This past weekend I was lucky enough to head out to Mission Viejo, CA to one of Jennie Finch's Softball Camps. Not only was I able to capture some great video of the softball star and the young players in attendance, but I saw first hand how much the girls look up to Jennie and what a great role model she is for them.



The camp itself was incredibly well run and organized. It really was a family affair, with Jennie's mother-in-law Mrs. Daigle handling the administrative side, her mom working in the gift shop, and her dad running the pitching station. With close to 400 campers in attendance, all ran smoothly.

Throughout both days the girls went through 12 rotations of stations focused on different aspects of the game--hitting, bunting, throwing, fielding, base running, catching, and pitching. Jennie's US Olympic teammates, including Crystl Bustos, Laura Berg, Natasha Watley, and Andrea Duran, helped out sharing their expertise and love for the game.



Besides learning new techniques, drills, and fundamentals of the game, those in attendance were privileged to a hitting demo by power-hitter, Crystl Bustos on Saturday. And after receiving pitching help from Jennie herself, everyone got to see her pitch. What a treat!



If Jennie's genuine character and sense of giving was not apparent from her interaction with the girls, it came through big time when she introduced Natalie Buchoz, a 16-year-old girl from Huntington Beach. She used to play softball until last year when a skiing accident caused her to fracture 2 vertebrae. Natalie and her family have not given up the fight for her to walk again. To help her cause, Jennie auctioned off her glove, ball, and cleats to raise $2100 to go towards Natalie's physical therapy.



Jennie's enthusiasm, patience, and true love for the game make her camps a positive experience for all.

Not to dwell on one subject, but I came across these really short informative videos on knee anatomy, primary risk factors for injuries, and a prevention program. Great for athletes, coaches, trainers, and parents

I'm almost 9 weeks post surgery on my ACL reconstruction. Still doing physical therapy, but going to cut back to 1-2 times a week now. YAY! That means more time at the gym though... I'm now able to use the elliptical, stationery bike, and stair master. Looks like it will still be about 2 months before I'm allowed to run. Can't wait for that!

I've recently heard that a number of my friends have torn their ACLs and MCLs also playing recreational soccer. I think it's an epidemic. I know it is especially a problem among women. Studies have shown that women are three times more likely than men to tear this particular ligament.

The way I tore mine, from a blow to the side of the knee, was obviously not preventable like many accidents, but there are a number of things you can do to prevent non-contact ACL injuries from happening.

Here is a really in depth article from the NY Times entitled "The Uneven Playing Field - Girls' sports injuries." It was adapted from a book entitledWarrior Girls: Protecting Our Daughters Against the Injury Epidemic in Women's Sports. It details, among other things, why girls are more injury-prone and what can be done to help.

I found another great article on Peak Performance with detailed information what you can do to prevent an ACL tear. It also offers a number of links to related topics.

There are always going to be injuries, it's the risk you take playing sports. But be informed about what is preventable and take the necessary steps to save yourself or your kids from months of recovery. I'm no medical expert, but stretching, working specific muscle groups for stabilization, andwearing proper footwear are key. All simple and effective ways to avoid what I'm dealing with!

Well after 6 months of walking around on an injured knee I finally had the surgery to fix it! Crazy what modern medicine can do in just 2 hours!