WEEK THREE

Aussie Bob Week Three of Softball Coaching

This week has went by so fast! In fact, I am sure I must have
missed something as there were so many events happening.
One thing that I wish I could miss, are the minus 3 evenings out on the frosty softball fields. I know the players are quite alive when they hit a pitched ball and the bat jars out of their
hands. I did not realize what colorful language both boys and girls can use.

Monday night was our AGM for our men's fast pitch softball league. This league has been running for 25 years now. It is the most sucessful leaque in Austriaia softball.Programs for our junior and senior teams were outlined for the up coming season which will start in October and end in March.

Tuesday was accademy night for our select players , men and women. Our girls leave for California U.S.A. today where they will represent Austrialia in our U/17 developement program. What an opportunity for those young players to look forward to, who knows some of them may wind up back in the U.S.A. on a college softball scholarship.



The rain came Wednesday and was a relief as we had not only needed the rain, but it gave me a day away from the ball park. This gave me time to catch up on coach evaluations and prepare for our state coach's meeting Saturday morning. Also gave me a little time to order a few things I needed to get from the online mall. Saves me a lot of time with that.

Thursday Darren my charting guru for our Aussie Steeler's men's team and I headed for sydney to look at our u/19 and Aussie spirit women's team as they prepare for world cups in Canada and U.S.A. in July. We were treated to some good ball and our u/19's  showed their nervousness, but that is what it is all about, preparation.

After discussing the days play and player's it was time for Darren and I to head back to Canberra. If the games lack of softball lacked drama and excitement our trip home was the most hair raising since I've been in Austrailia. We were coming down a main road in Sydney when my life flashed before my eyes and Darren's arms wrapped around his head to cushion the impact. A car was in the right turn lane and started to turn right into the side road. A big four wheel drive was coming out of the side road started to turn right and then I saw the car turning right who had stopped realizing the four wheel drive was starting to pull in front. The four wheel drive then saw the car and stopped. In the meantime I was about ten foot away when the four wheel drive decided the car had stopped and he started to move right into the side of my car. I veered to the right, had a half inche to spare from hitting the cr and waiting for the crash on Darrens side which would of pushed me right into the car. I heard the four wheel drives breaks scream I never slowed down and somehow managed to come out the other side without a scratch.

After discussing the days play and player's it was time for Darren and I to head back to Canberra. If the games lack of softball lacked drama and excitement our trip home was the most hair raising since I've been in Austrailia. We were coming down a main road in Sydney when my life flashed before my eyes and Darren's arms wrapped around his head to cushion the impact. A car was in the right turn lane and started to turn right into the side road. A big four wheel drive was coming out of the side road started to turn right and then I saw the car turning right who had stopped realizing the four wheel drive was starting to pull in front. The four wheel drive then saw the car and stopped. In the meantime I was about ten foot away when the four wheel drive decided the car had stopped and he started to move right into the side of my car. I veered to the right, had a half inche to spare from hitting the cr and waiting for the crash on Darrens side which would of pushed me right into the car. I heard the four wheel drives breaks scream I never slowed down and somehow managed to come out the other side without a scratch.

As my foot shook and Darren lowed his arms and realized we had made it through, all as we said thanks to God, he is sure on our side today. The rest of the trip to Canberra went quite smoothly, but all we could talk about was how lucky we were.
Ayton Senna would have been proud of me.

Friday started off a busy weekend. First of all Mike Harrow, yes he is my son, alos head of all the Australian National team's fitness programs, flew in from the Gold Coast. Mike was here to monitor and test our athletes for fitness to see if they kept up with the progam standards. If not he would have a serious word with me.


Saturday was pitching and catching day for all our accademy players and Mike brought in Aldrew Kirkpatrick bettter known as cheese to conduct the pitching evaluation and give a few pointers here and there. Mike was Andrews catcher in our world championship team in 2009. My job was sure easy with these two conducting the pitching and catching. I took on the hitting.