This week, FOX Sports will be taking part in Spring Training to the Troops, which includes a visit to U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr base in Germany. Several current and former major leaguers will be making the trip, as well as the FOX Sports Girls. The trip will include a wiffle ball game with the troops, youth baseball clinics for children of the troops, combat simulators and morning physical training sessions. Bishara, one of the FOX Sports Wisconsin girls, will be representing FOX Sports Wisconsin in Germany. Here is what she had to say about her upcoming trip.
FSW: What does it mean to you to be able to be a part of this trip?
Bishara: I would say it's a huge honor. I'm extremely honored to have been chosen to represent FOX Sports Wisconsin and FOX Sports in general to go over and make a presence there and to have the opportunity to spend time with the troops. I really look forward to being able to see what it is, kind of like a day in the life, what it's like to be on base. We'll be visiting elementary schools, and I love kids, so I'm really excited to see that and see how they feel about being on the base. I'm looking forward to learning a lot.
FSW: What are you looking forward to the most?
Bishara: I think what I'm looking forward to the most is what I'm most afraid of. Everyday we're going to have 5:30 a.m. wake-up calls and they are going to do physical training with us. I think it is going to be pretty intense. I really don't know what to expect, but I'm really excited. I'm pretty competitive when it comes to that stuff and I love working out and physical training at the gym normally, but this is at a military base. I'm excited to see what is really going to be in store for us.
They also are going to have a Jeep simulator and from what I understand how it works is that it flips over and we're going to have to figure out a way to navigate our way out of it as if we were in combat. I'm really excited for that.
FSW: How important are trips like this to bring a sense of home to the troops overseas?
Bishara: That's exactly what I think it does and that's why it's important. It's for the troops and the soldiers more than it is for us. To show them that we are thinking about them and we just really appreciate their service and what they are doing, and just bringing that piece of home to them is the main importance. Just letting them know and just showing them how appreciative we are and we are willing to bring a piece of baseball season out there to them so they can experience it.
FSW: How excited are you to see the baseball-activities on the trip?
Bishara: I mean there are some Hall of Famers that are going. It's going to be pretty incredible. (Representing) Wisconsin is Rollie Fingers, huge legend. To be able to be a part of that comradery and to bring that sense of home to the troops with Hall of Famers is a huge honor.
FSW: Do you have any family connections to the military?
Bishara: My uncle was in the Marines and served in Vietnam. My uncle unfortunately has passed away but one quote that always will stick with me that was always said by him that the family has kept around is something he said about people that are currently fighting and people that have fought. It was “they gave up their tomorrows so we can have our today's.” I just always thought that was a really cool quote because it helps you put it in perspective. These are such brave men and women and I think a lot of times you just take it for granted, so that's one thing I learned from him, is to not take it for granted. This isn't something that just happens. These are people that are willingly going over there to fight for basic rights.
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