Well howdy do…We are already in the second week of Grand Prix. The summer started with an A/B team going to Pan Am Cup in Mexicali who did a great job in qualifying USA for the 2009 Grand Prix. GO USA! Then Brazil arrived in Colorado for three exhibition matches all pre agreed upon that five sets would be played instead of the normal best of five match series. Well the first two matches were thrillers. Those two matches were taken to the fifth set because the sets were tied two all. Brazil (ranked number one in the world) won the first match. While USA (ranked fourth in the world) won the second match. The third and final exhibition match was dominated by the Brazilian. They won four set to our one.

After the first leg of the Grand Prix hosted in Kobe, Japan we finished in a very close second place with Japan finishing third by one point! Turkey had a surprise first place finish thanks to our lost to them in our opening match. I think our team has made some adjustments, and gotten out the first match jitters. I am looking forward to some great matches this week against in Wrocraw, Poland verses Thailand, Dominican Republic and Poland.

OH, oh! two of my friends from the land of Chieri, Italy have come to show their support for me and team USA, Marta and her brother Mattia. So wonderful to see them. It has been two years! Too long! They of course know also Kim Willoughby, Jen Joins, Logan Tom who also played in Chieri, as well as Heather Bown, and Lindsay Berg who have played many years in the Italian League.

That’s it for now,
GO USA!
Blessing to ya!
Danielle