Greetings from Riga, Latvia, a beautiful city in the Baltic region of Europe.  Ashamed of how little I knew about the country that was my home for the last two months, I took it upon myself to do a little research.  As I walked through the enchanting “Old Town” which reminded me a lot of Prague with the beautiful architecture and churches, I stumbled upon the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia—and hence my educational process began.

Latvia’s independence was ripped away by Russia in August 1939, due to the Hilter-Stalin pack.  I quickly realized that most of my knowledge of the 1940-1950s was focused on the happenings of WWII, because of the United States direct involvement, and I was ignorant of the oppression by the Soviet regime in this region.  Sadly, Latvia did not gain its independence from Russia until August 21,1991.  In the midst of persecution, oppression, and displacement, the Latvian people have impressively kept their language, culture, and heritage intact throughout the generations.

My history lesson proved to be two-fold, as quickly learned that in Latvia, the world’s most popular sport, soccer (aka: futbol) actually takes a back seat to basketball and hockey.  TTT Riga, the club I played for, dominated the Women’s Euroleague, winning 18 championships from 1960 to 1982. I have a deep respect for the European leagues that have for so long provided women with the opportunity to compete professionally.  It is amazing to me how throughout history, sport has and continues to transcend political and cultural barriers.

Two women, one Russian and one Latvian, competed against each other on the court during the tough days of the Soviet occupation.  Their daughters, one Russian and one Latvian, just competed on the same team as we brought another Latvian Championship to the long-standing tradition of TTT Riga.  I leave Latvia with not only a greater knowledge of the world we live in, but with a greater appreciation of the beauty of the sport I play.