CAT'S CORNER

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Monday, October 12, 2009

Monday, October 12, 2009 | 20 Comments

Oh wow it’s been a while … sorry guys! Life’s been busy, summer flew by, and I was sad to see it end. I had one of the best summers of my life, and I think I was holding on to it until the very last second.

Team USA won all four events it went to this summer, and World Cup was as fun as always. We’re excited that next summer it will be an even bigger event since World Cup will be replaced with World Championships – 16 countries will be represented!

The Rockford Thunder ended the summer with a bang! We clinched our playoff spot, entered playoffs as the number three seed and ended up winning it all!! It’s nice to finally win the big one. I did whatever my team needed me to do, but I will say my arm and body were not happy with me after the fact. I think I was physically sick for two days after that. It was the first time in a while I threw that many games in so few days. When you get older, your body just doesn’t like it! ;)

Rockford Thunder
NPF Champions Rockford Thunder

I can’t say enough about our team though. We were the true definition of a team. We won together and we lost together. We didn’t point fingers, and we all did every little thing we could to help one another. We didn’t have just one player that carried us. Chelsea Spencer was amazing at shortstop all year long, and should have been Defensive Player of the Year. She made some miraculous plays, and just kept our infield in check.  Our double play is still one of my favorite plays of the year! Lindsey Angus promised me we’d win a title, and that we did! She found a way to get hits when we needed them. Jenna Rhodes and Shanel Scott were our fire-starters getting on base and running like crazy.

And well, I wouldn’t ever have survived without my Babes … Megan Willis. Megan is amazing behind the plate and did everything we needed to stay in games and keep the other team off-balance. Not to mention she hit a huge game-changing homerun off Monica Abbott! I could go on and on, but in short… I loved the Thunder, and I’m so proud of what we did.

I do have to say it sucks seeing your best friend have to watch you celebrate! Even though I had to watch her celebrate two years ago, it was hard to be overly excited because I knew she was upset. Kelly Kretschman told me that was the most proud she had ever been of one of my performances, so I guess she was a little happy for me!

Now, I’ve been back in Chicago with Tucker! He’s officially 25.5 pounds now. He’s still as energetic as ever, and we walk a lot. I should say “we did” until this cold came early. He curls up next to me on my bed now, so we’re both happy campers.

Triple Threat Softball has also started our camps. We’ve done two so far, both in Texas, and we feel they were both successful. Kelly, Caitlin Lowe and I love teaching and interacting with the young softballers. We bring extra help with us, so Kelsey Sage came with us to McKinney, and now Megan Willis is permanently working our camps as well! Check out TripleThreatSoftball.com if you’re interested!

School is slowly coming along. I’m hoping for two A’s this quarter before getting into my hard classes next quarter. I have Internet Marketing and Human Resources this quarter. Both are really interesting and I enjoy it.

What else… well, the ESPN The Magazine “Body Issue” came out. I know it shocked some people, but I am very happy with how it turned out. I believe it’s ok to show off the body I have worked hard for. It was a tasteful piece, and even though I was terrified on set at first, I’m glad I did it. Sometimes it’s necessary to push yourself to see what you are made of.

ESPN The Body Issue
ESPN The Body Issue | See “The Making Of” Video

Other than that, I have engulfed myself in like four different non-school books… I’m still reading “Republic of Pirates.” I started and am much farther into “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” which is a very interesting book. It’s not action-packed, but it’s enthralling enough that I can’t seem to stop reading.  I also have “Lipstick Jungle” started; “Lost Symbol” waiting to be read, and plenty of others!

I’m excited for the next couple weeks … I’m heading out recruiting where I will get to see some friends, and then I have some friends coming to visit me.

I better get back to Human Resource reading!! Need those grades!

  • Anonymous

    Oh my god! Good for you, Cat. You are awesome in many dimensions. Loved watching the NPF Championships. Congrats!

  • Anonymous

    Hey Cat.
    wow i am ur biggest fan.
    you are the reason i started pitching. your my idol. my hero. i am going to mobile to the clinic u are going to b at on october 24-25 and i cannot wait:) i have never been more excited. my mom tld me i was going and i cried. i was sooo happy:) i cant wait. i rlly hope u can help me get better. i have been pitching for 4 yrs and someday i wana b as good as you!
    i cant wait to see you there:)
    leslie nicole<3

  • Anonymous

    I was and am So proud of you and the Thunder, and of course the National Team. I so admire you for how you throw yourself into everything you take on. Be it work or school whatever you do, you give 110%, But be sure to take care of yourself=)

  • Anonymous

    I’m very proud of everything you accomplished this summer. i’ll have to admit i was a little concerned about you pitching 5 games in 3 days during the NPF championship series. In fact that scared the crap out of me. I like the picture in the ESPN the magazine the Bodies Issue. I was a little shocked at first but I like it. Hope you get your A’s the quarter. I’m sure you will. Take Care and don’t ever do anything like 5 games in 3 days ever again. I’m glad the first 2 Triple
    Threat Camps were a success and think the whole concept is a great idea. Take Care of yourself and Tucker
    Talk to you later-
    Cubbygirl

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Patrick-Clements/1412382461 Patrick Clements

    WOW….OMG…. and all that. You are beautiful in every way. In softball uniforms, nice dresses, casual, softball mits. That was not distasteful at all. Good luck in your classes and studies and let your body do some healing. No one knows you better than yourself. Take care Cat. A huge fan…..Patrick
    ps. Im still trying to figure out how to get your jersies from UT and Team USA.

  • Anonymous

    Heyyyy Cat(:
    You are the raddest person alive!
    You are too cool of a person, & I AM YOUR BIGGEST FAN!
    You have know idea how much I admire you!<33
    & Right when I get out of college, I am gonna go to UT; just likfe youuuuu!(:

    -Briannaaaaaaaa'

  • Anonymous

    Cat
    Just checking out your site. Looks great! I am a Dancing With the Stars fan and was wondering if you would consider doing it.

  • Anonymous

    BTW, this is Jackie’s mom! : )

  • Anonymous

    Talofa (Samoan greeting)

    First and foremost I want to share that it’s just recent that I’ve began following you…which means I’m a late “follower”. Ayes. I want to say that I’m very awestruck with all you’ve accomplished and all that is still in store for you.

    I want to share a bit of information about my daughter (her name is Mascena) and myself, I am Native American, born and rasied on my reservation here in Oregon. While growing up here on the reservation, the only outlet for youth is sports, and I became involved in softball. The interesting thing, I was the only left handed pitcher on the reservation, in addition to little league, and high school ball. I love softball.

    Now as a parent, I have been actively involved coaching little league softball since my daughter was 5 years old, she is now 10 years old. Mascena is also left handed, it’s been interesting coaching and on top of that help Mascena with pitching. Mascena is a good pitcher, she’s consistent and I’ve been working with her on basics. The issue I’m dealing with is her being left handed, my assistant coach doesn’t utilize her often during regular season…and since I’m manager, I try not to exert my “authority” over Mascena pitching because I don’t want to be accused of “favoritism” because she’s the “manager’s daughter.”

    My question to you….when you were a young girl, were there issues that you can recollect, with regard to being left handed. I realize the ratio of left handed versus right handed pitchers is a small number. I know this may be a long email, but I was hoping since you’re left handed you might have some advice for both myself and Mascena about pitching.

    I know you’re busy, I would greatly appreciate when you’re able to review and respond to my email. Thank you Cat, and I hope things are well with you.

    Elizabeth Hisatake

  • Anonymous

    Ms. Osterman! WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our girls just won our first ever STATE CHAMPIONSHIP! We are so excited, but now we have to find a way to afford their rings! We live in a really small community and figure we could raise some money by doing an auction. We were hoping you could send a few things with your autograph. Call me if you can! Thanks! Markeshea Gailey(918)331-6534

  • Anonymous

    hi cat, just thought i would let you know (like you don’t already) you are sooo amazing. you are my idol i look up to in softball. you are always giving 110%. you are awesome!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Patrick-Clements/1412382461 Patrick Clements

    Hey Cat just checking to see if you answer back I go from Twitter to here. I believe you are the greatest womens softball pitcher ever. You have a beautiful smile and I would hate to be facing you in a game. You get this look on your face like Randy Johnson (only your face is a little prettier check that a thousand times prettier). Very intimidating look. I remember his picture on the cover of SI (because Im a Mariner fan) He was peeking over the top of his glove (his right glove like you) Hes like 6′ 10″ right? And hes got this glare like he hates whoever hes pitching at. I imagine thats what people see when they face you. You pitched a great Olympics and I almost cried myself over that last game. Just cause I knew you were probably hurting a little inside. Anyhoo you seem to be a very cool, down to earth person. I liked a bio I read about you where you like movies where the Indians win. Me too. I am a little biased though. Im 3/4 Lakota Sioux and 1/4 Irish. You are an inspiration to multitudes of people. Keep it up Cat. All 1/4 of my Irish luck to you in studies and work and health and happiness. Remember “shoot for the stars, even if you miss you could land on the moon” Did I get that right? Probably missed a word or two. Take care. A big fan…………..Patrick

  • Anonymous

    A CATHRINE I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU WOULD BE A GOOD LOOKING MODEL TYPE THAT ESPN CLASSIC SHOT WAS OFF THE ROOF WOW YOUR BAD TO THE BONE ANY KING LOVES CATHRINE, MUCH RESPECT TO THE QUEEN. GOD BLESS MUCH LOVE PEACE.

  • Anonymous

    I love you Cat! U r an AMAZING pitcher!!

  • Anonymous

    Hi Cat, I have a fourteen year old daughter who is an amazing softball player. She has been playing since she was about 7. Her all time dream is to play professional softball one day and meet u face to face one day. You are her all time idol. she even has a purple and black cat osterman glove, that she guards with her life. lol. Every one of her coaches have said, she has a God given talent. I honestley believe this. She plays LF, CF, catcher and has also been working on pitching. She has one heck of an arm. You are an inspiration to a world full of young girls who have a dream. I know u are loved by many. I would just like to say that, not even knowing it, u have helped my katie through a rough time in her life when, at times, she just wanted to give up. I am a single mom of 4, so it hasn’t been easy for us but i thank God for people like you. Through your visual strength and not to mention awsome talent, you have inspired my litl girl, and helpd her to see that with hard work and dedication, she also can one day become a Hero. And For this, I thank you from the bottom my heart.

  • Anonymous

    hi cat im a big fan of you and you are my favorite pitcher!!!! i am also a pitcher and i just went to a jennie finch clinic nov. 14th through the 15th anyways i was wondering if you have any clinics

  • Anonymous

    Cat,
    You’re great. I’m happy for about all of your accomplishments above. Wow! Congrats, really. We’ve met once before on the USA Bound 4 Bejing tour last year. You signed my ball. Haha. It was a USA vs. Milligan game and I loved it.

    My team (Smyth County Sliders; 14U) is going to your Cat Osterman Experience camp in Nebraska this coming summer as one of the first groups to ever go and we’re all soooooo excited. (Maybe we’ll get to meet again!) It’s something very few people can say they’ve had the chance to do, especially when you’re from Chilhowie, VA. The biggest thing that goes on here is high school football… and they can’t even make it to state so with every fiber of my being, I thank you for giving us this amazing opportunity.

  • Anonymous

    Cat, thank you for coming to our coaches and pitching clinics on Kent Island this weekend. The girls were in awe in the presence of a truly great athlete. I know my daughter will never forget the day she got to see and talk to you in person.

  • Anonymous

    Hey cat you are awsome! I love watching you pitch!

  • Anonymous

    I dont think this picture is as good as the first one!