Hello ! My name is Claire Isabel and my whole life has been dedicated to softball. I have played since I was 6 years old. I am from California, USA. A country (specifically a state) that plays more softball than anywhere in the world . I have trained in almost every position and have always preferred fielding to batting but love every aspect of the game. Softball is the one thing in life that I always enjoy. I even love to coach our younger players because watching them grow in this sport and seeing their dedication is incomparable. I hope you enjoy following me on my journey as I continue to live out my passion of playing softball while I'm in Spain and sharing my knowledge from my time on and off the field. My Youtube Channel:
Softball in Spain?
In October 2023, I chose to come to Valencia, Spain because I wanted a new adventure. I had lived in the province of La Rioja two years ago and fell in love with the country and with a man who lived in the capital of Logroño.
We tried a year of long distance while I was back in the States, but eventually between work, love, and the distance, it became too much. I wanted to explore my early twenties in Europe, not behind a computer screen.
I applied for the same exchange program known as NALCAP, it's a perfect way to gain an 8 month student visa to the Spanish province of your choice. Then I came to Valencia, situated in the south of Spain on the coast of Mediterranean Sea. My boyfriend and I discovered that you can play softball in Valencia, not just for fun, but real competitive fastpitch.
Valencia had two leagues at the highest division of Spain, this was a fantastic surprise.
Since I was 6 years old, I have played softball in California. In America it is common to train and play in university, the highest level of publicized softball in the country. However after you graduate, softball becomes a thing of hobbies and pastimes; coaching or playing slow-pitch normally.
I had no idea the difference in Europe.
Instead of playing in University, people in Europe can play fastpitch softball in several leagues much after you turn 21 or 22. There is no age limit.
I trained with Fénix Valéncia and have met the nicest group of girls. All with the same passion for softball. Our ages vary from 17 to 28 and we train three times a week and travel around Spain during La Liga. I was so shocked not only to face quality opponents on the field but a team environment less aggressive and demanding.
To me this feels like a dream, and I joked to my parents that I am paying a small quota "to make new Spanish girlfriends that will play softball with me".
Our league is known as the Division of Honor as we play through the Spanish Softball League (SSL) and after 14 "jornadas" (weeks) of La Liga, the top six teams will go to the Final Phase (Fase Final) and hopefully the European Cup (La Copa Europa), and the Queen's Cup (La Copa de la Reina).
If you wish to follow the Spanish Softball League and all the latest news checkout: https://www.rfebs.es/es/events/2024-spanish-softball-league/home
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