Army West Point Athletics
Thursday, March 18 - Spending Spring Break In Florida
March 19, 2010 | General
Hi, greetings from Mady Salvani reporting to you from overcast Florida. It is a sunny state and we have had sun but it was so windy it had to drop the temperature by 15 degrees. I did bring shorts but have yet to wear them without long pants. We have a swimming pool outdoors but when it is 58 degrees in the morning, it would have to heat up a lot for me to put this body into frigid water. On the other hand, it would probably preserve me better.
I am with the softball team and if you have been following us on the web, you know that the players are having a good start here at 3-1. When teams start doing well you start looking at records and the Black Knights have scored a lot of runs at the Rebel Springs. Army's 21 runs are the most after four games in Florida at the Division I level, while the record is 29 set by the 1990 team, the last to play Division II ball.
When women arrived at West Point, they didn't have a lot of sports for them. Women's basketball was the first to compete the winter of 1986-87 at the club level. Basketball played Division I ball while the other sports - softball, volleyball, swimming and diving, track, cross country and tennis competed first at the Division III level, then all the women's teams moved to Division II during the mid-80s until joining the Patriot League in 1990-91. But enough of a history lesson.
We left Saturday in rain from LaGuardia and our flight was a bit delayed but we arrived safely by early evening. Unlike other years, I was not dying from the heat. As a matter of fact I could have used a sweatshirt. We stopped for pizza then headed to our accommodations. Soon as I arrived I was busy trying to find out how rifle made out in order to write a release and update the A line.
Sunday morning we went to a high school field to practice, then off to the Osceola County Softball Complex for a remembrance ceremony for Norma Metrolis, who always greeted the team at the gate. She was a member of the All America Girls Baseball League (A League of their own). Norma loved the Army softball team, so a contingent of players attended the ceremony in her honor.
Also on hand was former Army head coach Jim Flowers, who had come to Florida to watch the girls play and join in the ceremony. Afterwards I joined Coach, his wife Nancy along with Jerry and Bonny for lunch.
Up early the next day (earlier than I am at work) as we left for the field at 7 a.m. The field is nice and the games were great. The West Point Society of Florida treated the team to a late lunch at the Golden Corral which I topped off with a hot fudge sundae. After returning to my room I found out two of our softball players earned Patriot League honors along with rifle claiming weekly honors.
Next day I got to go with the assistant coaches, the officer representative and the athletic trainer to an amusement park where they went on the sling shot ride. They were shot over 300 feet into the air - it was awesome and I got to hold purses. Me, no way, as they were turned upside down and spent most of the time screaming. I was perfectly fine with watching.
The games are early which has me up and ready to go by 6:45 a.m. It is dark out then and I don't get up until 7 a.m. at home and by that time here we are headed for the field.
The week is almost over and this is the first time I have not yet sat out by the pool. I am hoping that will change before the end of the week because I need to go back with at least a burn and that takes a lot because I don't burn easy.
I keep checking the weather reports but it seems it is warmer in New York than Florida, but I am optimistic it will get warmer by the weekend and that I will be able to wear shorts and a short sleeve shirt because right now I am all bundled up. The blankets in the room are way too thin and I have not had to use the air conditioner.
I am enjoying Florida but I miss my office mates and my pets so see you all soon.
