July 25, 2015
MADISON, Wis.-- Former Badger Maggie Strange, who graduated in 2013, has been playing in the Spanish National league in Sant Boi, a suburb of Barcelona. Strange, who finished her Badger career sixth all-time with 740 putputs and sixth with a .980 fielding percentage, is the first guest player from the United States to join the Sant Boi program.
UWBadgers.com caught up with Strange to see what she has been up to.
Can you explain the team you are with and how you got connected with them?
In Europe, their leagues are a little different. I'm living in a town called Sant Boi which is a suburb of Barcelona. We belong to the Spanish National league (division of honor) similar to Division 1. The Sant Boi baseball and softball program was founded in 1971, but the softball program was youngest at that time. Softball started to be played in the late 80's and early 90's but was ended in 2000.
In 2008, the club decided to start playing softball again with mainly the sisters of baseball players. In 2013, Sant Boi started their program again, thanks to that all young players from Sant Boi, around the ages of 16 and 17-years-old, could keep playing with a strong future in the Spanish National League. In 2013, Sant Boi won its first National League title and their first Queen's Cup in program history. In 2014 and 2015, Sant boi also won the Queen's cup but they were second in the league.
I am the first guest player from USA to join the Sant Boi program. The team is going to play in the European Cup in Bulgaria next month for the second time in program history. The program has around 110 boys and 50 girls playing with 14 teams of all ages.
I actually got connected with them through former Badger Amanda Najdek. She had posted on Facebook that she was going to play in Spain and so I asked her if there was anyway the league needed a catcher and a couple weeks later I got a call asking to come play! Amanda and I did not play on the same team, but I got here a month after she arrived and our teams had already played each other.
Hector Torres is the coach that called me to tell me that the league had a spot for me to come play. Torres is the Spanish National Team head coach.
How did your experience at Wisconsin prepare you for international play?
At Wisconsin, I learned the meaning of hard work and dedication. I also learned how to work with a number of diverse people within the athletic department. At Wisconsin, the athletic department prides itself as a very competitive program and I became a more competitive person after playing at Wisconsin.
What has been the best part about living in Spain?
I get this question a lot and I always respond with everything is great about living here, it's so different than the American culture. The people I play with are amazing individuals, my host family is so sweet and on top of that the city of Barcelona is beautiful on its own. The history of the city is unreal and one cannot begin to describe the true beauty this city has to offer. I have visited the Segrada Familia, the Cathedral, the beaches and so much more! I even went to Mallorca, which is one of the beautiful Balearic Islands off the coast of Spain. I have also been to Northern Spain (15 miles from Southern France) which is full of very green mountains and has more of a rural feeling.
I also got to meet three time Olympic gold medalist Leah O'Brien Amico and took a picture with her! She was here with a younger team who played our junior team! This experience has been a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.
What did you learn in your time at Wisconsin that still influences you today?
I learned that hard work pays off and that nothing is ever handed to you. And I have transferred that here to Spain.
Are there any adjustments you have had to make?
YES!! There is a rule here (in all of Europe actually) where you must leave one foot in the batters box at all times or they will charge you with a strike, unless you have hit a foul ball. This is supposed to speed the game up.
I have had to become more open to different types of food and change when I eat. They eat dinner very late here (9:30/10pm) and then go to bed around 11pm-1am. It's so crazy. I guess we can consider them night owls! I also have never lived in a city this big before. I came from a very small town in Missouri and grew up on a farm. So, I had to learn the subway system, the bus system and the Spanish lifestyle very quickly. My teammates made this transition very easy for me!
The language barrier is only a barrier if you allow it to be. I do not speak Spanish but I do not let that hinder my experience. I am in Spanish culture and I must respect that.
How do you represent Wisconsin in Spain?
Although we have practice gear given to us here, I still wear my Wisconsin dry-fit shirts to workout on my own and I also wore them while I was practicing with the Spanish National team. I also represent Wisconsin on the field with things that I have learned. I also help with coaching the younger catchers in the program and teach them drills that I learned from Wisconsin.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT MAGGIE
Head Coach: Xavi Civit Forner
"I enjoy coaching Maggie because she is a team player and plays hard. Maggie became a very important part of the team especially for our defense. Having her catching give us a very good chance to keep runners under control.
Maggie has a very good relationship with all of her teammates on and off of the field by participating with them in all kinds of activities. The whole team likes her and enjoys having her on the team."
Pitcher: Raquel Fernández Compte
"It's a great experience to play with Maggie because she is a spectacular teammate; on the field, she conveys confidence and everybody has learned from her since the first day she was with us. From my point of view as a pitcher, she has given me a lot of advice which has helped me to improve and be a better player. I am very grateful to have been able to share the summer season with her.
She is outgoing and everybody has a good time with her, she contributes humor and makes practices and game fun, yet serious for all.
As a manager of the team of the younger girls, I can say Maggie is a huge role model for them. They admire her because they see a really good player and they love it so much when she comes to help at practice. For the younger catchers, her advice has been so good, because they have taken what she has told them into the games and national competitions plus they can practice their English too!"
Pitcher: Beii Fiorella ParajoAlonso
"Having Maggie on the team has been such a positive experience in every way. I have earned not only a teammate, but a friend. Every practice we have in the bullpen together is a chance for us to prepare for the games. She helps me with every single thing, physical and psychological.
I like playing with Maggie because in all my years playing softball, I have never had an American catcher. This opportunity has really shown this sports internationality, meaning you can learn about the game from different places in the world, which helps everyone become a better player and allows them to respect the game.
Maggie is a true athlete with many skills to play the sport of softball and when we push each other, we are both able to achieve more. We became friends, the type you can count on and will last forever."
