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Day 17: Practice & BBQ
SOUTH BELOIT (Illinois) / BELOIT (Wisconsin) / SYCAMORE (Illinois) - On Day 17 of this trip, the Dutch National Softball Team had another practice and conditioning session scheduled.
Initially, the pratice was to be held in SportsCore One Stadium, the home of the Rockford Thunder (our opponent this week).
However, the field wasn't available due to flooding as a result of heavy thunderstorms, which hit the area last weekend.
The team therefore even went to another state to conduct the practice, which was held in Turtle Ball Park.
This softball-field is located in Beloit in the state of Wisconsin, some 10 minutes drive from our hotel, which is located in South Beloit in the state of Illinois. As mentioned before, our hotel is situated on the border of these two states.
While weather has been unfavorable shortly before we arrived in the area, today was a beautiful day with a blue sky and sunny.
Today, Darwin Tolzin came to the field to be with the team as its batting practice pitcher.
Darwin, who was the Head Coach of Dutch big league-team Terrasvogels in 2006 and was the Pitching Coach with the Dutch National Softbal Team during last years European Championships in Amsterdam (Netherlands), was greeted warmly by the players and staff.
After completion of the practice, the conditioning session was held and then it was back to the hotel.
In the afternoon, the team traveled to Sycamore (Illinois), as it was invited for a barbeque at the home of Darwin's son Jeff.
After a drive of about one-and-a-half-hour through the green acres of Illinois, the team arrived and enjoyed the evening at the Tolzin-family, which we thank for their hospitality.
Besides have great food, games could be done, autographs were handed out, photos were taken and a local newspaper-reporter held some interviews.
Later in the evening, we learned that tomorrow's game against Rockford Thunder had been postponed, as the field in SportsCore One Stadium remained unplayable due to the weather conditions of last weekend.
Oddly enough, it was not possible to find another playing site for Wednesday's game, so it was re-scheduled for next Saturday as part of a double-header.
The teams arrives at Turtle Ball Park for the practice
The warming-up
Coach Linda Wells hits grounders to the pitchers
1B Kim Kluijskens, who celebrated her birthday yesterday, catches a ball
2B Marjan Smit covers
Head Coach Liz Kelly hits grounders to the infielders
The team welcomes Darwin Tolzin, who threw batting practice
Darwin Tolzin in his wind-up during batting practice
Here is where the team practiced today
Nina van Huissteden turns to bunt
Players are getting ready for the conditioning drills on a beautiful day
Britt Vonk performs a running drill
More drills are being done to conclude today's training session
The road to Sycamore with a lot of green acres
The team is welcomed by Darwin Tolzin and his family
Specially made cakes for the Dutch Olympic Team
A lot of food was available for everyone
Darwin Tolzin himself handled the barbeque
Jolanda Kroesen, Chantal Versluis (on the left side), Rebecca Soumeru,
Lynn Geertman and Noémi Boekel enjoy dinner
Did Petra van Heijst ate too much cake, or....?
More photos from the barbeque
Go back to the schedule of the 2nd USA Tour
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