Getting that first at-bat
August 16, 2008 | 7:14 PMAndrea Duran
It is finally good to get out and play some games at the Olympics after our long tour and practices. The team is doing great so it's a lot of fun. Personally I am getting a little bit of a slow start, but my time will come. I am just trying to stay positive, which isn't that hard because the team is winning and we are playing really well right now!
As for my first at-bat of the Olympic Games, I tried not to make it any bigger than what it was because it is still the same game that I have been playing for the past 13 years of my life, just on a bigger stage. I really wanted to hit so when the pitcher hit me, I was kind of like "Oh well, I am on base, woo hoo haha." I think I scored the first run of the Olympics for us, so that was kind of cool! My cousin said he got a picture of it. Our schedule has been pretty busy so there's not that much room for free time, which is O.K. because it is good to stay focused. My typical day lately has been getting up, getting semi-dressed and then walking the long walk to the huge dining hall, where I usually eat a bowl of oatmeal, some fruit and whatever else looks good. From there I return back to my room to finish getting dressed and head with the team to the bus that takes us to the field. The drive is about 40 minutes. We play our game at 12 p.m., then head back on the bus. Sometimes I read on the bus or just mellow out. When we get back to the dorms, I usually wind down, get something to eat and take a shower. Then we have a team meeting, I hang out with some teammates, then get to sleep only to wake up and do it all over again.
Like I said before, I don't mind the schedule because it keeps us focused. The village has been fun. It's amazing to see all the countries and all the different kinds of people. It's really fun to people watch.
Well, tomorrow we get to sleep in before the game against the Netherlands because we play at night, so I am excited for that!
Send a lot of good karma and good energy towards Beijing to help us get gold!
Andrea is a member of the U.S. softball team.
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A blog by and about UCLA athletes, coaches, students and alumni at the Beijing Olympics
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Julie Chiu
Julie, who works with the media in Beijing, prepared for her third Olympics by studying Mandarin for two years.
Jessica Cosby
Jessica competes in the hammer throw for the U.S. Olympic team.
Andrea Duran
Andrea, Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2006, plays on the U.S. Olympic softball team.
Jillian Ellis
Jillian, head coach at UCLA, is an assistant coach for the U.S. women's soccer team.
Natalie Golda
Natalie, a UCLA alum, is a member of the U.S. water polo team.
Kimberly Kyan
Kimberly, UCLA '05, moved to Beijing on a whim two years ago and stayed for the Olympics.
Kara Lang
Kara, a student at UCLA, is a member of Canada's Olympic soccer team.
Nicolette Teo
Nicolette swims the breaststroke for the Singapore Olympic team.
Elizabeth Kivowitz Boatright-Simon
Liz is a senior media relations officer at UCLA. She is happy to be at home during the Olympics.
Kevin Roderick
Kevin is director of the UCLA Newsroom. He wishes he were in Beijing.