Second half of China trip

Team TFS International traveled to Xishuangbanna in the southwestern part of China.  The weather is warm and tropical.  The area was beautiful and the people very friendly.  These are panoramic photos that were taken from the baseball tower.

The complex that we stayed at is called Xishuangbanna Nanjing New City Sports Competition and Training Base in Yunnan, China.

We stayed in a villa and had access to a weight room and had a softball field all prepared for us.  The Chinese National Softball Team comes here to train.  They are trying to encourage more teams to come and train here in this beautiful paradise.

More Photos of Chinese Pro Games

In Chinese Softball game you bow to the opposing team and bow to the umpire to show respect and honor.

Alicia at bat

This team was the Tianjin team.  This is the only game we won.

This team is GuangDong and said to be the most difficult team.  Their coach " Coach Wendy" did not like our coaches.

Visit to 2008 Beijing Olympic Softball Staduim

This is what the 2008 Olympic Softball Stadium looks like now, after only four years.  It was really sad to see.  They are turning it into a baseball field because we were told softball is not as popular.

This is TFS International on the infield ground of the stadium.  We even took our positions and pretended we were playing there.

This is a picture of the dugout, where the construction workers have made their homes while they are working on changing this peace of history into a baseball field.

This is the inside of the dugout and example of what the construction worker's homes look like.  Many of the workers travel from outside of Beijing to work in Beijing because they are so poor in their area.

Can we ever get softball back as an Olympic sport.  I brought the donated softball equipment with me and have made two contacts in China that will help get it to young children that want to play.

Games in Beijing China

The first picture is of TFS International Softball team with the Beijing Pro Team.  They were our first game.  Their pitcher was a 34 yr old former Olympic player.  There are only about nine pro softball teams in China and the National team picks the best players from those nine teams.  Some teams have more players on them than others.

This photo is of Alicia warming up with her Chinese teammate whom is 23 yr. old and attends a University in Beijing.  This field was artifical tuff and the balls slid very quickly across the field.

Returned from China.. So much to tell

Alicia just returned from Beijing, China on August 17th, where she played and trained on the TFS International Softball team.  This photo is of their first day of practice on August 1st.  The team was made up of American girls and Chinese girls.  Communication was a big part of learning to play together.  They stayed at the Muxiyuan Sports Technology School for most of the trip.  That is a Chinese sports school that families give their children over to the sport and the child stays and trains there.

On August 3rd and 4th the TFS International team played two games each day against Pro Chinese teams that came from different parts of China.  The Beijing team had a former Olympic pitcher that was 34 years old on the team.  The Chinese National Team is made up of the best players from the Pro teams.

More information and pictures in Upcoming posts.

Campbell University scrimmage schedule

8:30   SPIRITS VS KNOCKOUTS

10:00  KNOCKOUTS  VS  WILDCATS

11:30  SPIRITS   VS   CLIPPERS

2:30  WILDCATS  VS  DIAMONDS

4:00  DIAMONDS   VS  CLIPPERS

Campbell University Softball team

Beijing Softball Schedule

Alicia Daly leaves for Beijing China on July 30th.  Here is her softball schedule for the first several days there:
3Aug 9:00---11:00 Guangdong VS Tianjin
14:00---16:00 Beijing VS Team TFS International
16:00---18:00 Sichuan VS Team TFS International
4Aug 9:00---11:00 Sichuan VS Guangdong
14:00---16:00 Tianjin VS Team TFS International
16:00---18:00 Guangdong VS Team TFS International

After speaking with Coach Bastian, we found out the these are Pro Chinese softball teams and some of the teams may have Olympic players on it.
We just got the following information:

The following statement to all TFS China Trip participants has been issued by Coach Bastian:  

"Per Chinese Softball Officials request.

Non Coaching and or Players. 

May not be allowed to attend and view and TFS China Trip Games or events that Include Chinese Leaders, Coaches and or Players."

The Chinese thought is was funny that the American parents want to come to see how their children play.  In China if your child is chosen to play for your country, then you hand them over and don't know how they are being trained.  So Alicia's mother and brother whom will be going on the trip with her will not be able to watch the games.



Alicia will also be playing this Saturday at Campbell University.  Coach Peterson requested scrimmages between the Wild Cats, Knockouts, Spirits Fastpitch Black 18u and the Greenville Diamonds.