Embracing the Unexpected

Coming from Finland, where the weather is cold and grey for many months out of the year, the country of Italy brings up thoughts such as sunshine, beaches, and warmth, in addition to pizza, pasta, and gelato. When thinking about when to spend our week in Forli, I noticed temperatures of up to 37°C in mid-July. Some of our group considered going in August, so the thought of these temperatures was concerning. Even though we chose mid-September, I still expected it to be warm, indicated by my suitcase filled with shorts.

However, we were met with a chilly rain for most of the week. And not just "normal" rain, but torrential downpours that resulted in flooding, train cancellations, and a city-wide shutdown of schools, public facilities, gyms, museums, and more. This was definitely not what we had in mind for our trip. Despite many hiccups along the way, the experience was unforgettable and invaluable. Here's how the week went.

Thursday & Friday

Since the Forli team had two important games on the Saturday after our arrival, the idea was to observe their practices before the weekend and actively join them after the weekend. We were encouraged to get up close and personal, take videos, and ask questions. Since Sandstorm does not have a coach and we essentially coach ourselves, it was helpful to see how a more developed team operates. We meticulously took notes and intend to incorporate many of the drills into our own practices.

We were quite impressed with the Softball Forli facilities!

Saturday

On Saturday we attended two semifinal games between Forli and Saronno. Before the start of the games, we were surprisingly recognized by the club and a Forli city hall representative to officially mark our Erasmus trip. The stands were filled with fans, the atmosphere was energized, and I really felt the community spirit surrounding the Softball Forli club. Since very few softball games occur in Finland each year, watching top level teams play was an equally thrilling and teachable experience. After the games, we presented the team with goodies from Finland to show our appreciation of their support.

Photo credit for photos four and five: Softball Forli

Sunday

On Sunday, Sandstorm practiced together at the softball field. This was a great chance to play on a proper dirt softball field and for me to practice for the first time in a month (due to holidays) before joining the advanced players. At the same time, we realized that we need better practice plans to be more effective with our time.

Monday

Unfortunately, the Monday Under 18 practice was cancelled since they were resting from games over the weekend. However, Sandstorm was invited to help coach the Under 10 players. There were two Softball Forli coaches, five Sandstorm players, and seven kids, making for a perfect one-to-one ratio. Even though we didn't get to practice, it was useful to be able to work with the kids and see what kinds of drills they do, some of which we can even use ourselves.

Sharing the Finnish sport of pesäpallo with Softball Forli

Tuesday

The weather on Tuesday took a turn for the worse, so practice once again was not possible. Though our trip admittedly lacked active softball playing, one benefit was bringing us together for an extended period, which is not usually the case even though we all live in the Helsinki area. We had plenty of time to bond and brainstorm about the future of our club, generating several ideas to take back with us regarding the management of our organization and initiatives to increase participation.

Watching a Forli game online

Wednesday

The weather in Forli remained exceptionally rainy for the rest of the week, and the city-wide shutdown prevented an indoor facility from being an option. On my last day before traveling back to Helsinki, we met the head coach of Softball Forli as well as catching ocach for lunch. Unexpectedly, it ended up being a three hour session in which the coaches graciously answered all of our questions and offered to help us in the future, even bringing along a folder full of softball drills with promises of sending videos to explain them. We are extremely grateful to Softball Forli- the coaches, players, and staff - for embracing us throughout the week. I think I can speak for all of us in saying that Softball Forli left a lasting impression on us, and we are now even more eager to grow softball in Helsinki after this trip. Thank you all and stay tuned for upcoming Sandstorm activities!

Continuing the connection with Softball Forli