Stickin' With Sam

I’m counting down the days until we open the season against Maryland a week from Sunday, which is both scary, though I am kind of excited. We’re really just getting down to just going over the basics in practice and really pushing ourselves to hopefully beat Maryland, which is one of the top programs in the country.

Last weekend we got a foot of snow and that has really hindered our practices. We were inside for a while and then the school rented a facility so we can practice and play. Being indoors, the area is a lot smaller and everything seems to go by quicker, which is weird. Everything is different. The lighting is different.

I’d rather be inside where it is warm instead of outside where it is cold, but we need to get outside to prepare for Maryland.

Getting ready for a new season in college is a lot different than Darien, where you pretty much knew what to expect. Here it is much different because there is such a different level of play. I used to read about Maryland and now I am going to play against them.

I think I am in a pretty good position right now. Our team this year is very well rounded. We have a lot of good players but I think I have a chance of starting and playing a lot, which I am really exicted about.

My entire family is coming down to watch me first game and I am really excited to see everyone and have them watch my first college game.

Tomorrow night is a big Richmond tradition called Ring Dance. It’s basically a coming of age celebration for juniors, mainly females, and they all wear white dresses and some go all out and get wedding dresses. The school rents the Jefferson Hotel, which is a very high class, old, beautiful hotel.

All the underclassmen wear black dresses so the juniors stand out. The girls get their names announced and they walk down the stairs with their dads.

It’s going to be fun to see all of them get dressed up. I see my teammates all the time in practice clothes so it will be nice to see them all dressed up, and then there is a big dance party after. It should be a lot of fun.

I’ll talk to you all next week.