{"id":4320,"date":"2010-06-30T21:55:40","date_gmt":"2010-07-01T04:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/?p=4320"},"modified":"2010-06-30T22:07:08","modified_gmt":"2010-07-01T05:07:08","slug":"haber-breaks-rbi-record-now-at-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/?p=4320","title":{"rendered":"Alissa Haber Breaks RBI Record – now at 19"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click here for USA Women’s Twitter<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

More on Haber and the USA Women’s team after the jump.
\n(from the USA Softball website)<\/strong>
\n<\/a>
\n
\n
\nSoftball\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s next generation keeping U.S. at high level<\/strong>
\nMike Miazga, Red Line Editorial June 30, 2010<\/em><\/p>\n

The goal for U.S. national team athletes is to one day compete at the highest level of their particular sport. For most sports, that means the Olympic Games.<\/p>\n

When softball was taken off the Olympic program following the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, many expected the sport to struggle. There wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be any motivation for the top players to keep playing.<\/p>\n

Think again.<\/p>\n

Although softball will not be played at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Team USA members are as excited and as motivated as ever to don the red, white and blue \u00e2\u20ac\u201d especially now with the team in Venezuela competing for its seventh consecutive world championship. The medal round begins today. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I am upset that softball isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t in the Olympics anymore, but that would never stop me from playing the sport I love,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said U.S. outfielder Alissa Haber, a Stanford alum in her second year with the national team. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Just being able to put on the USA uniform, in any venue, is a dream come true for me. It is a privilege to be on this team and my love for the game will always be the reason I play.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Some of the young players have been playing on the U.S. futures national team, which features college players and athletes with some program experience. <\/p>\n

U.S. futures national team pitcher\/infielder Megan Langenfeld, fresh off being named the MVP of the 2010 College Softball World Series after helping UCLA win the NCAA title, is motivated by the high level of play she encounters in practice and on the field. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a constant challenge,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Langenfeld said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m being challenged by the best of the best. We played against the national team and that was a hard task. I like being challenged. There is always room for improvement. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what keeps me motivated. I love the game. I always want to strive for perfection in a very difficult game.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

The positive attitudes emitting from the younger players is nothing but good news for the U.S. program in terms of a long-term outlook.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been a great experience,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d said Team USA infielder Tammy Williams. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There are lots of different personalities on the team. Everybody has fun and has a good time with it. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not the case with every team.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Williams noted that the squad\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s veteran players have accepted the younger players, such as herself and pitcher Eileen Canney, with open arms.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Some of the girls have been on the team for a few years,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d she said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Eileen and I are the newer ones this year. A lot of them are a couple of years older. They take care of everyone and make sure everybody is where they are supposed to be. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got a good mix of ages and a good mix of girls from different parts of the country.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

Some members of the team have earned multiple Olympic medals. Some even are mothers who take their children on the road for games. And now there is a new generation of players coming through as well. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There are a lot of leaders on the team that step up in different ways,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Canney said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got some wild ones and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got some ones who step back and take care of what everyone else doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. They all have ways of leading and making sure everything gets accomplished.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Haber has also been impressed with how she has been received by her teammates since she joined the program.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t say enough about how much the older players have helped me in the year I have been a member of this team,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Haber said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They, more than anyone, understand the pressure being put on you as a member of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s best softball team and they have all helped me adjust to the level of play and the stress that comes along with it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Haber appreciates the fact the older players communicate with her about her play.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Even when we are in the thick of competition, they are always willing to give me honest critiques on my at-bats, share insight on the pitcher we are facing or offer advice on my outfield play,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Haber said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It is always reassuring knowing your teammates have your back like that.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Members of both the national and future national teams point out another thing that keeps them motivated to play at the elite level: The opportunity to pass on their knowledge to future generations of softball players.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s another thing that motivates me to play for this team,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Haber said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Even though I won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get to go to the Olympics, I want to do as much as I can to ensure that those future generations of young girls can have the same dreams that I did when I was their age. By continuing to play in these events, we are working to keep the game of softball relevant in the global sports scene and keeping the dream of its Olympic reinstatement alive.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Players in the U.S. program hope other girls can experience the distinct thrill of putting on the USA jersey for the first time.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was the most amazing feeling,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Williams remembered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Growing up, that was the dream and goal to actually be there and put that uniform on. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not something I can really describe. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s one of the greatest feelings in the world.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Added Haber: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was surreal, to say the least. I started in left field the first game we played in Canada and I have never sprinted out to the grass so quickly. I remember everything I did was at double speed because I was so eager to prove myself.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Both U.S. teams will get another shot of adrenaline when they play in the KFC World Cup July 22-26 in Oklahoma City at the ASA of America\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Hall of Fame Stadium \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the annual site of the College Softball World Series and the home of USA Softball headquarters. The KFC World Cup features Team USA, Canada, Japan and the U.S. futures team. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m very excited,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Williams said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My family and friends are coming down. It is going to be a great atmosphere in Oklahoma City no matter what team you play for, let alone the U.S. team. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a great environment there. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s always fun playing somewhere familiar. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a really special place.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There is no greater feeling than running onto the field to our fans in Oklahoma City,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Haber said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I never knew how large our fan base was until the World Cup. It is wonderful seeing all the great fans from all over the country who come out to support us. Oklahoma City is the ultimate home-field advantage.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Team USA coach Jay Miller said there is no better time for the U.S. program to show what it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s made of. The two U.S. teams will play at least two times at the World Cup. <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to be a great event for softball,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Miller said. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re playing in a great venue with great fans and ESPN will be there. This is the opportunity to put our best foot forward softball-wise for the world.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Mike Miazga is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of any National Governing Bodies.<\/p>\n

Tags: Alissa Haber, Eileen Canney, Jay Miller, Megan Langenfeld, Mike Miazga, Tammy Williams, USA Softball<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click here for USA Women’s Twitter More on Haber and the USA Women’s team after the jump. (from the USA Softball website)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1,17,9,24],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4320"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4320\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/morningbrief\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}