POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The USA Softball Women’s National Team is headed to Lakeland for a training camp ahead of their "Stand Beside Her" tour and appearance in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
The team announced Friday that they will call Barnett Athletic Complex home as the team takes part in a series of workouts, practice sessions and simulated game situations at the facility.
Select practices are open to the public, including one on from 1:30-4:30 p.m.Feb. 1. Admission is free, but there is limited room for fans who must register for passes ahead of time.
“I want to thank Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing and Florida Southern College for helping us kick off the ‘Stand Beside Her’ tour,” WNT Head Coach Ken Eriksen said. “The training is a big part of our preparation and for communities such as Polk County to get behind this team is a huge commitment.”
While Polk County is no stranger to Olympic teams training in the area, including teams like the USA women's rugby, volleyball teams in 2010 and the Olympic demonstration waterskiing team in 1972, they still recruited hard to have the Women’s National Team join the ranks.
“While this isn’t the first Olympic team to train in Polk County, we’re proud to be the first stop on the Stand Beside Her Tour to Tokyo,” Director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, Mark Jackson, said. “We worked long and hard to recruit the team to Polk, where softball is an institution on the club, high school and college level.”
You can also catch the Women’s National Team on their “Stand Beside Her” tour, which kicks off with a few games in the Tampa Bay area. Ticket prices vary per game:
Olympic competition starts July 22 with the Gold Medal Game being played on July 28.
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