Greetings from the Women's College World Series!

By Alicia Blake, Washington Huskies Catcher

OKLAHOMA CITY- Hi everybody! It's awesome to be here in Oklahoma City for the Women's College World Series! It's just an awesome experience, and the team has been playing so awesome!

The first few games went really well, and we even got to be on TV! ESPN has been televising all of the games, so my friends and family got to watch. They sent me a tape, and I was so glad that my hair looked good in the pre-game introductions. Also, [outfielder] Kimi [Pohlman] was worried that she would look fat on TV because her boyfriend broke up with her and she's been stressed lately, but she so totally didn't.

We have had such a good time playing the games. [Pitcher] Danielle [Lawrie] has been pitching really well. In the game against Georgia, they were getting lots of hits, but Coach didn't have to take her out. I was happy for her, because it would have been so embarrassing for her and for Coach if she had to take her out in a game that everybody was watching. I would have cried! Danielle is so tough; I'm just glad that she got to stay in the game, even though we ended up losing.

I know what you're all wondering- and yes, we have come up with some really awesome cheers for the World Series. Aly [McWherter] is in ROTC, so she knows all of these Army chants, so whenever she gets up, we start pretending that we're doing a march on the bench! I could tell that she loved it because she started giggling when she was trying to hit. She struck out because she said she was trying really hard not to pee her pants. I can't blame her! Even though she got out, I still think it was a good cheer because she really liked it.

I'm really happy that the team has stayed so positive. Some of the girls were feeling sad after our loss to Georgia, but I just told them that it's not about winning and losing- it's about the friendships we make along the way. After the series is over, nobody's going to remember who won, but we can treasure one another's friendship for the rest of our lives. Isn't that what sports are supposed to be about? I don't know why everyone has to be so competitive all the time.

Speaking of being proud, after we finished making up cheers for good fielding plays, Niki [Williams] and I made the cutest fire-ups to hang on the girls' hotel room doors! We used construction paper and sparkle-glue to cut out little Huskies and had them fighting with alligators, and they said “Chomp the Gators!” because we were going to play Florida in the finals. I wanted to put some extra glitter on them so everybody who walked by would notice them, but I needed to save enough glitter to wear to the game the next day.

The only bad thing about the tournament so far has been the creepy old guy who hangs out in our locker room. Somebody said his name is John Kirk or Kruk or something, and that he works for ESPN, but I don't know who told him he could go in the women's locker room. Niki said he asked her if it was true that all softball players are lesbians. Whatever. He was interviewing Danielle after the last game, but he kept trying to look over toward the showers. I'm glad that he couldn't see in, because he would have found out about our top secret victory celebration!

[RIGHT- World-renowned softball expert John Kirk, or Kruk or something.]

Even though we're all having a great time, I'm excited to get back to Seattle. Danielle is going to have the whole team over to her house for pizza and a slumber party, and we're going to play truth or dare! It's not time to go back yet, though, because we still have to play Florida again. They're the first team we've played that's been a higher seed. That has been a nightmare, because the higher ranked team has to wear the white jerseys, and my ass looks really big in those white pants! It makes me embarrassed to get down in a crouch, and I've had like 6 passed balls trying to catch from one knee. Now that we're wearing our purple pants, I can finally focus on my play, and not worry about how I look. Well, other than my glitter, decorative hair band, special wrist bands, keeping my ponytail straight, and not getting any dirt on my jersey. Other than those things, I can focus on my play. Oh, and making sure that I cheer up every girl who makes an error or gets out. Other than that, I can focus on my play. Oh, and doing cheers before, during, and after every play, and making sure that my teammates are all in sync with the cheers. Other than that, I can focus on my play.

I have to go do my makeup for the finals now. Make sure you're watching, it should be an awesome game!