2007 World University Games (above) gold medalist Canada is underway with their pre-Olympic tour. (Photo by Christian Pierre/FISU)

OLYMPIC TEAMS STARTING TO GEAR UP
2008-02-14

Two days ago, Tuesday, February 12, marked six months until the first pitch at the 2008 Olympic Softball competition. Now the focus is off the calendar and onto the playing fields as some of the eight teams that will compete in August in Beijing are starting their pre-Olympic tours.

One example is Team Canada, who played two games in Las Vegas this past weekend against U.S. college teams and faces five more over the next four days, beginning today. On Saturday at the Sportco Spring Kick-off Classic they defeated Washington, 7-3, and the next morning they topped Texas Tech, 10-1. They begin the Desert Classic with a 3:00 p.m. (PT) game versus University of Texas at El-Paso (UTEP), followed by two games tomorrow, starting with a clash with Wisconsin.

The Netherlands has brought their team to the U.S. and will practice tomorrow in Berkeley before playing St. Mary’s College of California on Saturday, with two more games set for next Tuesday.

That same night the defending Olympic gold medalist U.S. team begins their tour with a game that is already sold out. They will take on the University of Arizona in a game that ESPN2 will show on April 15.

Chinese Taipei will also make an appearance in the U.S. in June and July for games against some of the teams in the pro league. Venezuela also has games scheduled against some of them in June.

The schedule of the 2008 Olympic Softball games is expected to be announced by the end of this month.