JEFFERSON TWP — Slava Smagin didn’t know the right word. Instead, he titled his head back slightly and put his finger under his nose.

It was a signal of why he prefers to bring his 12-under Russian softball team to Freeport.

In California and Florida, Smagin doesn’t feel people are as friendly.

“Freeport feels like family,” Smagin said.

For the second year, Smagin brought several 12U teams to compete. Saturday they competed in an exhibition against Karns City at the Saxonburg fast-pitch softball tournament at Laura Doerr Park.

Sarver resident Vicki Selker and her family helped set the right atmosphere. Typically, Selker has her three daughters and husband to worry about.

For the Freeport International softball tournament, she housed 10 (six coaches and four players) members of the Russian contingent. During the day, other host families drop off the players if they have to go to work.

Selker drives the players and coaches back-and-forth to games in a 15-passenger van rented by the Russian team.

“It’s chaotic and I love it,” Selker said. “There’s a translator with the first group and the second group there’s some English there. But we use mannerisms and Google Translate (to communicate).”

Dave Brestensky started recruiting teams from outside of the country about four years ago. If enough host families are found, Selker said they hope to pull in teams from Australia and the Netherlands.

Smagin said he was contacted online.

“The Selker family and Brystensky family,” Slava said. “We made some messages with Facebook and ‘Voila!’.”

In addition to softball, the Russian team also planned trips to Kennywood Park and PNC Park. Russian pitcher/shortstop Angelina Kushner, 12, enjoys the traveling.

“I like the American rollercoasters,” Kushner said.

She’s also serious about the softball.

Smagin said she joined in part because their team, located in the Moscow area, has been champions of Russia 22 times.

“I like sports and want to do more with sports,” Kushner said. “In our small city we are champions of Russia. I saw how they were doing and went to play.”

The Russian team’s game against Karns City was a predetermined 3-2 win for the Gremlins for purposes of the tournament. In the exhibition game that followed, the Russian team eked out a close win.

Changes to the rules were made to make the game consistent with Russian rules. At the 12U level, they pitch from 30 feet instead of 35. They also play with a smaller softball.

“It’s different because you can see how people play differently and you can learn from them,” Karns City shortstop Emily Huff said. “Sometimes they have different rules and sometimes they do different cheers. It’s all in how they coach.”

Karns City played a different Russian team last year in Natrona Heights. Coach John Huff was happy to gain some valuable experience.

“The intensity the teams bring is different,” he said. “It’s neat to see how they get their team fired up and how they carry on during the game.”

The Russian team had many spectators and other teams at the tournament abuzz. Several pulled out their cellphones to play with Google translator. They were looking for something cool to say in Russian.

Everyone was interested in interacting. That’s what keeps Smagin coming back.

A feeling of being welcome.

“I didn’t think we could make it better than last year,” Selker said. “It’s been more enjoyable because we know the coaches and their coaching style. It’s been a tremendous experience.”