Hello all

December 23rd, 2008

I know this journal entry is WAY over-due, so I apologize for not getting on the ball sooner and writing an update.

Some things never change, like my crazy schedule and life! This fall has been far from the post-Olympic down time I was expecting. I began a new job and a new career at San Diego State University, and am learning really how little softball is involved in coaching softball.

I heard the rumors before taking the job: coaching is about a little bit of softball and a lot of other “stuff”. The other stuff includes recruiting, budgets, paperwork, NCAA rules and regulations, academic tracking, following up with incoming students and making sure they are all squared away, etc. etc. etc. Now, this may sound like a complaint; it is NOT a complaint, merely a statement of fact that there is much MORE to coaching than the x’s and o’s of the game played between the white lines.

It has been a great Fall for our team, and I am really happy with the progress we are making. We played well during our Fall scrimmages, but as we all know, the pre-season doesn’t necessarily equate to the regular season. Our players are home for the Holidays now, and I’m anxious to get back to work in January and pick up where we left off.

I’ve also had a few clinics this Fall and attended the Women’s Sports Foundation dinner in New York City for the 5th straight year. I actually received an award this year, the Yolanda Jackson Give Back Award. The Foundation presents this to an athlete who “gave back” to the Foundation and helped further their mission. I was very honored to win this award, and am that much more motivated to continue to give back to a cause I believe in.

Chase is 18 months now, but going on 3 years! He’s talking, doing a lot of “mimicking” and making us laugh each and every day! I look back at pictures of him only months ago and can’t believe he is the same child. He went to the doctor the other day and he’s in the 90th percentile in weight and the 95th percentile in height. So as an Oklahoman friend of mine would say, “He’s just about square!” Square or not, he’s doing great and his new favorite word is “Santa”. The funny thing is he really doesn’t understand or truly appreciate Santa, but he loves him nonetheless. Just wait until he REALLY knows who Santa is….then we’ll know TRUE love!

We are looking forward to some family time over the Holidays. We just took Chase for his first visit to Disneyland, and had a wonderful time. He got his first pair of Mickey Mouse ears (complete with his name embroidered on the back). He was in awe of the whole experience, and just looked around wide-eyed the whole day. Mark has always loved Disney, and was thrilled to share the Disney world with his son.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season, and that we all have a blessed and exciting 2009!

Dreaming big in 2009,
Stacey
Mark, Chase, Stacey - Christmas, 2008

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Hello Everyone!

September 16th, 2008

I really must begin this journal entry with a big apology. I know it has been a couple of weeks since my last entry, in fact it was the eve of the Gold Medal Game that I last checked in. I’m sure if we had won the Gold I would have written this sooner, but frankly I’ve kept myself busy and avoiding thoughts of the game.

It has been a busy three weeks, to be sure! After the Games concluded, I spent an extra few days in China venturing out into other parts of the country, and trying to see something other than Beijing. Don’t get me wrong, Beijing is nice and has some great sights, but China is a MASSIVE country with much diversity to the landscape, etc, so we wanted to get another perspective on the country.

To start, Mark and my brother, Ryan (who made the trip to watch the Olympics) took an over-night train into Xian, which is the location of the famous Terra Cotta Warriors. I’ll spare you the history lesson, but believe me when I say the whole story is amazing, and the sheer number of clay warriors was impressive. Xian is considered a “small” city by Chinese standards, but still has something like 8 million citizens!!

After Xian, we headed back to Beijing so Mark could catch his flight back to the States. From Beijing, we took a 2 hour flight to Guilin, in the southern part of China. When I say “we”, I mean me, my brother, Jessica Mendoza and Lauren Lappin.

Guilin is known as a “landscape city”, a smaller town with lush mountain landscapes and the Li River running through the town. We took a river cruise up the Li River into a town called Yangshou, an even smaller town, and very “picturesque”. The four of us rented bicycles and rode out into the countryside, which was exactly what we were looking for. What a beautiful place! Very unaffected by modern conveniences, and a much different side of China.

After flying back to Beijing, we stayed one last night and then flew back to the U.S. As much as I was sad to head back into “reality”, I was ABSOLUTELY ready to get home and see my little baby boy! Chase is now 15 months and truly a little “man”…he’s talking all the time (mostly babbling, but with more and more coherent words every day), and walking like a champ, almost ready to run!

I am also getting ready to “officially” start my new job as assistant coach at San Diego State University! I’m an Aztec! It has been hard to focus, with so much going on in my life as of late, but I’m excited to get to work and help take the program to the next level!

As much as I have kept busy, there are still quiet moments where I reflect back on Beijing, the games, the at bats….but mostly about the moments. Yes, I wanted to come home with another Gold medal. Everyone wanted that. But I truly had the peace of mind before, during, and after the final game to know that NO MATTER THE OUTCOME, the journey was the same and the memories can never be taken away.

Its impossible not to want and re-play my final at bat, to see the end result different, to get “the hit”. That’s of course human nature. But I can honestly say that I have no regrets about my career, my personal softball journey, in spite of how it ended on the field.

So, I say again, THANK YOU. Thank you to The Game, for all of the challenges and all of the successes. Thank you to my family, my life, my support. Thank you to my friends and extended family. It has been one heck of a ride, and I feel no less proud of my career with a silver around my neck.

Many people have asked if I was one of the players who left my cleats at home plate after the final game. I can’t explain why, but somehow when it came time to place my “boats” at home, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I had planned to, but there was a force, a nudge, that wouldn’t let me actually follow through with it. Again, I don’t know why….its not like I plan to be on the field in 2016. But for some reason it just didn’t feel right.

So, onward I go, into the next chapter. I am anxious to see where life will lead me, will lead us. But what I do know is that I have a direction, a focus, and that is my new coaching career at SDSU. I am confident that there is a “master plan”, an ultimate place I am meant to be. Only time will tell exactly what that means, or where I will end up. But my Prius is headed south to San Diego, and I couldn’t be more excited!

Keep in touch, and Dream BIG!
Stacey

Nuveman in Beijing
Nuveman in Beijing

 

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Before we go to battle…

August 20th, 2008

So this is the final entry before we go into battle with Japan for the Gold Medal! I can’t help but to reflect on this journey, both my softball journey and my life’s journey. It still boggles my mind that I have been blessed enough to represent the USA for the past 10 years, playing the sport I love so much.

The people I have met, places I have traveled to, moments I have shared, and competition I have battled in are more than I could ever imagine. As a young girl, softball wasn’t an Olympic sport, so I was inspired by Mary Lou Retton and Carl Lewis, and countless other Olympians I watched on TV wearing the Red, White, and Blue. I remember the ‘84 Olympics in Los Angeles, and a being awed by the physical feats and the emotions that these athletes displayed as they watched their flag (our flag) being raised as Olympic Champions.

And to think, years later, I have had the distinguished opportunity to be able to stand on the Gold Medal podium twice myself, and watch the Stars and Stripes rise above the rest.

Tonight, I will take the field with my teammates, my friends, my family. There will only be 15 of us in uniform, but we will stand on that field with 1000’s of others, maybe even millions of others.

Last night, as I readied for bed, I checked in for my usual “confessional”: I have been videotaping myself each night, sharing my thoughts and feelings (something I know I will treasure it years from now…a video diary of sorts). Though I was tempted, I didn’t ask for a home run or for perfection. Rather, I thanked. I thanked God for the opportunities I have been given, for Mark and for Chase, for my family that has allowed me to be here and continue my big dreams. I thanked Team Nuveman, all of the people in my life, both past and present, who have contributed to this journey.

So thank you, to all of you, even if I don’t know you personally. Inspiration comes from many places and many people, and I thank you all for supporting me through this ride. I HAVE to be the luckiest girl in the World. In fact, I know I am.

With Gold on the brain, I will be Dreaming a BIG AS EVER!!

Stacey

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Olympic Update

August 19th, 2008

Now the REAL games begin! Today is our one and only day off since competition started, and we have made the most with a great round of batting practice this morning, a massage this afternoon, and a great meal at BNU. This sort of feels like the “calm before the storm”, being that tomorrow begins that Medal Round, and our first opponent is Japan.

Historically, Japan and the USA play tight games every time, so don’t be fooled by our mercy-rule victory over the Japanese a few days ago. They did not pitch either of their top 2 pitchers, so we know we will face a different team this go around.

One fun highlight was last night, when Mark, my brother Ryan, Jessica (Mendoza) and her husband Adam, and Archie Lappin (Lauren’s brother) went to the USA versus Germany men’s basketball game. It was nice to get to another event, as a simple commoner (aka spectator!!). The U.S. dominated, winning by nearly 50 points. So it seems the original Dream Team may have some basketball rivals!

The other really awesome thing is that the whole Team Nuveman contingent is finally in Beijing! All said and done, there are 12 family members and 21 TOTAL! One of my close friends from high school, Melissa, is here with some of her family, so they are joining in to make Team Nuveman a HUGE group, all proudly sporting their special t-shirts with #33 on the back!! Let me tell you, it is so very special to know how many people are pulling for me, and for us…..and especially SEEING all of the people in the stands who have come such a long way to support us. I know how lucky I am, and how blessed to have such a phenomenal support group.

Tomorrow, the real tests and the TRUE Games begin…wish us luck, and I promise you that I mean when I say….”I’m Dreaming BIGGER than ever!!”

Stacey

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