...got that....My 12 wanted Cat's...got that....that was all we could deal with due to the behavior of people.

But at the end of the night they were very happy!

What a great experience!
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,132
113
Dallas, Texas
I saw the US Olympic team play in the Atlanta Olympics. Like you, it is hard to appreciate their size, speed and quickness until you see them. Bunt coverage is simply amazing to watch.

My favorite memory: There was a runner for China on 3rd and another runner at 1B. The runner at 1B took off for 2B, and the US catcher lookied at the runner at 3B, and then threw the ball to 2B for the out, while still staring at the runner at 3B.
 
May 9, 2008
443
16
Hartford, CT
US Olympic

My daughters were both amazed ...
really funny to see them next to Cat and Monica....they looked so tiny.

The Brakettes let a phenom High School pitcher pitch ...she was about 5'6" ...
(Mazuk) got pounded pretty good...but really amazing talent.....couple of years of college and she will get some strength maturity....be watching for her in a few years.


They are so fast, field quickly...just amazing the difference in real life...lost on a tv....I loved watching Lowe....Fernadez....gosh!
Small field so we were pretty close to first base....typically seats 1800....3300 for last night.

So glad we did that!

Although we did not go to My DD's 9/10 4th Sectionals All Star game ... told the coach when he signed her up that NO Way on the 20th...he said Ok (no problem).....but was not happy when we actually did that.
Got about 20 e-mails in the past two days about it.....

All she talked about for days was going to see the Olympic team ... she took the catching position because they had no one and has literally helped win their games throwing out 4 people in game 2.
She HATES to catch (she's super at it, though)..but did it because the team needed her to.
We figured that she worked hard and should not have the Olympic game taken away from her.....they are a good group and will do well for years to me...they are 9!


We were also sitting next to a team of Eliminators (16U?) and she liked watching them as well! Too funny!
 
Jul 28, 2008
18
0
finches camps

last yr. my dd and i attened a j. finch camp in williamsport, pa. the memories my dd has from those 2 days will stay with her for a lifetime. got to meet jennie, vandergeest, lowe and others i cant remember. some of the drills they were teaching were everyday stuff, but just being able to sit with jennie and hold her gold medal did wonders for my dd's motivatition. as for her size, my dd is all of 5 ft and jennie is like 6'2, the tv just doesnt do these fine atheletes justice. jennie put on a live pitching demo, in which we were standing less than 5 ft from at the time, truly the eight wonder of the world. so fluid yet so fast. i would honestly be jumping out of the box before she even released the ball.
we are planning to attend the same camp this yr in sept.

great experience for a younger player and parents
 
Jul 17, 2008
65
0
in the dugout
that's awesome. i would love to get to see jennie finch pitch up close.

i have seen monica abbott pitch on a couple of occasions when UT played UK here. 70mph is something that you have to see up close to fully appreciate. she also dwarfed the other players.
 
Jun 2, 2008
62
0
We are fortunate in Florida. We got to see Team USA play 4 times over the summer. Additionally, my daughter attended a camp hosted by Michele Smith with Cat Osterman and Crystal Bustos over the holiday break - unbelievable. They are personable, and willing to talk with the girls. Crystal was so nice, and Jessica Mendoza is an absolute professional, kind and caring. We could not have picked a better team of ambassadors to represent the USA at the Olympics.

Go TEAM USA!!
 

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