Maren’s Travel Blog: Opening Ceremonies, Off Days and Game Day
Thursday, July 6: Chills. That’s the feeling that I felt throughout my body as I walked from the tunnels of Pais Arena Jerusalem to Teddy Stadium.
The anticipation was building all day. We left the hotel around 2 p.m. and an hour later were welcomed with an event inside the arena. Every delegate was there and it became quite a cluster to try to move around. People were trading pins which brought me back to my travel ball days and always looking for the team with the best pin. The best pin this year went to India. Yes, I know what you’re asking and they do have Jews in India.
I met some folks from the Canadian hockey team who I have mutual friends with. The crazy part was I was just introduced to one of them earlier that day via a Facebook post and he was the first person I saw in the arena. I already believe in six degrees of separation concept but I can swear by it now. After walking around and sitting for a couple hours, the delegations began lining up in alphabetical order according to the Hebrew Alef Bet which made the United States third-to-last. We stood in line for two hours and were wearing sweats! I complain but it was worth it when we reached the stage.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect but as soon as I heard the host’s introduction of, “Ladies and gentleman, the United States of America…” I had an overwhelming sense of pride and shock. I kept thinking, how did a girl from Hendersonville, Tenn., end up at Olympic-like event? My Olympic dream went out the window years ago when softball was dropped by the IOC but this is better than that.
We walked into the stadium and down the center of the stage and around. Waving to everyone in the stands and seeing people from other countries screaming at us and asking for our hats or our jackets, anything that said USA. We reached our seats and watched the show, heard Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speak and welcome everyone home.
Friday, July 7: After getting back to hotel around 1 a.m., I was excited to have a day to explore. A group of us went into Tel Aviv and visited the Carmel Market also known as Shuk HaCarmel. One of my teammates and I bought falafel for lunch that was incredible and then I got some baklava to bring back to the hotel.
Saturday, July 8: Our last practice before game play. Because it was Shabbat, taxis basically double their fares and there weren’t any shuttles running to drive us to the field so just like many of our ancestors did before us, we walked. The field was a mile and half from our hotel so it wasn’t terrible. We got a live at bat, took some infield/outfield and headed back to get ready for a softball reception. Once again, no taxis or shuttles so we got all dressed up to walk another mile to the hotel hosting the event. Let me tell you, walking a mile in wedges is not pleasant. But challenge accepted and accomplished.
After the cocktail hour, I went to dinner with the umpires and Israeli coaches. The coaching staff happens to be from the States and since all the Israeli restaurants were closed, we went to a burger place. It was definitely a cool experience and I will post more about it in a couple of days.
Sunday, July 9: I’ve got two words, game day. Our first game was at 11 a.m. against Canada. Our bus pulled up to the field in the middle of a kibbutz which which is a farming community. Behind the outfield fence was like a scene out of “Field of Dreams.”
You could tell we were all a little nervous. Once the game started, we tensed up. The Canadians threw Mandy Greenberg (2013, Minot State) while we started Tamara “T” Statman (Junior, Arizona).
Our neighbors to the north scored four runs in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. We came back with one in the sixth and two in the seventh but couldn’t push a fourth across.
I didn’t play against Canada but I knew that was going to happen. I’m not exactly in my playing prime anymore. I’ve been so used to watching softball, keeping stats and paying attention to the details of the game that it was almost weird being in a dugout again.
In the second game against Israel, the atmosphere was a lot looser. We were starting to have some fun and it showed on the field. We won 12-0 and scored nine in the first inning.
Claire Klausner (2016, Princeton) cruised in the circle. She pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts. I made my debut at first base and was 0-for-2 at the plate with two ground outs. It felt so great to get in the box and face live pitching again. My timing is somewhere between my early swing and my late swing but it’s all good. Quite honestly, I just wanted to make contact and not strikeout. Eight years without a game isn’t exactly ideal.
We play Canada again today at 10 a.m. CT/ 6 p.m. in Israel. I will provide another update after the game and go MUSA (Maccabi USA)!
