Pre-Spring Training-Training

Now that there are only however many days that countdown says ------------> left until spring training, I have been working out quite a bit. I've always enjoyed working out but lately I've seriously appreciated it, for it has become a "break" in my day. As of right now, I have about 4 days to finish my thesis in order to complete my master's degree (not including the defense). So needless to say, I've spent many hours writing, re-writing, researching, formatting, etc. My breaks from working on my thesis, who I've named Terry, include working out and coaching when my regular work schedule allows it. Everything else has become a luxury... like sleeping and hanging out with friends. I have had a few breaks, but only when I'm waiting to receive feedback from a member of my committee. Aka, I finish writing a section and then wait for my committee to tear it apart and tell me to re-write it. Terry is pretty needy and very particular about how he's written. I thought maybe if I named him that we would get along better. It's not working out too well. Anyway, enough about him, this is supposed to be about working out. I guess I just wanted to share with everyone that I am getting pretty excited to play this season! It keeps me motivated when I'm working out and pushes me through every lunge, box jump and stair sprint I have to do. 37 days!!!!!! :)

Sho Time!

Hey everyone! Less than two months til Spring Training! Woooo hoo!! I'm getting very excited, as you can see. For those of you who are familiar with the Force, I wanted to make a shout out for my former teammate Sharonda McDonald aka Sho. Sho is playing overseas in Italy and she started a blog. She'll be updating with her adventures over there so you should check out her blog!

Click Here. :)

Re-united with my Roo!

My Roo, better known to you all as Margo Pruis, is my roommate and philly force teammate! Anyone who has seen Margo and I together would probably tell you that we act like ridiculous 10 year olds. They're just jealous. It's been six long months since we've seen each other but last weekend we were re-united! We currently live about 8 hours apart but we managed to meet up in Kentucky for a day! Our activities included: starbucks coffee and chatting, 2 minute massages and a photo shoot in the mall, pizza hut and more chatting, and heeling in walmart. It was a short visit but it was so good to see my roo! Here's a short video of Margo heeling:

She's new at the sport but has so much potential! Stay tuned for more heeling adventures this summer.

Merry Christmas!

Hey Force family and softball fans! Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas :) We have many Birk traditions but one of them is making Christmas cookies. Here's one I made :)

Off-Season

The end of our season seems like a blur. Three months become pictures on my computer that I look back at now, wishing it were still summer time. I sure do miss Allentown and my summer family, the Force. It's weird how you grow so close to people but once you're separated it's like they hardly exist. I try keeping in touch with teammates but it just isn't the same as living in a dorm with all of them. Sho and I continued colored headband day for a few weeks... but the past few we've forgotten :( It just makes me sad; only getting to do what I love for 3 months out of the year while the other 9 are spent in the real world.
The dreaded nine month off-season is here. Well, it's been here since September but I've been so busy I haven't had time to blog about it. Sure, there's still a little time for fun like Tuesday Night Movie Nights, but for the most part it's all work and class. My "real life" right now consists of grad school, working as a grad assistant, writing a thesis, and training for the summer. I'm a grad assistant for Graphic Communications, which was my undergrad major and I'm getting my masters degree in Project Management. This semester I only attend one class but I also have an independent study and thesis credit hours. I work 20 hours a week and train five days a week. I'm pretty much always have something I should be working on. It's rather stressful but I am looking forward to next semester when I'll be helping coach softball for Normal West High School again. Not to mention, it will be closer to summer :) For now, the only taste of softball I get is the Alumni game we had a few weeks ago and slow-pitch one night a week, which I like to consider a separate sport entirely. I’ll be counting down the days until summer (6 months, 3 weeks, 5 days) and until then you can check out my other blog about my “real life” here.

Belle

No one really guessed, but I'll tell ya anyway, Megan and I were in the Belle costumes :)

Kimberly

me, tory, tat ___________ spence dancin'

playing at the mall - me, rocky, tory - me, rock

em and her little man - "emily marry me"

me and vanessa _________ team pic

Who's Belle?

Happy Birthday Jodie and Shannon

August 14th was Jodie’s and Shannon’s birthday! We went to Rookies and did karaoke, very entertaining!

Redbirds Reunited

For our last home series we played the Akron Racers. For those of you who don’t know Shannon Nicholson, she was my teammate and other half at Illinois State. Shannon and I came into ISU together as freshmen and for the most part pitched as a duo throughout our career there. It wasn’t until our senior year when Shannon tore her ACL that the duo was temporarily split up. Shannon took a few weeks off to recover and with a knee brace was back in action! She did not play in the NPF last summer because she had surgery but we trained together all year long and she signed with Akron. We joked about pitching against each other but our NPF experiences have been quite different from college and neither of us saw the mound the entire series, cwap. Buuuuut we did take a picture together! Haha.

Rockford

A few weeks ago we played a series vs. the Rockford Thunder. I got to start the third game of the series and my family came to watch! Here are some pictures of my cousin Isabelle and I at dinner after the game ☺