University of Minnesota Athletics
Summer Update: Sara Groenewegen in Japan
7/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Sara Groenewegen is coming off another impressive season for the Minnesota Gophers. She had a short break before starting her summer season with Team Canada. She recently went to Japan with Team Canada for some exhibition games. We caught up with her in our latest summer update to see how that experience was and what else is on the schedule for her this summer. She also created the above video from her time in Japan.
Gopher Sports: You had a tiny break between season and starting up with Team Canada. Did you do anything fun in that span? Get some rest?
Sara Groenewegen: The main thing I did with my time was get some rest. It was a short break but I was able to catch up with some friends and family before heading off for another six weeks.
GS: How are you feeling about your play with Team Canada so far this summer?
SG: I feel like my play has progressed since starting the summer. I took a break which means I had to get back to feeling good on the mound. We are collectively getting better as the summer progresses which is a very good thing. I am super excited to play in the World Championships in Surrey at Softball City which is where I grew up playing.
GS: You recently went over to Japan. Can you talk about that experience?
SG: Going to Japan was an incredible experience. It was a huge culture change but I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to go there. The support for the game of softball in Japan is unmatched anywhere else. We actually got to watch team Japan play Team USA in the Tokyo Dome which ended up being the most watched softball game in history (over 31,000 fans packed into the historic dome for the first ever softball game to be played there). It is exciting to see how Japan supports softball so much because softball has the opportunity to be reinstated into the 2020 Olympics. The host country gets to chose a few sports to be added to their games and softball is fortunately in the running.
Since it is Japan's rainy season, we sometimes played our games inside a dome. It was really interesting to see their facilities and how much they care about softball and the care of their fields. Each one of their players would rake the infield after the game and everything was so clean. Japan definitely has a culture of respect and cleanliness.
Another thing we got to experience was a tour of the Narita-san Temple in Chiba. It was breathtaking and I have never seen anything like it. That probably was one of my favorite things we did and we learned a lot about Japan's spiritual culture and history
GS: Now that you are back what is left for the rest of your summer schedule?
SG: Right now I am currently on the plane to Oklahoma City which is where we will play in the World Cup of Softball. I am not excited for how hot and humid it is going to be. Coach Allister always jokes about us being polar bears and I think I have finally admitted to it. But we are playing at the field where girls dream about playing at so I am very fortunate to be playing there. After the World Cup we will head back to BC with a couple of off days before the World Championships start.
GS: Any other big summer plans outside of softball?
SG: I would not say I have any big plans for the summer. Since my summer consists of a lot of softball I am excited to just be home and not do anything once it is over. I plan on doing a couple hikes with my friends and maybe go on a couple day trips to Seattle to watch some Mariners games. Other than that I will probably just stay in BC and explore a little bit.
GS: What are you most proud of when you look back at the past Gopher softball season?
SG: When I look back at the past Gopher softball season, I am most proud of the fact that we played really good ball against top teams in the country. Two that really stuck out to me was our play against Oklahoma and Michigan. We beat the national champions twice and topped a really hot Michigan team to win the Big Ten Tournament Championship. I am proud of the way we won those games by finding a way to get it done. It did not necessarily have to be "pretty."
GS: When you get back on campus it will be as a senior. How does that feel?
SG: It is crazy to think that I am a senior already but I do not think it will actually feel like it until I step back on campus. Each year has seemed to go by faster and faster so since this is my last year, I am going to try to make the best of it.
