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Day 9: Practice, Massage & Shopping
SENDAI CITY / KAMI AYASHI, AOBA-KU, SENDAI-SHI (Japan) - On Thursday, the Dutch Olympic Softball Team went back to the field for its fourth practice in four days. In the afternoon, the team was off.
At the Miyagi Hirose Ballpark, the team today focused on defensive drills and Physical Therapist Rob Oskam held a conditioning session afterwards.
Back at the hotel, the team had the day off after lunch, so some of the players went shopping, while others took a massage in one of the closeby shopping malls.
In the evening, before we had dinner, there were some golden Dutch moments on television.
One of the Japanese TV-channels showed a history documentary with Olympic judo-highlights and so there was Anton Geesink winning the Gold Medal during the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Nowadays, Anton Geesink is a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Later in the documentary, there was also a golden moment for Dutch judoka Wim Ruska.
By the way, yesterday-evening, there were highlights from a performance in Australia of Dutch violist André Rieu and his Orchestra.
So, home was closeby on Japanese television.
In the evening, the first of two annual All Star Games in the Japanese Major League (Nippon Professional Baseball) was played in the Osaka Dome in Osaka.
Trailing 4-3 in the home of the ninth inning, the Pacific League scored twice and won 5-4 vs. the Central League.
The winning run was scored on a single by 39-year old pinch-hitter Takeshi Yamasaki, who plays for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, which has its home in 'our' city of Sendai.
On Friday-evening, the All Stars meet again in Game 2, to be played in Yokohama.
The regular season will resume again next Sunday.
On Friday, the team will return again to the field to conclude a week of daily practices.
On Saturday, an additional game has been scheduled, as the Dutch Team will meet the team of Tohoku Fukushi University, which last weekend also played a game against the Canadian squad.
Waiting in the lobby before leaving to the stadium for practice
As always, practice started with a meeting
The players warm up with Physical Therapist Rob Oskam
Coach Rob Walgien celebrates his victory in 'The Fungo-Battle'
Coaches Rob Walgien and Mary-Ann Hatt hit grounders during an infield-drill
Daisy de Peinder fields a ball at third base
Marjan Smit catches a ball, playing in the outfield
Outfielders Marloes Fellinger, Saskia Kosterink and Jolanda Kroesen in action
Catchers Ellen Venker and Nathalie Timmermans receive a throw from the outfield
After practice, Conditioning & Strenghth Coach Rob Oskam holds a conditioning session
Petra van Heijst crosses the line in a running-drill
...And so does Noémi Boekel
A view in the entrance hall of the Miyagi Hirose Ballpark
Kim Kluijskens and Jolanda Kroesen wear the cool-vests afterwards
Coach Linda Wells wants 'to buy something' from Kim and Jolanda
After practice, the team went back to the Koyo Grand Hotel
Above the hotel-entrance, the Dutch and Japanese flags are waving
Marjan Smit, Ellen Venker and Daisy de Peinder
make an appointment for a massage
What is there to buy?
To buy or not to buy? That's the question
In the back, Kim Kluijskens already made her choice
Noémi Boekel and Nathalie Timmermans also made their choice
Daisy de Peinder and Ellen Venker enjoy a massage
Coach Rob Walgien also will experience a strong massage
The shopping mall close to the hotel
Go back to the schedule of the Japan Tour
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