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 Former standout UT softball player Cat Osterman is playing professional softball in Japan. She is chronicling her adventures here at BON.

Hello there!!

Well again I've waited some time to update you guys on the happenings here in Japan. After our last set of league games, we had friends come visit, a trip the Kyoto, a few sets of practice games, tons of practice, and well just time to observe and live.  I won't deny it's getting harder now. Nothing is like home. I'm constantly craving margaritas and Mexican food, or even just a beautiful day sitting outside in Austin. However, 3 more weeks here, and then I am poolside in Florida for the summer!

Kyoto is awesome! We took the bullet train, which travel 130mph or something like that. While on the bullet train we began discussing how great it would be if we had something similar in the United States or even just in Texas. Imagine a high speed train that connected Houston, Austin and Dallas. Shoot I'd pay to ride to Dallas instead of having to drive that drive! Come on America, let's get with it! Heck, building train tracks will mean labor which is job openings right?

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 Former Texas Longhorn softball standout Cat Osterman is blogging about her experiences playing pro softball in Japan.

Kon nichi wa!

It's been almost a month we've been back in Japan, and well, I'm still adjusting! Haha. Where to start?

Last time I wrote it was the day before my birthday. I turned 28 while being over here, and my team made it one of the best birthdays I've had since I was little. We had practice games on my birthday, so the day started off with a bus ride, watching our games, and busing back to our field. Our two American coaches had suggested we head to an Irish pub for dinner. I'm thinking it's just going to be dinner and a few drnks. We get situated at a table, and about 15 minutes later our entire team walks in, some in costumes, to surprise me! We all enjoyed hours of company, and they even pitched in to get me some pretty nice birthday gifts (itunes, starbucks, and some earrings of good luck). After only being here for 2 weeks, they have accepted Megan and I with open arms and hearts.

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Hello there!

Well it's been over a week since we've been here and it's been quite the experience already. I feel like I am going to type out a long novel if I try to cover it all at once. I'll do my best not to get too long winded.

We landed Tuesday night, slept for maybe 4 hours, bumed around the house until our 7am departure for a double header. These were only practice games, but still I was not ready to pitch after flying all day the day before. I threw three innings, and they went fine. It was very different being surrounded by teammate who I did not understand though. They try to speak English as much as they can though, so it's comforting.

Thursday was team hitting and Friday we packed up for our first road trip. Before heading to the Nagoya dome for our scheduled practice time, we took a trip to a temple to pray for good luck and good health this season. The grounds of the temple are beautiful. There were cherry blossoms, which our team insisted on taking a picture of me standing in front of. There were some roosters, which I guess are a special to Nagoya, along with many good luck rituals. We washed our hands and sipped out of a water trough. There was a huge tree they believe houses God. The ceremony itself was more of a performance than it was a typical church ceremony. The two girls did a type of dance in some elaborate costumes. When you exit the temple, you take a sip of saki, similar to sipping the wine during a mass.

After the temple we headed to practice in the dome. They are very strict with time schedules, so practice was at a rapid pace. After practice we bused to our hotel, where we checked in, had a little down time, then joined the team for dinner. It was our first Japanese meal. It was actually very good, minus the purple pickles. I tried everything on my plate, and loved the chicken teriyaki rice bowl. The team was impressed with our use of chopsticks and the fact we were willing to try everything.

Saturday was a long day! We didn't play until 4:30, and since I wasn't adjusted to the time yet, waking up at 5 or 6 provided tons of down time. Skype saved the day though. Its wonderful to be able to call people back home. I've never really been homesick before, so it's a new feeling to me. We had a bento box for lunch with more Japanese food. This time we had some type of sweet pork, which again proved to be delicious!

I still don't know how they are so skinny here. They eat rice at every meal. They have baked goods around every corner. You can only find whole milk at the stores. They only use real sugar. I feel like something isn't adding up!

Our game, well we won 2-0 in 8 innings against Ueno's team. Ueno was the winning pitcher in the Olympics back in 2008. Playing with our team was so fun. They are so energetic and passionate. It's contagious. There were a couple plays that did not go our way, and needless to say our teammates nor the umpires knew what Megan and I were saying! That's the only time I've felt lost since being here!

Monday was an off day, and we spent the afternoon in Nagoya with a few of the other Americans who are over here playing. By the end of the night, 6 of us were having dinner at Outback Steakhouse. We couldn't turn down the opportunity for an American meal! It tastes just like at home!

Things I've noticed here:

1.     They love vegetation, as in flowers outside of houses, stores, restaurants. It's so pretty to see plants and flowers everywhere.

2.     Cherry Blossoms are beautiful, but apparently only bloom for a week or two each year.

3.     Despite the fact you can never find a trash can, there's absolutely no litter here.

4.     Softball's popularity here definitely rivals that of the US. 11,000 people came out to the opening weekend of league play.

5.     People here get things done, and stay on their time frames. Nothing gets them off schedule, even if there's extra time.

This is all for now... we've had one Japanese lesson, but I have to save something to write about!!

Hook ‘Em!

Cat

Former UT standout Cat Osterman is guest blogging from Japan about her experience playing pro softball there.

Well we made the trip yet again. Megan and I left on Monday to come back over to Japan to compete in our softball season. Before you worry, our area is pretty safe. We are in Kariya, which is outside of Nagoya. If I mentioned that in my last blog, forgive the repetition. They have no physical damage or aftermath of the earthquake or tsunami. They told us they felt some shaking, but that is it. As far as the radiation goes, we have been watching the reports on the levels in the air, and since we left, the levels actually haven’t changed, so we decided we’d take the plunge and return back to our humble abode here in Japan.

We actually live in a nice 4 room apartment. We each have a bed room, with strictly our bed, and we both also have another room where we have dressers and a closet. I’d post pictures, but my room is not in a presentable state! 

We have an interpreter who goes everywhere with us! It’s actually the best set up because she used to play softball on this same professional team, so she understands the game too. I think she laughs at us more than we know! We can’t say anything, and we are constantly asking her "what are they saying??"

We played a practice game yesterday! Yes after a 15 hours trip, we get off the plane, try to sleep, and are on a team bus at 7am for a doubleheader starting at 10. Talk about jet lag. We lost both games, but I had a successful outing. I threw 3 perfect innings with 6 strikeouts. It was really fun to be on the field again, but at the same time I felt a little awkward because I can’t really talk to them. I pitch and just smile and nod! They are all super nice. Saying "good pitch" or "nice ball" after each pitch, but it’s so different not being able to communicate back with them, yet!

After practice or games they work on their own field. They grab rakes or brooms and do field maintenance. That’s a big change from the US. Also, after 2 games (both losses) we drove an hour home, only for them to pile off the bus and practice! The coach gave Megan and I the ok to go home and rest, but I could not believe after a long morning already, they were going to practice more. The thoughts just rolled through my mind how many athletes would complain about a practice after games if we were back home!

Our League play starts on Saturday! We play a team called Takasaki. Their pitcher is Yukiko Ueno. Some of you might be familiar with that name, others probably not. She was the pitcher for Japan’s national team when they beat us in the Gold Medal game of the 2008 Olympics. I’m not looking at the game as payback, but it would be nice to win against her! Especially since she has yet to be on their National Team again after that win.

I think that’s it for now… feel free to leave any questions in the comments area. I’ll update again soon, and hopefully have some fun pictures to post as well!

Hook ’Em!!

Cat

This will be brief! Thanks for all the comments on my first blog. Today was quite hectic, when it was supposed to be pretty low key. We were rushed to immigrations to get our re-entry card. After the progress of this situation, we are heading home. I am out tomorrow and Megan is following on Sunday. Hopefully we will return in a week or so if things are under control. I'll blog when we come back!

Well hello Burnt Orange Nation!

Long time, I know! I was supposed to write a blog before I actually departed the States for Japan, but I ran out of time. Yes I said Japan. I know some of you are probably scratching your head wondering if I've gone crazy, especially to travel across the ocean after everything that has happened.

To answer your question, no I haven't gone crazy! Back in May, after coaching at DePaul University for three years, I decided to leave and focus on my playing career. I only have a few years left, and training on my own was getting to be difficult. On top of that, the lack of training I was doing was causing my body some issues once season rolled around. After a successful (yet short due to injury) summer season in the National Pro Fastpitch League, I moved back to the beloved Austin and began training.  I've been approached about playing over in Japan since I graduated, but I never was quite comfortable with the idea for two reasons: 1. I didn't want to spend March-Nov playing softball when I just finished 6 years of non-stop ball. I wanted a break and 2. I wasn't going alone, and I know myself well enough to know I can't live with just anyone in a foreign country for what will end up adding up to almost 6 months.

In November, after being teammates, roommates, and much discussion Megan Willis and I decided to take the plunge and agree to play in the Japanese Softball League. What's that? Well Japan has a very solid professional league in which teams are backed by companies. We are playing for Toyota Industries Corporation. The team is called Toyota Shokki. Our season runs from March to the beginning of June with a break during the summer months, and finishes up September to early November. The money is good, but the experience is going to be something else!

As I type this we are over the last part of Alaska. We just looked out the window to see ice patches all throughout the ocean. Very different view than I'm used to.  Actually this flight is very different than I am used to. We get to fly business class, which means we have our own two person pod. Each of us has our own TV; we can choose to watch whatever TV show or movie we want, whenever we want; our seats lay back into beds; and we got AMAZING food (grilled shrimp salad, Sate chicken with vegetables (my choice), steak with herb butter and asparagus (Megan's choice) a chocolate covered ice cream ball). Every other time I have flown international it's been Economy, and well this is like night and day! 

So to touch on my thoughts on the disaster... of course as soon as it happened I was shocked, scared, unsure... every emotion you can think. I called my parents, neither of which answered their phone right away. Later my mom (who keeps Peter updated quite often) sends an email basically telling me I can't let the fear of something out of my control keep me from living an experience like this one. As the days after the tragedy happened, I kept this thought in mind, and while I am definitely nervous, I am also ready to go experience this opportunity. Where our team is located is Kariya, outside of Nagoya. After many phone calls and emails, we've been assured this area has not been affected by the earthquake or the tsunami, minus a little bit of rumbling.

I will readily admit I am usually not one for change. I would be quite content still in Austin, working out every day, and just being, but after some downtown and some "me" time, I've come to realize I live life a little too cautiously. I don't enjoy it as much as I treat my life like a constant business. Sure, I'm a professional athlete, but who says I can't enjoy what that life brings. This adventure as I like to call it is going to be great! We even get Japanese lessons!!

I'll try to update weekly if possible... sometimes more!? I don't know how many of you will actually read and follow this, but I'll check the comments and write accordingly!

Always bleeding burnt orange and representing proudly!

Cat #8 

Long time readers of this blog know what big fans we are of former University of Texas softball standout Cat Osterman, and I was delighted when the opportunity arose to get together with her for coffee at Book People to catch up on her life and career. For those who weren't around during Cat's tenure at UT (2002-06), she dominated her sport more completely than any other athlete, in any other sport, I can think of. At the very least, she is probably the most dominant athlete ever to play a sport for Texas.

The numbers don't lie:

Freshman Season:  Cat set UT single-season records for wins (36), innings pitched (304⅓), games started (40), shutouts (17), appearances (51), and consecutive innings without giving up an earned-run (79 2/3, spanning from February 13 to March 13), as well as the UT single-game record for innings-pitched (14) and strikeouts-in-a-game (23) in a March 1 game against Mississippi State University. In a March 20 game against Texas State, she broke her own UT record for strikeouts-in-a-game with 24 in a 12-inning match. She threw three perfect games, and tied the UT single-season record for complete games (27).

Sophomore Season: Osterman threw four more no-hitters, including another perfect game, while setting new UT career records for wins (68), shutouts (35), strikeouts (1,042), and opponents-batting-average (.105). She is the only pitcher in Big 12 Conference history to strike out 1,000 batters in only two seasons. She also broke the record for strikeouts-per-game with an average of 14.1 per seven-innings, beating the previous mark of 13.9 by Danielle Henderson of the University of Massachusetts in 1999; she surpassed her own UT single-season record for shutouts with 18, and tied her own shared record for complete games (27). From April 22 to May 22, she went a career-high and UT record 65 consecutive scoreless-innings.

Read her Wikipedia page for the rest, but needless to say her junior and senior seasons were just as bonkers. We're talking about the sport's best player here. Of all time.

After the jump, my conversation with Cat Osterman. And starting this spring, Cat will be doing some guest posting here at BON, writing about her experiences as she plays pro softball over in Japan.

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