PRE-TOUR INFORMATION

Nov. 19 | ISU Heads to Belize for International Tour   Belize Softball Release |  ISU Flip Card DAILY BLOGS | GAME RECAPS | PHOTOS DAY 1 | SATURDAY, NOV. 22, 2008  Casey Gorrell Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: English is the only official language of Belize due to being a former British colony. It is the main language used in government and education. DAY 2 | SUNDAY, NOV. 23, 2008  Katie Mathis Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact : With 8,867 square miles (22,960 km²) of territory and 301,270 people (2008 est.),[2] the population density is the lowest in the Central American region and one of the lowest in the world. DAY 3 | MONDAY, NOV. 24, 2008  Softball Shuts Out First Two Belize Opponents  Amber Smith Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: Belize is a parliamentary democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The structure of government is based on the British parliamentary system, and the legal system is modeled on the common law of England. DAY 4 | TUESDAY, NOV. 25, 2008  Kara Nelson Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: Belize gained independence from the United Kingdom Sept. 21, 1981. Belize's Independence Day (Sept. 21) is one of eight national holidays in the country. DAY 5 | WEDNESDAY, NOV. 26, 2008  Jessie Buker Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: The life expectancy of a typical Belizian male is 66 years, while for a female, it is 70 years. By contrast, the life expectancy average in the United States is 77.8 years, and the world life expectancy average is 66.2 years. DAY 6 | THURSDAY, NOV. 27, 2008  Diciembre Vaca Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: The national currency of Belize is the Belize dollar (BZ$), which was set as the national currency in 1885. American dollars (US$) are accepted in Belize, however. The Belize dollar is pegged to (fixed to) the US dollar at BZ$2 = US$1. DAY 7 | FRIDAY, NOV. 28, 2008  Michelle Henderson Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: To further illustrate just how sparsely populated Belize is, the nation's capital is Belmopan, a city of only 16,400. Belize City, where the ISU softball team is stationed during its trip, used to be the capital of Belize until the city was nearly destroyed during a major hurricane in 1961. DAY 8 | SATURDAY, NOV. 29, 2008  Abby Olson Blog Belize Tour Photo Gallery Belize Fast Fact: The origin of the name Belize is unclear, but one idea is that the name is from the Maya word belix, meaning "muddy water," applied to the Belize River. BELIZE TOUR WRAPUP | FRIDAY, DEC. 5, 2008  ISU's Freshmen Wrapup Belize Experience Belize Tour Photo Gallery  Back From Belize: Smith & Gorrell  Back From Belize: Buker & Olson Belize Fast Fact: The average December high temperature in Belize is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, while the average low is 71 degrees. The average Bloomington-Normal December high temperature, on the other hand, is 36 degrees, with an average low of 20 . Softball Main Roster | Schedule | 2008 Final Stats Follow ISU on Twitter | In the News |  Media Guide

 Dec. 3, 2008: Back From Belize (Daily Videttearticle)
 Back From Belize: Smith & Gorrell
 Back From Belize: Buker & Olson

Blog #1 | Casey Gorrell | Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008

Greetings to all of our Redbird family and friends back home in the States!

This is Casey Gorrell, and I will be the first to fill you in on the exciting things happening in our trip to BELIZE!

Our day started off dark and early this morning (Saturday, Nov. 22) when we arrived at the Bloomington airport at 4:45 a.m. As you can imagine, there was tons of excitement in the air as we waited in our red travel suits with passports in hand. We made it through security with only a few minor overweight bag problems and congregated together in the CIR Airport knowing that in just a few short hours, we would be flying across the ocean to represent Illinois State softball for the Third International Softball Tour!

However, our initial adrenaline of the morning soon wore off and we slept hard all the way to our layover stop in Georgia. Once landing in Atlanta, we encountered a few small detours within the terminals but finally found our gate and boarded Delta Flight 315 to Belize City, Belize!

The flight into Belize was truly remarkable. For the majority of us who have never traveled outside the United States, we were taken aback by the drastic difference in landscape, development and beautiful waters. We landed on the runway and stepped off the plane to greet the most beautiful weather any of us have experienced since our tournament in Miami last year. The temperature was about 70 degrees with a wonderful breeze blowing in from the ocean beside us. We entered the airport and stood in line one-by-one for immigration. Here, we showed them our passports and gave them a sheet of paper we had filled out on the plane describing the specifics of our stay in the country. From there, we then went into customs and are happy to report that none of our cleats, snacks or bat bags were confiscated during the process.

We went as group together outside to meet a man by the name of Patrick Henry, the President of the Belize Softball Federation. Mr. Henry greeted us by a warm welcome and providing a few brief details about the impressive tradition held by the National Softball Team here in Belize. Mr. Henry assured us that we would enjoy our stay in the country and even offered to turn on the lights to let us practice tonight on the field! Naturally, the exhaustion was beginning to set in as we had already been awake for close to 13 hours. However, upon hearing Mr. Henry's gracious offer to turn on the lights for us, we all agreed that the first thing we wanted to do was check out the field and practice so that we could be ready for our upcoming games this Monday.

We then were met by a bright green bus and a man by the name of William, who would be our courteous tour guide and driver for our trip. We packed in and took off to get our first glimpse at the various parts of the diverse Belize City. We had our cameras ready as we snapped shots of houses on stilts, geckos on cement blocks and long narrow mud roads. We arrived at Hotel Mopan and found that contrary to some initial reservations about the uncertainties of our stay, the small three story building is actually a very unique and picturesque hotel that epitomizes the culture of the city.

After our practice in front of a few dozen locals who watched from the stands, we loaded up again and made our way to a small marina called Old Belize. Here, we admired huge yachts and sat in a beautiful outside dining room to enjoy some much needed Belize/American food. All of the people we have met here have been unbelievably genuine and welcoming. This should certainly help us throughout the week as we are playing far from all of our families and Redbird fans that we love so much.

It is getting late and we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow (Sunday). After breakfast, we are going to head back to Old Belize to get in some Zip-lining, waterslides and lounging on the beach. Sound like a blast?? You better "Belize" it! Try to keep warm up there in and Go You REDBIRDS!

Casey Gorrell # 7

Blog #2 | Katie Mathis | Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008

Today (Sunday) was day two of our trip. We woke up around 9 a.m. to a wonderful home-cooked breakfast. There was fresh pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe and bananas that were delicious. We also had some scrambled eggs, toast with delicious jam, and Honey Bunches of Oats with real peaches. To drink, we had the best tasting fresh-squeezed orange juice and lemonade.

Around 11 a.m., we loaded up the bus and headed off to Old Belize. When we arrived, the majority of us went down a zip line. We all got dressed up in our harnesses and walked up a terrifying five flights of stairs. They strapped us on the wires and down we went 650 feet in length. It was a big rush of adrenaline.

After the zip line, we ventured our way into the beach area. In the beach area, you could lay out in the lawn chairs, go down a humongous slide, jump on the trampoline, float in inner tubes, play beach volleyball or go off a swing. The slide was very tall and steep. Going down, it was a big rush. You would pick up speed and skip across the water. Some people would have competitions to see who could get the furthest across the water.

After a long day in the sun, we went back to the hotel and took a nap. When we woke up from a well-needed nap, we headed off to practice. After practice, we went back to Old Belize and enjoyed a delicious dinner.

Thanks for checking in with the Redbird softball team as we continue our fun-filled international tour in Belize. Be sure to check back throughout the week for daily blogs from the rest of my teammates, as well as photos from our trip.

GO YOU REDBIRDS!

- Katie Mathis

Blog #3 | Amber Smith | Monday, Nov. 24, 2008

Today (Monday), was day three of our trip. We woke up around 8:30 a.m. to a delicious home-cooked breakfast. We all met downstairs in the hotel's little breakfast room. There was fresh fruit, toast and cereal. We also had some scrambled eggs (I personally liked to eat mine with their famous hot jalepeno sauce), delicious papaya juice freshly squeezed and some homemade jam. Hotel Mopan itself is a cozy little hotel. There are three floors to the hotel and my teammate, Beth Current, and I stay on the patio floor with lawn chairs to sit in outside. There is air conditioning in our rooms, except for the coaches, and we have every channel available to us here that is offered in the United States. There is an exceptional few channels that I have never seen in my life that are quite funny.

Around 9:10 a.m., we loaded up the bus and left for the field for a weights/conditioning and practice. The weight room was nothing that we are used to having back in Redbird Arena. Ceiling fans are used to circulate air throughout the gym, and the weights are not the same as ours, but nevertheless, it was what we needed to get a workout in. We went through a six-station circuit that included abs, calves, triceps, lat pull-downs, hanging knee-ups and dumbbell curls. After we were done in the weight room, we went onto the field for a conditioning workout with Chris Carter, our strength and conditioning coach. When that was finished, we changed into our cleats and began our practice, which consisted of numerous hitting circuits. We started with hitting off of the tees, then we went to fungo, we bunted off of Shannon Nicholson (our pitching coach), hit soft toss off of Tina Kramos (assistant coach) and finished the day off with hitting live off of Shannon.

Tonight (Monday), we play the Telemedia Women's Softball Team and the Belize National Women's Softball Team. We are looking forward to some good games tonight, as well as throughout the rest of the week, but I will get back to you later tonight for the game recap and highlights of playing against another country. Later that night ...

So, we just arrived back from our games tonight (Monday). We came out with a win in both of the games. Before both of the games tonight, we participated in the opening ceremonies with the two other teams and the Sports Administer and the President of the Belize Softball Federation. Casey Gorrell caught the first pitch of the game, then we did the traditional gift exchange with the other teams. We received a water bottle, T-shirt and glass mug, while we gave them an Illinois State softball T-shirt with a pen. The first game, we won 11-0 against the Telemedia Women's National Championship Team, and the second game was 4-0 against the Belize National Team. We played really well together both of the games. Everyone seems to be stepping out of their shell and really expanding their talents for this team. The current time is 12:40a.m., and we just got done eating a delicious meal at the Celebrity Restaurant. Now, it is time to shower up and hit the sheets!!! Take care, you Redbird fans, and there will be more blogs to come!!

- Amber Smith

Blog #4 | Kara Nelson | Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008

Since we had a late night last night (Tuesday), we slept a little longer this morning (Wednesday) before getting up for breakfast, and what turned out to be a very exciting day four of our trip.

We got ready for the day and made our way to the field, where we used the weight room for a quick circuit and then had conditioning in the outfield. Next, we moved on to batting practice. During all of our practices, there have been spectators observing how we play our game. They made notes of the many different drills we do. Today (Wednesday), members of the Belize National Men's Softball Team even helped us shag balls during batting practice! We got to know them not only as competitors, but companions, as well.

After practice, we headed back to the hotel for lunch, naps and some study time. Our games tonight (Tuesday) were against the Belize Junior Men's National team and the Belize National team.

Game one was a nail bitter, going nine innings before we finally came out on top 6-5. Playing against the Belize National Men' Softball Team was an experience we will never forget! Though the only difference in rules is the pitching distance (men pitch from 46 feet; women pitch from 43 feet) the game was played so much different. The men were so much faster, and it really changed the pace of the game. The game was really intense, and it was a lot of fun!

After an exhausting game one, we took the field for game two with the momentum and the same energy and enthusiasm from the first game, and defeated the Belize National Women's Softball Team, 9-0. We learned that in international softball, to intentionally walk a batter, all the pitcher has to do is tell the umpire; the pitcher doesn't even have to throw a pitch!

A few of the highlights from the games tonight (Tuesday) were two monstrous home runs! The first was in game one by Amber Smith, and the second in game two hit by Abby Olson. The fences on the field here are approximately 300 feet. To put the size of these home runs in perspective, the fences on our field at home are 190 feet down the lines, and 200 feet in dead center!

That's the update from today, and we have another busy day tomorrow!!

-Kara Nelson #5

Blog #5 | Jessie Buker | Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008

The day started at about 7:30 a.m. with breakfast. We had the usual: fresh fruit, juice, eggs and toast, but this morning, we were treated with a pastry that tasted similar to funnel cake. It was very delicious. After eating, we went to the field to conduct a clinic for local children. This was a new experience for everyone. Not only was there a wide range of ages and talent, but there were also both girls and boys in attendance. In Belize, softball is a popular sport for both boyand girls. For most of us, it was our first experience teaching boys to play softball.

In the first part of the camp, I helped teach the kids how to bunt. The campers also worked on fundamentals for throwing and hitting. Our strength coach, Chris Carter, also showed the kids different stretches that are important in softball. Once finished with the basics, our team went through a mini practice for the kids to watch, while they took a water and snack break. We did our usual grounders, pop flies, turning two (double plays) and plays to the plate. I could tell the kids were impressed and eager to learn by their attentiveness throughout this part of the clinic.

After our team was finished, it was the kids' turn to step onto the diamond and try it themselves. Some kids had little experience with softball, but everyone caught on quickly to the new skills. Although some didn't have gloves, they all worked very hard. Once we went through positions with them, it was time for the clinic to come to an end. We finished up with more stretching and a chant. The kids, coaches, a couple teachers and all of the players closed the camp with, "Go Belize!" After camp, we took a little batting practice to prepare us for the evening's doubleheader versus the Belize National Women's Softball Team.

Tonight (Wednesday) was the third and fourth times we have played the Belize National Women's Softball Team. Both teams are becoming more and more familiar with each other, so the competition continues to rise. We managed to win both games, and it was good to see that we could beat the same team three nights in a row.

After the games, we headed to get dinner, but the restaurant was closed. We ate peanut butter and jelly and other snacks we could find in our rooms. After a long day, we were all excited to get some much-needed sleep. Tomorrow (Thursday) is our day off, and we are going to take a trip to a small island. Everyone is very excited to see another part of Belize, which we've heard is extremely beautiful. It should be a pretty place to spend Thanksgiving. Thank you, Redbird fans, for following our Belize trip! I hope everyone is enjoying their breaks. We'll continue to keep you up-to-date with our daily activities. Go State!!!

Also, one of my roommates, Vicki Klopf, turned 21 at midnight! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VICKI! I just wanted to let everyone know. OK. Goodnight.

-Jessie Buker #22

Blog #6 | Diciembre Vaca | Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008

This morning (Thursday), we woke up at 7:30 a.m. to eat some breakfast here at the hotel. We got all of our things together and walked down the block to the local pier, where the Belize Softball Federation arranged for a water taxi to take us and a few members of the Belize National Teams out through the Caribbean Sea to the Cayes Islands. We would like to give a huge "thank you" to the Belize Softball Federation for providing this trip for us. They arranged for us to take the trip and brought along a wonderful lunch and some drinks for us to have while we were there.

It was a 45-minute boat ride before we arrived at Caye Caulker (pronounced Key Caulker). Caye Caulker consists of three streets - Front Street, Middle Street and Back Street. We looked around for a while to see what everything looked like, and then a majority of the girls went on a snorkeling adventure.

They got all their gear, suited up and headed to the boat. There were three stops taken during the trip. The first stop was very shallow water just to get us used to snorkeling and looking around through the water. The second stop was deep water, where we saw a variety of marine life that included an eel and a barracuda. The third, and final, stop featured an opportunity to snorkel with several sting rays in an area referred to as Shark-Ray Alley. It was scary at first to see the entire school of sting ray, but eventually, it was great and also a fun experience to be able to swim with and touch them. This stop resembled an underwater aquarium.

At about 1:30 p.m., the snorkelers came back, turned in their gear and we ate lunch. We had some chicken, macaroni salad, chips and queso and some little sandwiches. We also had wonderful cake for desert. We ate this in an area of the island called the SPLIT alongside the sea shore. It's called the SPLIT because a hurricane came through and split the island. Once we finished lunch, we all walked down the island to the little shops to buy some souvenirs. A lot of girls liked the little bracelets and necklaces from the shops. We walked around a little longer, met at the boat at 3:30 p.m., and headed back to Belize City.

We got back around 4:30 p.m. and all went to sleep. It was draining being in the sun all day, so the nap was great. We left for dinner at 7 p.m. and went to "Old Belize." The Thanksgiving Dinner in Belize was great, but it wasn't the same as Thanksgiving in the United States, as hardly any of us ate turkey. We are now home and it's 9:30 p.m.

Our coaches brought in a cake to celebrate my teammate, Vicki Klopf's, birthday. That was delicious. It is now bedtime so everyone is hitting the pillow. Tomorrow (Friday), we have another full day of softball, and we play our last two games against the Belize National Team. It will be a great lasting experience playing for the last time at Roger's Stadium. Hopefully, we will be able to continue the friendships with the members of the Belize National Teams that was formed on this Thanksgiving Day. Now, we are off to bed, so Happy Thanksgiving again to Redbird Country; hope you enjoyed the holiday! GO REDBIRDS!!!!

- Diciembre Vaca

Blog #7 | Michelle Henderson | Friday, Nov. 28, 2008

Last year at this time, I woke up at 4 a.m. to do some shopping for the day-after-Thanksgiving sales. So this year, waking up at 8 a.m. was almost like sleeping in. After another wonderful breakfast full of fresh fruit, bacon and ham, we were off to our morning workout. Today was our last day of team weights and conditioning with strength and conditioning coach Chris Carter. After weights and conditioning, the team took part in our last practice until Jan. 8! Having our last team practice in 87-degree weather was quite a change for everyone. In January, we will be thinking of this warm weather while we are practicing in Horton Field House because it is too cold to go outside.

After practice, many people went to Brodie's and enjoyed deli sandwiches. For everyone out there that doesn't know, Brodies is our everyday stop. Brodie's is like Wal-Mart to Belizeans; they sell everything from blank CDs to Kit-Kats. Then, some people went shopping at local markets, while others took much-deserved naps.

As usual, we loaded up the bus around 5 p.m. and we were on our way to the field. As the games went underway, the Belizeans brought their "A" game Friday. The first game was a battle between the two teams. In the end, the Redbirds came out on top with some late-inning rallies. The second game was also a battle between the teams. Once again, the `Birds came out on top, winning 3-1.

After the game, both teams went above the workout center and had some much-needed dinner. Everyone from both teams mingled in the dining hall. We learned that the oldest player on the team was 45, while the youngest was 15. This really showed that the Belizeans have a love for the sport and their country.

While talking with one of their players, I learned that some of the players on the team do not even have hot water in their homes. They have to boil their water, and then put cold water in the pot to make it warm. Being so close to our holiday season, this was an eye-opener for our team. Everyone has expressed a sense of being thankful for the everyday things that we have been taking for granted.

At the end of the night, Coach Fischer presented their coach with 21 Easton bats, balls, an equipment bag and a net. During the course of our day, we learned that they do not even have screens to use for batting practice. The Belizean Softball Federation president, Patrick Henry, really put the whole trip in prospective when he spoke about how the games benefited both teams by preparing us for our upcoming seasons.

On our way back to Hotel Mopan, we learned that tomorrow (Saturday) we get to go to San Pedro Island, the largest caye in Belize. We are leaving bright and early, and everyone is looking forward to a day of shopping and relaxation. This will be our last chance to enjoy the beauty of Belize before we head back to Normal, Ill., Sunday. So goodnight to everybody back at home; stay warm! Go Redbirds!

Michelle Henderson #18

Blog #8 | Abby Olson | Saturday, Nov. 30, 2008

After breakfast today, we walked to the pier, which was about ten minutes down the street. We boarded the "Twister" with the same crew as Thursday when we went to Caye Caulker. The water was very choppy and many of us were bouncing around like pinballs. We finally docked in San Pedro, which is bigger than Caye Caulker and full of lots of shopping and restaurants. We ventured off to walk around the stores; some people laid out on the beach, and others swam all the way out to a buoy that was quite some distance off.

San Pedro Island has very pretty white sand and the water is crystal clear. There are palm trees everywhere and docks filled with boats. There are many resorts and also many vendors that we ran into while walking around the beach. There were also many activities to do, such as wind surfing, snorkeling, fishing and kayaking. To be honest, we were all so worn out from the week that many of us just wanted to lay on the island and relax. We ate a delicious lunch, and found out that our waiter, and the owner, actually goes to Missouri every year to visit friends. It was exciting to finally run into someone that knew where Illinois State was located. Usually, we have to go into a whole explanation in order to help people understand where Redbird Country is on a map.

After a fun day at San Pedro Island, we loaded back on the boat to set sail for the breezy trip back to the mainland in Belize. Although the scenery was beautiful, most of us slept for the hour trip back to land. Tonight, we are going to eat at Jambel's Jerk House. It is called Jambel's because it is a mix of Jamaican and Belizean food. Tomorrow (Sunday), we are loading up and heading home. See you all soon, and Go Redbirds!

~Abby Olson #16

Blog #9 | ISU Freshmen Class | Friday, Dec. 5, 2008

It was our first trip away with the team, as well as our first trip out of the country. We departed from the cold weather to the warm and sunny climate of Belize, which was exciting for all of us. During the trip, we saw sparkling blue water, sandy beaches and bright, sunny skies from up above. We were shocked the moment we stepped off the plane and felt the blast of hot water-drenched air. Our team knew from this moment that the climate, and also the culture, would be a challenge to overcome and experience. We were surprised when we saw the bus that would be driving us around. The bus was green and had green cloth seats. Luckily, it came with air conditioning.

As the team looked out the window, we noticed homes that looked like they were about to collapse from floods, and suddenly worry came upon our faces to see where we would reside. We arrived at Hotel Mopan, which had a unique charm and something about it that upheld our original expectations about this beautiful country. The country is much older than the United States, and this made for older architecture and buildings than we are used to seeing, but still, all of the locals welcomed us with curious smiles. We were a group of odd girls to them but we came with a purpose; we came to play. Practices were tough in the scorching sun, and all the games were intense in the dim light on the loose sandy field we played on at Roger's Stadium. We came in wanting to win and also wanting to learn, and we accomplished much more.

The biggest part of our trip was of course playing softball and competing against international competition. This was a majority of our team's first experience out of the country, and so just coming to Belize was amazing, but also playing the Belize National Team, the Jr. Men's National team and another team named Telemedia was spectacular. Our first night, we played Telemedia, and had a great competitive game, and we came out strong. We didn't get to meet many of them, but we still learned a lot from their spirit on the field and their love of the game.

The second night, we played the Belize Junior Men's National Team, which was a great challenge to play men our own age and older who are stronger and faster. It was an amazing game with plenty of excitement. The game went into extra innings, but we pulled it out with great teamwork and determination. After the game, we took a picture and briefly met the team. All of the players on the team were very cheerful and happy to just be playing the game they love. They were all extremely friendly, and so it was great to at least get to talk to them, even if it was only for a short time.

The third team we played was the Belize National Women's Softball Team. We played the Belize National Team six times during the trip, and every time we played them, both teams came out ready to play. It was really exciting to see how others play the game and approach it, but the biggest thing we all took from the Belize National Team was their love for the game. They came and played with all their heart and pride every night, and it showed in every play. It was amazing to see their dedication to the game, even with all their other responsibilities in their personal lives. Thankfully, we are in college and don't yet have to worry about some of those responsibilities. It is safe to say that we will never forget this team. We finally got to meet the Belize National Team Friday night after our last set of doubleheaders, and it was our favorite part of the trip. They were all very welcoming and friendly, and it was great to be able to talk to them as not only competitors, but as companions, as well. This trip was an experience of a lifetime and was great because of the interaction between the teams and getting to know one another through competition, practices, and just sitting around eating pizza together. Thank you to the players of the teams who showed us how they take the game of softball and their love and dedication to the game and one another.

The day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday, Nov. 26), Illinois State softball held a camp for any individual who was interested in playing softball. We had no idea who would come, if anyone, and we were not even sure if the campers could understand us because there are a variety of languages spoken in Belize. Moments flew by and before we knew it, the bleachers had filled up with boys and girls of all different ages. We started with introductions of the team, while the campers sat patiently with smiles on their faces. After introductions, we split up the age groups. We had set up of a variety of stations, which included bunting, throwing, hitting, and speed work. Each station was about 15 minutes and just in that short amount of time, we taught the players the fundamentals of softball. There were children without shoes, bats or even gloves to play with. We worked around this and made sure to include everyone. When time had ended for the first session, the kids took a break and grabbed their snacks and drinks they had brought to the field. During this time, our team wanted to incorporate the importance of hustle in everyday activities, so we got in our positions and showed them our pregame warmup. Their faces showed excitement as they cheered us after multiple great plays. It was a great feeling to know that they loved the game as much as we did. Not only did the campers learn, but throughout the day, we did, too. We learned that you don't need to have the highest-quality equipment to succeed; all you need is your heart and soul. We truly learned the importance of giving.

On Thanksgiving Day, our team headed over to one of the islands off of Belize, called Caye (Key) Caulker. We were all excited to have a day off to explore the beautiful country of Belize. It was very nice of the Belize National Team to help organize the day trip and the boat ride. Since many of the girls on the team have never been away from their families during the Thanksgiving holiday, it was nice to be to have an exciting day planned. The short boat ride brought us to the small island, where we were surrounded by beautiful, clear water. Everyone immediately decided to go snorkeling as soon as we got off the boat. We ran down the dock to the shop and received our gear. We were handed flippers, goggles, a snorkel, and thankfully, we all remembered to pack some towels. At the first stop in the snorkeling trip, we could all touch in the ocean, which was helpful when we needed to readjust our goggles. We split our group of twenty girls in half, and each had their own instructor.

The water was warm and we could see straight down, but we had to be careful not to kick up a lot of the sand, which would ruin the coral. We all followed the instructor and were very close together. Everyone kept getting a flipper in the face trying to keep up with the guide and not stir up too much sand. We had to be very careful not to touch the coral, so we had to keep ourselves horizontal above it. Then we hopped back on the boat and headed over to the next stop. This time, the water was well over our head, and a couple of us grabbed some lifejackets. We saw an eel swimming right below us, as well as some tiny sting rays that blended in with the bottom of the ocean. The third stop involved many sting rays. Only a handful of girls got into the water, while the others watched from the boat. Right below us were about twenty huge sting rays, all beautiful in color. The girls could only go in the water with their goggles and snorkel, and had to be careful not to land on them when they jumped out of the boat. I do not think many of us planned for the tropical weather, because on the boat ride back to the island, we all noticed our sunburned backs. We were tired from being in the water all day, but once we got back, we toured the island. There were so many cute shops to buy souvenirs to bring back home. It ended up being an awesome day, even though we were not eating the turkey dinners. We all made sure to take plenty of pictures to bring back to show our family what a great time we had.

As freshmen, our first time traveling with the Illinois State softball team was a great experience. The trip was a big culture shock and taught us how fortunate we are to live in the United States.

- Rebecca Baltikas, Jordan Birch, Caiti Kopp, Brianna Lizen and Megan Warner

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