Dutch Women Softball Team

2011

USA Tour

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Dutch Team conducts first practice in Florida

Nederlandse tekst

CLEARWATER, Florida (USA) - The Dutch National Softball Team on Tuesday, March 1 conducted its first pratice session at Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex in Clearwater. Initially, the team was to practice in the morning, but that was cancelled due to rain.

Peter Schuler, who lives in Clearwater and supports the team these days, informed Business Manager Rich Hooff around 8 AM that practices was cancelled due to the rain. This meant that the team had some additional hours to rest after Monday's long travel day, resulting in a short sleep, as the team arrived at the hotel at 2 in the morning.

But luckily later in today, the weather improved and it became sunny and hot. Therefore, the team held its practice session in the afternoon after enjoying a self-made lunch. Earlier in the morning, the staff shopped to pick up items for the lunch, which tasted very good. The bag with the bats still didn't arrive today, so the team borrowed bats from a local team to use during the practice.

In the evening, the team had it's dinner at Marlin Darlin and then it was back to the hotel, arriving there around 9:40 PM. And that concluded another long day, so everyone went to bed early and get a good night's sleep, as the team will play it's first of at least 14 games on Wednesday-evening. The Dutch squad then will meet the Wolverines, the team of the University of Michigan.

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Where is the team at the moment?

The Dutch Softball Team is currently in Clearwater, Florida. Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg with a population of around 110.000. Clearwater originally was the home of the Tocobaga people, the name of a chiefdom during the 16th century in the Tampa Bay-area. The town was located at what is now known as Old Tampa Bay. Due to illness (some of which were related to diseases brought to the country by Spanish and other European explorers) and other factors, the Tocobaga culture declined severly in the 17th century and disappeared in the 18th century. Around 1835, a fort was constructed overlooking Clear Water Harbor, named after William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States (who, by the way, was preceded as President by Martin Van Buren, who was of Dutch descent). The name Clear Water is believed to have come from a fresh water spring flowing near where the current City Hall is located. On May 27, 1915, Clearwater became a city and became the seat for Pinellas County. During World War II, Clearwater was a major training base for US troops who were assigned for duty in Europe and the Pacific.

En route the the field for the first practice

(photos taken by Nathalie Franssen)