Nov. 19, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
While the rest of their classmates will be enjoying a vacation during Thanksgiving Break, the Illinois State softball team will be vacationing in its own way Nov. 22-30, as the Redbirds travel to Belize to compete in a nine-day international softball tour. Illinois State will depart from Bloomington, Ill., Saturday, with games scheduled throughout next week (Nov. 23-29), and will return Sunday, Nov. 30.
The Redbirds' trip to Belize marks the third international tour the Illinois State softball program has participated in. The Redbirds made previous trips to Australia in 2000 and 2004.
In 2004, Illinois State went 9-0 against the Queensland (Australia) 23-and-Under National Team and the New South Wales (Australia) 19 State Team during its last international tour.
The NCAA allows softball teams to participate in an international tour once every four years, provided the trip does not take students out of the classroom and the trip ends at least 30 days prior to the team's first official practice.
"This trip (to Belize) developed about eight years ago," said Fischer. "We made a commitment within our program to participate in a foreign tour every four years. We looked at a couple of different places to play, such as Puerto Rico, but in the end, Belize worked out best for our program's needs.
"I believe this trip is going to be a great, challenging and rewarding experience for our student-athletes, coaches and staff as a whole."
Illinois State can play up to 10 games during its international tour, and it already has eight games scheduled against various Belize National Teams. The Redbirds will begin their international tour with a doubleheader Monday, Nov. 24, against Telemedia, the Belize National Softball Champion, and the Belize National Team.
On Tuesday, Nov. 25, ISU will compete against the Belize Junior National Men's Softball Team, and then again take on the Belize National Team. Illinois State will follow that up with doubleheaders Nov. 26 and Nov. 28 against the Belize National Softball Team.
"Once our student-athletes realize who they are representing and what they are representing, everything seems to fall into place in terms of what our program looks to get out of a trip like this (to Belize)," said Fischer. "Our student-athletes are representing the United State, Illinois State University, our athletics department and the Redbird softball program.
"None of our student-athletes have played on a foreign tour or in international competition. In terms of the level of competition, I really don't know what to expect. Belize is a developing country in the sport of fastpitch (softball). This trip is a lot about the friendship and fellowship that exists within the fastpitch softball community, and we see ourselves as true ambassadors of the sport."
The Redbirds' international softball tour in Belize will not be made up solely of competition. Illinois State will also be giving back to the local communities that it will be staying in during the trip. Illinois State is scheduled to give a clinic for 100 elementary-age school children Wednesday, Nov. 26. The Redbirds will instruct the children on the techniques of playing softball, as well as provide them with equipment that has been donated by various local and national companies.
"We're very excited about the clinic that we will be conducting for the children in Belize," said Fischer. "The experience of coaching younger kids in a country that is still developing its softball programs will be an awesome experience for our student-athletes and our coaches."
Belize is a country of 320,000 citizens, and was formerly known as British Honduras. The Belize National Softball Team never competed during the time that softball was an officially recognized Olympic sport (1996-2008).
The entire Illinois State softball team's international tour of Belize will be chronicled daily on GoRedbirds.com, the official Web site of Illinois State Athletics. Daily blogs from several Redbird softball student-athletes will be available, as well as photo galleries and postgame recaps (when available).
Illinois State will begin its 2009 season Friday, Feb. 6, at the South Florida Tournament in Tampa.
TRAVEL ITINERARY
Saturday, Nov. 22 - Leave Normal, Ill., for Belize; arrive early afternoon in Belize
Sunday, Nov. 23 -Sightseeing
Monday, Nov. 24 - Games versus Telemedia (Belize National Softball Champion) and the Belize National Softball Team
Tuesday, Nov. 25 - Games against the Belize Junior National Male Team and the Belize National Softball Team
Wednesday, Nov. 26 - Clinic for 100 elementary-age school children in the morning; doubleheader versus the Belize National Softball Team at night
Thursday, Nov. 27 - DAY OFF; sightseeing
Friday, Nov. 28 - Doubleheader versus the Belize National Softball Team
Saturday, Nov. 29 - Practice and sightseeing
Sunday, Nov. 30 - Return to Normal, Ill.
