Anj's Blog

The End is Here

2009-09-27T21:51:00.004+02:00

I have just hours left before I head to Rome for my flight back to the states. My adventure for this season has come to an end. It has been an incredible journey; and now, I can return home completely satisfied and extremely happy. D.E.S. Caserta won it all this year. We clinched the regular season, playoffs, and the Coppa Italia. Our hard work and dedication truly paid off. Together we accomplished so much and I will remember these eight months for the rest of my life. Thank you to my new friends, teammates, coaches, and fans who made this experience worthwhile. Thank you to my family and friends for your continuous support, unconditional love, and countless e-mails from across the pond. Thank you to everyone who has supported and followed me along the way. I am truly blessed.

Caserta Wins! Noi abbiamo questa vittoria!

2009-09-15T00:15:00.002+02:00

Check out our celebration on YouTube! Just click on this post's title!

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

2009-09-13T14:32:00.002+02:00

Championship Finals This Weekend in Caserta

2009-09-10T15:19:00.000+02:00

D.E.S. Caserta advanced to the championship finals round after beating San Marino twice in Caserta on August 29. We were determined to sweep them and wrap up the series. We definitely followed through with our goal, winning 6-0 and 3-0.

Last weekend, on September 5, we traveled to Forli for the first double header of the final series. It was a tough battle to say the least. We lost the first game 1-0, but bounced right back to take the second game 1-0. Forli comes to our hometown this weekend, where a winner will be decided. We have worked extremely hard since February, so we are ready for the final championship series.

My American teammates will be heading home sometime next week. Those of us who are Italian and Italian dual-citizens will be sticking around for another week to play three games in the Coppa Italia on September 19 and 20.

Once softball is finished, a few of my teammates and I will be vacationing in Dublin, Ireland and Venice, Italy. Then, I will be flying home on September 28. I am very excited to go home and to see everyone again. This has been such an amazing experience and I cannot wait to share all of my stories and memories.

My Trip to Siena

2009-09-09T17:13:00.002+02:00

Here I am outside of our nun-run hotel in Siena. The Alma Domus Hotel is a former convent that neighbors Saint Catherine of Siena's Sanctuary.

Playoff Updates

2009-08-29T13:14:00.002+02:00

I know. I have been slacking with my updates. But, here they are now. For those of you who have already seen the results of our first playoff double header against San Marino, I’m sure you were just as disappointed with the outcome as we were. For those of you who still cannot decipher what is written on the Italian FIBS website (and believe me, I am still struggling), D.E.S. Caserta split 1-1 with San Marino on August 8 up in San Marino. San Marino comes to our place this weekend and only one team will advance to next weekend’s finals round. We have to step up our game and show a little more enthusiasm this time around. We are very anxious to play again after enduring a three week hiatus, Italy’s summer holiday “Ferragosto”. We are ready to get out there and do what we do best. It’s too early to head home.

My time here has dwindled to a mere month now. I am going to reiterate once again that I cannot believe how fast the time has gone here. I was blessed with great teammates who I know will remain friends of mine for years to come. We have shared so much together and we have grown together. We have literally done everything together over these past six months. Our chemistry off the field has created a bond on the field that has proven virtually indestructible. Now, as the end nears, we all share a common goal—to go out on top.

2009-08-05T15:25:00.001+02:00

Here I am at the top of the hill at Rocca Maggiore in Assisi.

Playoff Schedule

2009-08-05T15:09:00.002+02:00

The time is here! The Playoffs have arrived. We will be heading to #4 San Marino this Friday for our first two games of the semi-final series. We will be playing our double header on Saturday night at 7 and 9:30pm. The team who wins the best of 5 games will advance to the finals. We will play our return double header, games 3 and 4, and if necessary game 5 in Caserta on Saturday, August 29 and 30. I am unsure why we have a 3 week gap in the middle of the semi-final series. But, I believe it has something to do with all of Italy going on vacation and shutting down during these few weeks in August.

The championship series will be played on Saturday, September 5 and Saturday, September 12 and if necessary, Sunday, September 13. The following weekend, September 19, we play in “Coppa Italia” or the Italian Cup. This is a league tournament in which only Italian and Dual-Citizen players can participate.

I will have another four days off after the games at San Marino this weekend. I am thinking of visiting nearby Mount Vesuvius and Herculaneum. I also want to visit Cosenza in Calabria, where my great-grandfather lived. I know that will be a special trip.

2009-07-27T00:46:00.003+02:00

Close up of me in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Hello All!

2009-07-27T00:24:00.002+02:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer months. I am glad to hear that the weather has been better and less rainy. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Fourth of July. My Fourth was a little different than years passed, but our Italian friends did their best to make sure we celebrated the right way. After we swept Nuoro at home, the owner of our team invited us to his cottage above the field for dinner and swimming. His family and friends cooked us a Mexican dinner, something we have not eaten in a while. It was delicious. We also sampled the owner’s wine that he makes in his home from his vineyard. After dinner, we went for a swim in his outdoor pool. During our second game, we saw fireworks go off. It was nice and reminded me of home and the states. I miss everyone very much, but I will be home before I know it!

2009-07-26T22:23:00.002+02:00

My team clinched the number one spot in the league after our final double header wins against Parma. It was great to hear that we are the number one seed and we were all able to start our 10 day vacations on a high note. I stayed in Parma that night after our games with two of my teammates, while the rest of the Caserta team either returned home or left directly for vacation. In Parma we sampled the delicious prosciutto and parmigiano cheese, the city’s famous specialties. I swear the prosciutto melts in your mouth. We also tasted some of the best pizza in Parma. Lisa, Pam, and I toured the city the next day and relaxed in its beautiful park, Parco Ducale. Our vacation had begun. From Parma, Lisa and I headed to Lucca, a small city on the outskirts of Pisa. We walked around the town and toured its beautiful churches, towers, and gardens. Next, we traveled to Pisa, where we climbed to the top of the Leaning Tower. I learned that night that I have a huge fear of heights. We are still laughing about how I was squatting walking around so that my center of gravity would be lower to the ground. I was terrified, but I am so glad I walked to the top and overcame my fear. The view of the city lit up at night was a gorgeous sight. I made Lisa take pictures for me. Florence was next on our itinerary. We spent a few days there since there is so much to do and see. We went to the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia. The David was an unbelievable sight to see in person. He stands about 17 feet tall and his detail is absolutely impeccable. We also saw the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and the Boboli Gardens. Lisa and I then took the train to Siena, where we stayed in a nun-run hotel. When we heard about this place, we decided we had to stay there. It was an old convent adjacent to Saint Catherine of Siena's Sanctuary. Siena is a gorgeous city with picturesque views everywhere you turn. I fell in love with Siena. Our last adventure took place in Assisi, the city where Saint Francis lived and preached. Assisi is one of my favorite places in Italy. It is a small town with numerous churches, basilicas, and cathedrals on what seems to be every corner. Every residence maintains its exterior with hanging flowers and potted plants; so the streets feel lively and are filled with bright, happy colors. Rocca Maggiore, an old fortress resting on a hill, overlooks Assisi and its neighboring cities. Also worth noting was Saint Francis' Basilica and its underground crypt which houses his tomb and his clothing. I have yet to upload my pictures to a slide show. I will have to be selective this time around since I took about 1500 pictures in 9 days.

July

2009-07-24T17:35:00.004+02:00

Here I am at our pre-game lunch in Parma. Of course, they feed us like queens in Italy. Pasta dish first, then meat dish, salad and vegetables, and finally dessert and fruit. This prosciutto crudo was the best I have ever had in my life. It is one of Parma's specialties and my favorite Italian food.

June

2009-06-23T16:44:00.002+02:00

Another month down! Already it’s the end of June and I cannot believe it! We have just three weekends left in the regular season. After losing to Forli this past weekend my team has landed in a three-way tie for first place. We are still in a very good position to make playoffs, so we aren’t putting too much pressure on ourselves. We plan to stay focused and continue to give our best on the field.

Last week I decided at the last minute that I wanted to go back to Rome for a second time to see all that I missed the first time around. My teammate, Lisa, and her parents were heading up there for a few days and insisted that I come along. We went back to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. This time around I made it to the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon as well. On my second day, I visited the Vatican Museum and Saint Peter’s Basilica. The museum was an amazing collection of galleries and of course, the Sistine Chapel. I spent about four hours touring the museum, an hour of which I spent in the Sistine Chapel. I listened to my handheld audio guide over and over again. I have truly learned to appreciate Michelangelo’s work, especially The Last Judgment in which it is believed he portrayed himself. I thought my day could not have gotten better after I finished walking around the Vatican and taking pictures. I was so wrong. I headed for St. Peter’s with Lisa and her family after grabbing a prosciutto and mozzarella panini. There were no lines once we arrived, so we were able to walk right in. I was devastated when I learned that my camera battery was exhausted. But I tried to remain positive and psych myself up for what I was about to see. I remember walking inside and instantly feeling short of breath. Saint Peter’s was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I pulled out my Italy guidebook, “Let’s Go Italy” and began to read about the basilica’s history and special parts. I began reading and noticed that there were a handful of masses said each day. Luckily, it was 5pm and the last mass was beginning. We hurried quickly through the crowd and asked an usher if we could sit down to participate in the mass. He let us pass through. I felt a wave of chills and joy pass through me. I could not believe I was sitting inside St. Peter’s Basilica participating in mass. It was the most inspiring religious experience I have had throughout my Catholic existence. At that point taking pictures did not seem so important. We decided to go back to St. Peter’s the next day, since I was not able to take any pictures and Lisa’s mom forgot her camera altogether. Naturally, I took a whopping 300 pictures, so it all worked out in my favor in the end. I am so happy Lisa and her parents invited me along. I was worried that my time was running out and I would not make it back to Rome or to Vatican City. I am so fortunate.

May Updates!

2009-05-21T15:47:00.001+02:00

Well it’s official. We are half way through the regular season. My time here is flying by! D.E.S. Caserta boasts a 12-2 record at this point. We are proud of the way we have been playing and are excited to continue to do well. This Saturday, May 23, we play Bollate for a second time. They are in second place behind us, posting a 10-4 record. Our matchup will be a tough, challenging test for us. I am confident that we will maintain our resilience!

On Sunday, my teammates and I were invited to a barbeque hosted by the coaches and parents of the Naples American High School softball team. They wanted to express their thanks to us for the time and guidance we have given the girls throughout their season. We had a relaxing and extremely enjoyable afternoon to say the least. We ate, talked, laughed, played kickball, and spent time all together. It reminded me of a typical summer day in the States. I am so grateful that I have made new friends who are as welcoming as can be.

On Tuesday, two of my teammates and I finally made a trip to the beach. We had asked around about the closest and nicest beaches and we were told to check out Gaeta. Gaeta is an hour and a half northwest of Caserta. We picked a perfect beach day. The sun was shining and there was a cool breeze. The water was even warm enough to swim in. I cannot recall having ever gone swimming in the ocean in May! My teammates and I relaxed for a few hours and even met some people from nearby Napoli. They were three soccer players who wanted to throw the football around with us. We could tell immediately that they were not used to playing sports that required throwing. They were very nice people and made us laugh. Later, when we were leaving the beach, an Italian couple asked us if we were football players. We laughed at their inquiry and told them we play softball, or as they understand it “baseball femminile.”

Terra Mia Pizza

2009-05-07T12:28:00.003+02:00

Here is my first ever Margherita Pizza. Delicious!

Hello Everyone! Here are some game pictures!

2009-05-01T16:34:00.003+02:00

Two Months into My Adventure

2009-04-29T14:21:00.014+02:00

My Italian adventure has been everything I expected and more. It is great being able to take in the Italian culture and learning to call Caserta my home. It all started about a year ago in my final semester at Siena when Coach Deanna Parks asked me if I had any Italian heritage. Some of her contacts in the Italian Professional League were looking for a catcher who could possibly play at that level. She believed I could. Once I told her that my great-grandparents on my mother’s side were born in Italy, the next thing I knew I was getting emails and a phone call from an odd looking number. It was a friend of hers who had been coaching professional softball in Italy. Tony told me about the Italian Softball League and that one of the southern teams was looking for a catcher. He explained to me that if I could gain dual-citizenship via jure sanguinis I could play in the league. I began to trace my roots immediately; roots that I knew were there but never learned much about in detail. Once I was able to trace my family tree on my mother’s side, I knew I would be able to acquire the documents I needed to obtain a dual-citizenship. The process was lengthy and grueling, but I can honestly say now that it was well worth it. The owner of the team flew me out to Italy on October 1, 2008 for a week long "stage" or tryout to show my abilities on the field. The Caserta coaching staff was very pleased with my performances and told me I would be a great addition to the team if I could get my dual-citizenship in time. The head coach, Enrico, said I would be "the icing on the cake." I acquired dual-citizenship on January 30--just in time for my February 11 flight to Rome. I have learned more about my family and where I come from and I am so much more proud because of it. Some days I wake up and still cannot believe that I am here, living in Italy, living the dream, my dream. If someone were to have asked me a few years back what I would be doing at this time in my life, playing professional softball in Italy probably would not have been the answer. I am truly blessed to have been given such an amazing opportunity, one that many are never given throughout their athletic careers or lives. I have Coach Deanna Parks to thank. Without her reputation and network of softball contacts, my softball career would have concluded as a Division I player and as a Siena Saint.

Pre-Season in Malta:My new team, D.E.S. Caserta, began our training in Malta, an island nation south of Sicily on February 16. Everyone asks me what "D.E.S." stands for. It is Dasty Ecological Services, the name of owner of the team's company. The team had a regimen of extensive weight-training and conditioning, integrated in with our every day softball practices. It was rough; but the warm, sunny weather was a welcomed relief in preparing for the season. The owner of our team and coaches believed it would be best for us to start our season early in an attempt to get a head start on the other teams in the Italian Softball League. It was still winter in Italy, so going south would make this pre-season preparation possible. We practiced and trained in the mornings and went sight-seeing in the afternoons and evenings. We worked hard at practice and really took advantage of the good weather. It was a very successful and productive week. Our team was also able to bond and get to know one another during our visits to the cultural sights around Malta.

Home Tournament: We concluded our pre-season with a tournament here in Caserta against the Spanish National Team and a professional team from Prague. We played in a round robin on Friday and Saturday, March 20-21. The weather was frigid and windy, barely reaching 3 degrees Celsius (about 37 degrees Fahrenheit). I was reminded of my time at Siena, opening up the season when there was still snow on the ground. I was lucky enough that weather would not affect my game. We beat Spain twice and Prague twice. We won all four games by the run-rule in less than seven innings. On that Sunday we played in the championship game against Prague. They gave us a good game, but we came out on top winning 4-0. I caught three of the five games, played third in another game, and pinch hit in another game.

League Games: I expected to be thrown right into the mix of things upon arrival in Caserta. My expectations have been met to the fullest. I have been splitting time at catcher, holding my own defensively and coming around on offense. Our pitchers have a lot of faith in me, which is great to see so early in the season. My team meshes extremely well, which only adds to our chemistry and poise on the field. We are 6-2. We have been playing well, but I know that we have yet to reach our peak. Our regular season ends on July 11 and playoffs start on August 29 and end in September. We have already seen some of the toughest pitching in the world. We have faced and will face a few well-known Olympians and top college pitchers. We also play against many past and present Olympic players.

My Schedule: Now that the season is in full swing, we are practicing about four days a week, lifting and conditioning twice a week. We play double-headers every Saturday night at 6 and 8:30pm. We then have off on Sundays and Mondays. That leaves me some time to travel. My schedule has already allowed me to visit Rome, Sorrento, Pompeii, Amalfi, and the Amalfi coast. I also plan to visit Assisi and Siena, for obvious reasons. I will then make my way to Cosenza and Sicily, where my great-grandparents lived.

A typical day: I am usually awoken by the neighbor’s yelping dog in the front yard. Some days I cannot hear him through my earplugs and other days the noise combines with the smell of my roommate’s delicious Italian coffee coming from the kitchen to wake me up. I climb down from my bunk bed and immediately head to the kitchen to make breakfast. I have adapted to the Italian culture in many ways. However, I have not given into the sweet breakfast that the locals are used to. The Italians consider café or cappuccino and a croissant a full breakfast. I still like my eggs, omelets, or cereal for breakfast. It is still the most important meal to me. After breakfast I get dressed and like to take a walk around town. There are so many stores, shops, and delis in walking distance of my apartment. The weather has been getting nicer every day, so I like to take advantage of a sunny day. I like to walk around the corner to the “fruit oasis” where I buy fresh fruits and vegetables at least once a week. Another one of my favorite places is the mozzarella di bufala deli. I have become good friends with the owner. He greets me whenever he sees me walking around town. Once I have taken my daily walk I like to come home and relax the rest of the day before evening practice. There is a small balcony outside my bedroom where I like to pull up a chair and read. I have a lot of free time during the day so I like to spend it catching up on emails to my family and friends, writing in a journal, learning Italian, planning my future, watching movies with my roommates, and getting to know my roommates even better. We really are living the life!

I was never much of a coffee drinker in the States. But now that there is a bar (a coffee/pastry shop) on every corner here, I feel compelled to grab a €.70 cappuccino (about $.90) every now and then. It really is delicious. I like to go to new cafes just so I can meet and talk to new people. Everyone is so friendly. They can tell I am American, but they are still welcoming. Most of the time I get the chance to correct them and let them know that I am actually an Italian-American.

The Italian Language: The language barrier was the toughest part of moving here from the States. Since then I have picked up on a lot, and can understand most of my teammates and coaches. I am really good at listening and comprehending. Now, I just have to work on reciprocating. I am eager to learn and to be able to communicate here, so it is nice to see that my Italian teammates are willing to help me. I have been using Rosetta Stone as well to help enhance my learning. I am hoping to be somewhat competent in the language by the time my adventure is over.

Luckily, I was unaffected by the earthquake that devastated the central Italian city, L’Aquila, on Monday, April 6. The city is approximately two hours north of Caserta, where I reside. It was sad to hear and read about the devastation and wreckage the earthquake caused. On April 11, during our games versus Macerata, we took a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives, families, and homes in the earthquake.

Volunteer Work: I have been given a wonderful opportunity to help out the nearby Naples High School softball team for the last month. They are a group of girls from the U.S. Navy Support Base just 30 minutes south of my apartment. My teammates and I have been helping out at practices at least once a week. The coaches, girls, and their families come to watch us at our home games, just as we go to watch them whenever our schedule allows. It is nice to be able to get into coaching, especially because the girls are willing to listen and learn. Coaching is something I know I will enjoy in the future. It feels extremely rewarding to be able to give back to the community and be a part of an American-based high school here in Italy.

For those who are interested in following the rest of our season, you can visit the Italian Baseball and Softball Federation website: fibs.it.

I would like to extend my appreciation and thanks to those who have helped me along the way. This is an incredible finale to my long, successful career as an athlete. Without the guidance and support of my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and teachers I would not be where I am today. You have helped me reach my goals and fulfill my dream. I am truly blessed.

Hey Everyone! Here are some pictures from our training camp in Malta!

2009-02-23T14:31:00.003+01:00