Get your SOX on!

For most this day was definitely a highlight. An early start saw us heading out for a three hour session at the WHITE SOCKS TRAINING ACADEMY!

An indoor training facility, it was half baseball, half basketball, with the Chicago Bulls sharing half of the facility. A huge expanse, there was room for all aspects of baseball work, and we spent three quality hours with our two “coaches” for the morning.

Bel, Renee and Coxy were all suitably impressed with the quality of the ex-pro-ball players coaching us, and not just for their ball skills! The guys proceeded to take us through throwing drills, fielding drills, pitching training and finally, batting. Being filmed performing your swing, and then having it compared side-by-side to a pro-ball player was confronting. Some girls were more concerned with how they looked in their uniform on camera, as opposed to the quality of their swing. Highlights of the day was the coach, upon seeing one player bouncing their throws into their partner, heading over to try and fix the issue. When informed that the poor throw was due to a shoulder injury and not incompetence, he breathed a sigh of relief and said “thank god, I thought you were actually that bad!” Bobbie also walked away with a black eye, and Bel nursed a torn bicep muscle. I’m pretty sure everyone agreed the injuries were well worth it, though.

The departure was inevitably delayed by the juniors enthusiastically spending their parent’s money in the merchandise shop. The rest of us waited outside, and waited, and waited and waited. Eventually however, after a quick Maccas stop, we were on our way to the original home of the Rochford Peaches, of “A League of their Own” fame!

We played against a local team mostly made up of softball players. Our team was made up of Aussie Hearts, Janeane Lesko and some girls dressed up in original Rochford Peaches uniforms. It was a fun game to be had by all, with Lesko getting way too caught up in the excitement. While sitting on the bench watching the Hearts fielding, an opposition player got struck out. Everyone clapped, only to have Lesco sigh, stand up and say “well, I guess its my turn,” and walk over to take her place in the batters box – for the opposition! She well and truly earned the Moo Moo Award that day, that was, until Bobbie took the field. Bobbie is currently undergoing basic baseball rule re-training. Eg. When you’re on second base, and there is a fellow runner on third, DON’T steal to third UNTIL the base is empty. It’s an easy way to get yourself, or your team mate, out! :-P