The Shamrocks flew to Houston over President's Day Weekend to play in the Starz Valentine Spring Tournament. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate as the tournament was rained out. The Shamrocks managed to find a fabulous indoor facility to get in a little practice on Saturday. The parents mulled over the option of returning early to D.C.-a vote was taken, and the parents decided to stay in Houston rather than fly back to the winter wonderland of Washington DC

     The host team, the Starz, did pull out all the stops to get the fields ready to play on Sunday, inviting 4 of the better teams in Houston to play in a round robin friendly get together. Sunday provided the Shamrocks with an opportunity to play 5 games in a balmy 42 chill degrees-the wind blew at a gusty 20 miles an hour all day. The girls showed a lot of grit under the freezing conditions. The Shamrocks clearly out hit the local teams, but it was clear that the winter layoff impacted the defense, as the local teams scored some unearned runs. The pitching looked pretty good as well, though it was very difficult to hold the ball, due to the cold.

     All in all, the trip accomplished the Shamrock team goals, allowing the girls to get a chance to hit the dirt early in the year against decent competition. The coaching staff was able to gauge areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. The players got the chance to spend quality time together, and start the process of becoming a team. The snow in Washington wreaked havoc on the return plans, and the return flights were pushed back to Wednesday-so the girls, and their parents, really got the chance to bond, though not necessarily with each other!

Shamrocks warming up before the first game in Houston	Shamrock coaching Brain trust at work--trying get the heat turned on
Shamrock dads, and part time chauffers in Houston	Fans chillin' out in Houston, Texas: Kim, Cathy, Joan & Patty try to keep warm
Shamrocks at the Allstar indoor facility in Houston