Venezuelan catcher caps career

(BEIJING, August 8) -- Zuleyma Cirimele Heredia of Venezuela will make her Olympic Games debut next week, 27 years after she played in her first International Softball Federation Junior World Championship in 1981.

"Wow, that was a long time ago," she said. "It's amazing that I'm here. I have an old body; they have new bodies."

At 41, Cirimele Heredia is the oldest player in the Softball competition, but she says she has learned much from her younger teammates.

"I'm old school, they are new school," she said. "You've got to go with the flow."

With her years of experience, Cirimele Heredia is mindful of her position as a role model to her younger teammates.

"I tell them to take care and be respectful because not everyone can make it," she said.

Over her career, the Venezuelan catcher has seen many changes in Softball.

"Nowadays, the pitching is tougher," she said. "Everything is faster."

Despite the accomplishments of her own lengthy career, Cirimele Heredia still marvels at the talent on opposing teams.

"I like Jessica Mendoza [of the United States], she's so consistent," she said. "She's sweet off the field, but on the field she is wild and I like that."

Venezuela takes the field for the first time in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games against the United States on August 12 at noon(12:00 p.m). at Fengtai Softball Field.