Illinois & Arkansas Trips

For the past week, the Lakers have continued working hard studying, practicing and playing our intense fall scrimmage schedule. Last Friday we traveled to Urbana, IL to play the Universtiy of Illinois. After playing a complete seven innings, we headed back to Mattoon on our Bales charter bus.

Just hours later, we were back on the bus and headed to Fayeteville, AR for a double header vs. the University of Arkansas. As we arrived on campus everyone’s heads were turning in all directions as we admired the beautiful athletic facilities. The players were escorted into their very own locker room to get changed and ready for the games. It wasn’t long before they lined up and marched together into Bogle Park. Jaws dropped as they entered and got a view of the entire stadium. Witnessing the tradition at Arkansas was a site to see and would make any athlete want to be a part of it. Our pitchers were tough on the mound and we played two close scrimmages. After the scrimmage games, several of the parents took us all to dinner at Loafin’ Joes. The entrees were hotsandwiches and pizza, and I think it’s safe to say everyone was satisfied! The food was excellent and it was a nice atmosphere for the team and their families to mingle. We’d like to make a special thank you to Abbie Frank for organizing the dinner. We would also like to thank all of the parents for the delicious donated dinner! We really appreciate it
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On Wednesday, the Lakers traveled to Normal, IL for a scrimmage game against Illinois State University. This weekend we’ll be traveling across town to take on Eastern Illinois University in a double header.

Featured Player - Richael Tavis Kolo Carey

THE BASICS

Born: Jan 12, 1991 in Honolulu, Hawaii

Started playing softball at age: 7

High School: McKinley High School

Desired major in college: Physical Education

Siblings: Hoku, Kawe, Hauoli, Ikaika, Rickey, Raymond

Nicknames: Kolo, Kolone, lil’ 1

PERSONALITY

Dream job: To coach a great softball team

Personality off the field? Kolohe (rascal)

Personality on the field? loud

Who do you admire as a softball player? My high school coach, Summer Nagareda

Who do you admire as a person? My mom

Who are the people that have helped you in life? Dad, Mom

•In fastpitch? Leilani, Okuda, Summer Nagareda, Mitch Matsumoto, Coach Bola, Mellisa Marquez, Michelle Puesta

What is the best advice you have ever been given? Be humble and greatful

If you were a shoe, what kind would you be? Nikes

What is one thing you have done you would never want to do again? Go on the zipper ride

What is the scariest thing you have ever done? Coming to Illinois

What is the one thing you absolutely must do in order to get your day started right?

EAT and turn on music

Do you have any pets? Dog, her name is Kiko

FASTPITCH

What are you looking forward to the most during your 2010 season with Lake Land?

To learn as much as I can and to be able to continue to a 4 year college

What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment to date?

Going to college and playing the one thing I LOVE

What is your favorite position to play? Anywhere in the outfield

At what age did you start playing fastpitch? 8/9 years old

Did you ever play baseball? If so, for how long?

Yes, since I was 6 til Freshman year in high school

TRAINING

What is your favorite exercise? Upper body workouts

Exercise that gives you the best results: Burpies and fried frog legs

Exercise you don’t like doing or have to force yourself to complete: Hawaiian BURPIES!!!

What do you like to do on a day-off? Sleep and shopping

FAVORITES

Food: Kalua pig with rice, poi, haupie Fruit: Oranges Candy: Li hing sour watermelon

Healthy snack: PBJ sandwich Restaurant: CPK Music: local island/reggae

Laker Practice Area

With the help of private dontaions, Coach Nelson has worked hard to build an amazing practice area for the team. We have a batting cage, a hitting net, and a one of a kind bullpen. The bullpen still is not complete, but it’s getting there! Just theother day, the girls and Coach Nelson worked together to put up part of the roof. When it’s finished, the pitchers will be able to throw in dirt all year round! What an amazing addition to our program.

Softball Time!

The Lakers have been working really hard these past few weeks to prepare for our fall scrimmage games. Anyone on campus can hear the excitement during practice as they are cheering loudly for each other. Every day they’re getting better and learning to play as a team. We’ve got some great competition ahead, and as the girls often say, it’s “softball time!”

LLC fight song:

Make way for the Lakers now

Our champions we do cheer

We’ve played the game,

We’ve earned the name

Our foes we do not fear

So, raise up your voice in praise

Let’s shout for victory

The Lakers are the best

Forget all the rest

To Lake Land our loyalty

LAKERS!

Tune in after every WIN to hear the Lakers sing the fight song! You may join them by clapping along and singing!

LLC vs. Robert Morris College - 9.9.09

In game one, Aubrey Frank started on the mound, giving up just two hits and one run. After the first inning, Frank was untouchable, retiring the next 15 hitters, with 4 strike outs. Geri Whitman got the ball to finish up the last three ininngs. Whitman gave up 1 hit, 2 walks and 0 runs while striking out 4.

Offensively, the bats were hot. In the first inning, the Lakers took the lead scoring 3 runs with a walk by Kolo Carey, a double by Bri Athey and a triple by Danielle Finke. In the third inning, Katie Reiff, Finke and Tori Purcell singled to put 3 more runs on the board. Frank reached on a fielder’s choice and Kaitlyn Teager walked. In the 6th inning, Athey scored the final run being hit by a pitch to reach first base. The Lakers had 7 stolen bases by: Carey (2), K. Runde (2), Reiff, N. Runde and Athey.

In game two, Mallory Bremer started on the mound giving up just two runs on 1 walk and 2 hits. Offensively, the Lakers did not score until the fourth inning. Carey led off the 4th inning with a triple, followed with a single by Nicki Ramsay and a sac fly by Jackie Trombi to score Nicole Runde. Two more runs were scored in both the 5th and 6th inning on a walk by Winkler, a triple by K. Runde, a sac by Carey, and Ramsay and Athey reached on errors. Murray came in in the 5th inning giving up just 1 hit and retiring the rest.

The Lakers will take on the University of Illinois this Friday with a game at 6pm in Urbana, IL. On Saturday we’ll be traveling to Fayetville, AR for a double header against the University of Arkansas.

Flying V

Here is the inspiration of our flying v:

In the fall when you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in the “v” formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way.
It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. Quite similar to people who are part of a team and share a common direction get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the trust of one another and lift each other up along the way.Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go through it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the power of the flock. If we have as much sense as a Goose, we will stay in formation and share information with those who are headed the same way that we are going.
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wind and another goose takes over. It pays to share leadership and take turns doing hard jobs.
The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep their speed. Words of support and inspiration help energize those on the front line, helping them to keep pace in spite of the day-to-day pressures and fatigue. It is important that our honking be encouraging. Otherwise it’s just – well honking!
Finally, when a goose gets sick or is wounded by a gunshot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow the injured one down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out with another formation to catch up with their group. When one of us is down, it’s up to the others to stand by us in our time of trouble. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other when things get rough. We will stay in formation with those headed where we want to go.
The next time you see a formation of geese, remember the message that “it is indeed a reward, a challenge, and a privilege to be a contributing member of a team.” - Angelels Arrien