My last practices

So when I was in college, the last practices were always either the most fun or the most intense. I say that because if coach was trying to take it easy on us, we had a much more laid back attitude and just had fun doing what we knew how to do. BUT if coach was especially pumped up for Conferences or displeased with a performance we had, our practices were always CRAZY intense. At any rate, I always looked forward to the last practices of the season because everyone was on the same page aiming for the same goal and just enjoying the last chances we had to come together as a team.

Here in Sweden it's the same, but at the same time totally different. We are all coming together realizing that we only have a limited number of times that we will take the field together be it at practice or during a game. While I love that feeling of comraderie, it's a little bittersweet. I know that personally I only have one more practice with this amazing team and 2 possibly three games left to play. The most awing fact of it all is that of those 3 games, I will only pitch 1 due to the regulations placed on international players. While I obviously play my hardest where ever I'm asked to play, the circle is my home. Knowing that I only get to take the field as a pitcher one more time is so emotional. Is it the end of my career as a pitcher? HECK NO! I've still got all my wonderful students back home I get to pass pitching on to. Is it the end of my career as an active pitcher? I'm afraid so. Knowing that, I'm even more pumped to take the mound! Here are the two circumstances under which I'll take the field: should we lose the first game, I get the opportunity to pitch the game that will hopefully keep us in the championship and force a 5th game. If we win the first game, I will be lucky enough to take the mound and hopefully lead the Saints to a Swedish Championship. In either case, I am incredibly stoked to step on the field as a pitcher one more time!

Enough with the emotional mumbo jumbo, back to the topic at hand: practice! Today's practice was awesome, and not just because it was a great practice. We got to practice under a rainbow!!! :) Ok, call me a nerd, but when was the last time you practiced your favorite sport under a rainbow? It really as a great practice! Henke and Jimmy, two of our baseball players, and Mattias, the Swedish National Team coach, came by and helped us out today. Mattias took the outfielders and worked with them while Henke and Jimmy drilled the infielders. I just have to say that I am happy I don't have to play against those guys! Good grief do they hit the ball hard! But hey, they made sure we could field... now just to remember how to do that when we're playing... that's the trick!!!