Felts at the plate in a doubleheader against Herrenberg.
Meredith Felts, who ended her JMU softball career in May, continues her playing career in Germany. She shares her experiences with her journal below.
Journal Entry 3 - July 14, 2009
Most European teams bring Americans over with more purpose in mind than just playing the game. Because we have been around the game of softball for a longer period of time we are also brought over to help teach and coach the younger generation of players. My roommate, Brittany, and I along with Fridi (one of our catchers) serve as coaches for the Junior team and the 2nd team in our organization. We conduct practices two days a week and they play single games on the weekends, usually before our doubleheaders. In addition to these practices I have an extra practice on Wednesdays for the pitchers. Some of the girls are just learning how to pitch while others have been throwing for years. Helping coach the teams and the pitchers has definitely put my teaching skills to the test, but I’ve already seen improvements in some of the girls, which gives me more confidence.
Munich Team
My team continues to have success, as we clinched the South Division this weekend with a sweep over the Herrenberg Wanderers. We have two more regular-season series left. We play the fifth-place Karlsruhe Cougars this weekend and have to make up a doubleheader with the Freising Grizzlies that was rained out two weekends ago. Freising is a town close to Munich, so half of the team took the opportunity to tour the city on the day of our rainout. Once again I got to see some amazing churches, one which had a tower which was open to the public to climb. Seeing as how our game got rained out our coach thought climbing the many stairs of the tower would be a good workout. Needless to say we were tired when we got to the top but the views were absolutely worth it. However my favorite part of the day was eating lunch at the world renowned Hofbräuhaus, which is a brewery owned by the German state government. It’s known for its one-liter glasses of their own special brew of beer and locals dressed in traditional wear.
Munich Town Hall
The end of July brings a break in our season before the playoffs begin the second week in August. Most of my teammates are also on the German National team and will be competing in the European Cup held in Spain. My roommate and I took advantage of this off time and have planned a trip from July 20-25 where we will travel to London, England, Olsow, Norway, and Dublin, Ireland. My parents also arrive on the 25th and then we will travel to Paris, Normandy Beach and Belgium.
The Tornados
Journal Entry 2 - June 25, 2009
After a little over a month living in Germany, I now appreciate having a car back at home more than ever. I knew before I came to Mannheim that my main means of transportation would be a bike, which I was nervous about. The only bike I had ridden in the past four years was a stationary bike in Godwin Hall. I have to admit the transition from car to bike has not been as difficult as I thought it would be. The German streets are small and crowded with parked cars and streetcars, which makes navigating on a bike faster and sometimes easier than if we had a car. Our apartment is a 20-minute bike ride from the gym and the field and 10-minute ride to the shopping district in Mannheim. If my roommate Brittany and I need to go anywhere else our teammates are happy to give us a ride or we take the streetcars which stop all over the city. Riding a bike does make you a little more aware of the weather. There have been multiple occasions where rain has caught me by surprise and had to ride home soaking wet.
Sharing times at a team cookout.
I’m happy to report that over the past two weekends we went 3-1 and still remain in first place in the league with an overall record of 14-2. Although the level of competition is not as strong here as it is back in the States, I’m still having a great time playing with the Tornados. There is a league rule that states there can be no more than two foreign players on the field in the first game of a doubleheader and foreign pitchers may only throw during game two. So I usually pinch hit in game one to allow Kristin, their long-time American player, and Brittany, my roommate, to be on the field at the same time. Game two is when I pitch and there can be two foreign players on the field in addition to me. So far I’ve thrown 18 innings allowing 3 runs, 10 hits, and I’ve struck out 24. I’m also doing well at the plate hitting .444 with two doubles and a home run through five games. Our next games are June 26 against the Freising Grizzlies.
The Home Field
My tourist adventures have also continued over the past few weeks with another visit to Heidelberg to do some shopping and a trip to Frankfurt, the financial center of Germany. Our coach, Michael, and his girlfriend, Karin, were nice enough to allow Brittany and I to tag along on their day in Frankfurt. The main reason for the visit was to see the Deep Sea Exhibit at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum. We spent about three hours touring the exhibit and main museum before we headed towards the center of Frankfurt. Here I was lucky enough to see Saint Bartholomeus’ Cathedral, which is one of the most beautiful churches I’ve ever seen. It was constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries and after it was destroyed by fire in 1867 it was rebuilt to look like it does today. We also saw the Römer, which has served as city hall for over 600 years. When we decided to eat lunch at an outdoor café we got more than we bargained for. Because of the recent election turmoil in Iran there have been demonstrations all over Europe including one in front of city hall the day of our visit. There were over 200 people with signs and flags chanting and talking, demanding that something be done about the outcome of the election. I’m slowly learning that there are more cultural differences than I initially thought, and I’m gaining a better understanding of the diversity that I’m surrounded by everyday.
Meredith pitching in a doubleheader vs. the Karlsruhe Cougars.
Journal Entry 1 - June 9, 2009
First and foremost I want to thank everyone for making my four years at JMU some of the best years of my life. I could not have asked for a better academic, social or athletic experience. Even though I’m half way across the world, a part of my heart will always remain in Harrisonburg with my teammates and friends that I’ve made along the way.
When I first picked up a bat and glove at age four I never imagined where it would take me. I’ve played all across the United States and now I’ve journeyed across the Atlantic to Mannheim, Germany to extend my softball career. I remember the day I got the phone call from the coach of the Mannheim Tornados offering me the final foreign player spot on the roster. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so many emotions at one time. I was excited to extend my playing days beyond JMU but at the same time I was sad that I would no longer have the familiar faces of my JMU teammates in the dugout with me.
My foreign softball experience began shortly after my last game in a JMU uniform. After losing the final game at the NCAA Knoxville Regional, I only had 72 hours before I was on a plane to my new home for five months. There was no rest for the weary, as I was on the field practicing with my new team two hours after my flight landed. Not only did I have to adapt to a new team, but also the 6-hour time difference took a toll on my body. It took about a week before I was finally adjusted and didn’t feel tired all the time. The transition to my new team was easier than I thought it was going to be. After one practice and team dinner, I felt like I had known these girls for more than just a few days.
I played in my first doubleheader two days after I arrived on a hot Sunday afternoon. In game one I started in right field and went 2-2 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. It felt good to finally be able to swing the bat again. I pitched in game two and didn’t do as well as I wanted. We ended up losing the game 3-2 in extra innings. What I didn’t realize is that the ball used in Germany is actually smaller than what we use in the U.S., so this is something I’ve been able get used to by throwing more in practice.
Meredith and roommate, Brittany, in Schwetzingen
Because the season is so long here (April-September) games are spread out throughout the summer, which means I’ve already had time to do some traveling. My first adventure was to the town of Heidelberg, which is about a 20-minute drive from Mannheim. It’s home to the Heidelberg Castle, the University of Heidelberg and many historic sites including a Nazi amphitheater which my teammates and I hiked two hours up the mountain to see. Last week, my roommate Brittany and I went to Luisenpark with our teammate Sabrina. Luisenpark is a 41-acre park in Mannheim with attractions that include animal exhibits, gondoletta boats, minature golf, a Chinese Tea House and garden and much more. I love being a tourist but the main reason for coming here was to play softball. Our next game is Thursday and I can’t wait to get back on the field.
Dinner with teammates and a few baseball players as well.
Most European teams bring Americans over with more purpose in mind than just playing the game. Because we have been around the game of softball for a longer period of time we are also brought over to help teach and coach the younger generation of players. My roommate, Brittany, and I along with Fridi (one of our catchers) serve as coaches for the Junior team and the 2nd team in our organization. We conduct practices two days a week and they play single games on the weekends, usually before our doubleheaders. In addition to these practices I have an extra practice on Wednesdays for the pitchers. Some of the girls are just learning how to pitch while others have been throwing for years. Helping coach the teams and the pitchers has definitely put my teaching skills to the test, but I’ve already seen improvements in some of the girls, which gives me more confidence.
My team continues to have success, as we clinched the South Division this weekend with a sweep over the Herrenberg Wanderers. We have two more regular-season series left. We play the fifth-place Karlsruhe Cougars this weekend and have to make up a doubleheader with the Freising Grizzlies that was rained out two weekends ago. Freising is a town close to Munich, so half of the team took the opportunity to tour the city on the day of our rainout. Once again I got to see some amazing churches, one which had a tower which was open to the public to climb. Seeing as how our game got rained out our coach thought climbing the many stairs of the tower would be a good workout. Needless to say we were tired when we got to the top but the views were absolutely worth it. However my favorite part of the day was eating lunch at the world renowned Hofbräuhaus, which is a brewery owned by the German state government. It’s known for its one-liter glasses of their own special brew of beer and locals dressed in traditional wear.
The end of July brings a break in our season before the playoffs begin the second week in August. Most of my teammates are also on the German National team and will be competing in the European Cup held in Spain. My roommate and I took advantage of this off time and have planned a trip from July 20-25 where we will travel to London, England, Olsow, Norway, and Dublin, Ireland. My parents also arrive on the 25th and then we will travel to Paris, Normandy Beach and Belgium.
August 28, 2009 - The purple bleacher back seating is installed and workers begin building up the dirt infield of the softball stadium. Click Here to View Photo Gallery
August 11, 2009 - Click Here to View Photo Gallery
Softball construction continues as viewed from Rt. 42.
July 27, 2009 - Click Here to View Photo Gallery
The softball construction as viewed from Rt. 42. Steel beams are hoisted into place for the press box.
July 14, 2009 As viewed from Memorial Hall, lights have been erected around the entire complex. Grading for the turf area has begun, the scoreboard stanchions on both field have been set, and several pieces of steel have been erected.
June 6, 2009
As viewed from Memorial Hall, portions of the entrance, restrooms and concession areas are shown. The elevator shaft for the baseball stadium is the tall structure in the middle, and the pressbox will be built to the left of that structure. The structure surrounded by scaffolding is the elevator shaft for the softball stadium, and the pressbox will be built to the right of it.
June 6, 2009
As viewed from Memorial Hall and looking down the softball third-base line. Construction of the softball stadium stairwell. The angled "wall" is behind home plate and the "wall" to the right is the back of the first-base dugout.
June 6, 2009
As viewed from Memorial Hall. The "wall" is the back of the first-base dugout for softball. The building just right-of-center was part of the old facility and is still in use as a support building, and its location is beyond what will be the center-field fence of softball. The tree line in the upper right of this picture runs along U.S. route 42 and this view is looking north.
Compare to the concept drawings on the facilities master plan page.
)
