Maryland Visits Virginia Tech Memorial
4/23/2007 8:00:00 AM | Softball
April 23, 2007
Blacksburg, Va. - Following the Terrapins 5-4 win over Virginia Tech Sunday, the Terps visited the Virginia drill field on campus, the site of the memorial for the 33 victims of the shooting on April 16. The entire Terrapin team signed softballs, which they placed at each of the individual memorials.
"We chose to sign softballs and place them on each of the memorial sites because it is an absolute representation of our team and a way that we would be able to express our compassion and support to all of those affected by the loss," said Terrapin Coach Laura Watten. "There are so many loved ones going through such extreme grief that I felt it was important for us to pay our respects to them in whatever way we could."
The sun was shining brightly, and normally the drill field might be covered with lounging university students soaking up a tan on a beautiful spring day. Sunday's crowds came with a more somber purpose - to mourn those who had lost their lives, but also to celebrate their memory.
The memorial stood just across the street from Norris Hall, the site of the second shooting and the majority of the violence. Beyond the yellow police tape encircling the building, quiet visitors paused to stare into Norris Hall, its doors open wide like a gaping mouth.
The Terps lined up and slowly made their way around the semi-circle of stone memorials, pausing to reflect on pictures, poems, and letters left behind by the bereaved. Flowers had been laid at each marker, and bouquets were piled in the middle of the semi-circle along with giant posters filled with inspiring words and sympathetic signatures.
Dressed in their red Maryland softball shirts, the team stood out among the orange and maroon clad crowds, several people came up to the team to thank them for showing their support.
"I also felt that it was important for my players to experience the real magnitude that each of the victims had on others lives, and that it can hopefully translate to each of them the impact that they have on others lives," Watten said. "This event could have happened anywhere and we just need to be thankful for who and what we are blessed with on a daily basis."
Saturday's doubleheader marked one of the first events of any kind on campus since the shooting. The game was packed with over 1200 emotional fans, and the inspired Hokies rose to defeat the Terps 5-4 and 11-1. Maryland took the final game of the series 5-4 on Sunday.
The Maryland players presented their Virginia Tech counterparts with hand made key chains that read "strength" in a pre-game ceremony Saturday. The Terps also gave the Hokies t-shirts and wore maroon arm bands throughout the contest.
"We had a team party in my hotel room suite eating take-out dinner while each player made woven beaded key chains in maroon and orange for each of the Virginal Tech players," said Watten.
Maryland returns to action Wednesday versus Towson.
