Photoessay #543 - 2007 middle infield

I've enjoyed looking at the pictures that Dennis and I took at the Kajikawa tournament two years ago. I'll feature another pic or two.

It's so hard to take softball action pictures because the game moves SO fast. Small infield; base paths 60 feet. Smaller outfield. The ball comes off the bat fast and boom, whatever happened, happened. You cannot take your eyes off the field, because the play is over so fast. I went to a Seattle Mariner game last year. Baseball, huge infield, huge outfield. The plays take so much longer. You can hear the crack of the bat, look up and see the play. Not in softball. So, you can't get your camera up to catch a play.

Dennis took quite a few shots of the warmup. None of these players are with the Ducks now. In the background is AnnMarie, senior, best friend, and a strong bat. In the foreground is the starting 2007 infield. Suzie at second and behind her Jenn S, at shortstop. Susanna played two years at centerfield but then informed Coach A that she was challenging for second base and won it.

Jenn S is the source of considerable controversy. She redshirted her freshman year as Breane S played short. During her redshirt freshman year, she dominated, winning first team All American honors. Anchoring the infield with our Susanna the entire year. Last year, she took an olympic redshirt and was the starting shortstop for the Canadian Olympic Team, playing in Beijing. Strong rumors abounded that she would not return to Oregon. Rumor control had her going to Washington to join her friend ace pitcher Danielle L.

Now in NCAA sports, you just can't change teams. It's part of the control that the NCAA has over the athletes. You can't talk to any other coach unless you have a release from your first team. Generally, if you transfer within your conference, you lose a year of eligibility and have to sit out a year.

Of course, any student can transfer to any college. But, for athletes, it's tough, you lose your scholarship, etc.

Jenn S. did not return to Oregon. She is not on the roster. She was enrolled in a community college in Canada. Univ of Washington had announced that it was not accepting any spring transfers. An article in the Seattle Times mentioned a bill introduced by some Washington legislator that would block preferential treatment to athletes blocking them from being able to enter the UW for the spring quarter. Apparently seven athletes were planning to transfer in including at least one softball athlete. No who do you think that would be?

Don't know what happened to the bill. Nobody's talking, we will see what happens.

But they were a great middle infield for the Oregon Ducks in 2007

Note: like most softball pictures, Susanna's feet are not touching the ground (or barely). She's always flying.....