Follow the action on this blog as the Virginia Wesleyan Women's soccer team travels through Holland, Germany and Belgium.
Wednesday, Aug. 17
Memories for a lifetime
United States
By: Lindsey Williams (Sophomore, Princeton, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Education major)
It's probably safe to say that overall we greatly enjoyed ourselves, even though I guarantee all of us are more happy to be home than ever. There are many highlights to this trip, as well as some points we probably would not like to remember.
I think I speak for everyone when I say that the highlights include attending two professional soccer games, Standard De Liege and Roda JC. Just having the chance to experience the atmosphere at even one of those types of games is amazing. Half the time it was hard to hear the person next to you talk because the fans were so loud. Even though we didn't get to see the Ajax team play, touring the stadium and getting to see many things most fans would not was really cool; definitely coach's biggest highlight. It was also a great experience to compete in all the matches during the week. I don't think we will ever get a better experience than that of the tough competition we faced on this trip. It is something that most certainly made us a better team, and none of us can wait to get back in the swing of things and start the season off strong!
I think we also enjoyed the underground caving adventure. It was very fun to follow clues through the tunnels and crevices to find our way alone just by the lights on our helmets. When we got around to the biking part we were all very excited, until half our group got lost. Not to mention, the seats were not exactly soft and comfortable! Overall it was a very cool experience, but I know nobody enjoyed the 40-story hike back up and out of the cave. It was so hard that some of us had to pause on the spiral staircase before continuing on up!
Amsterdam was probably the other major highlight for our team during this Eurotrip. We were all very excited to see a place to eat American food and many other, shall I say, interesting sights such as the Red Light District and the Heineken Brewery.
All of these different highlights were fun and exciting, but there were other parts of the trip which we didn't find quite so enjoyable. The weather wasn't that great at times, having a day where there was sun one minute and downpouring rain the next, or just straight rain all day. Definitely a three hour bus ride to get to our destination was not desirable. I know we didn't enjoy some of the meals that were served, not because it was made poorly or tasted quite so bad, but because it was just not something we were used to. It was too different and our taste buds weren't familiar enough to enjoy it. And none of us can forget the seven hour plane ride to get to Europe, along with the eight hour flight to make it home.
The trip was bittersweet. We enjoyed so many aspects about it, but missed so many things from home at the same time. I know I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world because of so many new and interesting things we did and saw. We received such good training and opportunity to compete against great teams that I know it has already helped us immensely for the upcoming season. Ask any of the girls on the team and they will give you mixed feelings about the trip (although mostly positive), but none can argue how excited and pumped they have to be for this season, and we all hope you'll come out and support us as much as possible!
FINAL DAY, Day 11, Aug. 14
Goodbye Europe ... hello USA!!!
Brussels, Belgium
By: Lindsey Williams (Sophomore, Princeton, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Education major)
Today was probably the longest day in all of our lives. Leaving the hotel at 6:45 a.m., we headed to the Brussels Airport. Arriving there, it was sad to say goodbye to the girls from Maine; our 10 day teammates and new friends we will definitely stay in touch with. We wished them luck with their season and a safe, but long trip home. We proceeded upstairs to the café to eat some breakfast and wait for our turn to check-in. Once the time had come to return downstairs to get our tickets and pass through security we took our luggage carts down the elevators and were off. We made it through security fine and part of the team went off to shop or find more food while the other half proceeded on to our gate. Walking down the long hallway passing gate after gate we thought it would never end. Low and behold, there was another random security check. Three of us, myself included, were taken off to the side to have our carry-on bags searched as well as ourselves; removing our shoes and being patted down. Once that was over we finally reached the gate, having another hour to wait before we could board the plane. Seated and buckled, we were ready for our eight hour flight home to Dulles International. All of us were so excited to get back to America that we couldn't stop talking about it the whole flight home. That is, except for when we were napping, movie watching, or eating. They served our meal a little over an hour before landing; a turkey sandwich on a hard roll, "Bob's" potato chips, and a Twix bar. Not many of us enjoyed that, but we didn't care because there was only an hour left before we landed on American soil. Once the wheels hit the ground there were cheers and clapping from our team. It was sad to give up the wonderful experience we had, but so great to be back with the comforts of home we've become familiar with this summer. Unfortunately, our trip didn't end there. We trudged through a long hallway to get to customs, which surprisingly and luckily took no more than five minutes for all of us to get through. We then headed to baggage claim where everyone successfully got their bags back. We had a short team meeting and then were sent off to get home. The disheartening fact was, many of us still had another trip in store. We were still facing anywhere from a 20 minute to a five-plus hour drive to our homes. To most of us, that didn't matter, however; we were home, in America, the country that had once been taken for granted until we experienced other countries and found out just how much we missed and loved it.
Day 10, Aug. 13
Cathedrals, castles and wine
Cologne, German
By: Lindsey Williams (Sophomore, Princeton/NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South, Education major)
Today was filled with many different adventures. We began bright and early with the usual breakfast at 7a.m. and then departed for Cologne, Germany. Once we arrived, the largest gothic structure in the world, Cologne's Cathedral, greeted us. To get an idea of its massive size, imagine straining your neck when sitting in the front row of a movie theater; looking so straight up to the sky that you can barely see the top where the cross sits. Not only was it high, it was massive on the inside as well with over 10 individual chapels. We were also able to do something each of us has become all too familiar with on this trip, shop. Meeting back at our bus we headed to a Rhine River cruise. Taking a beautiful and scenic hour-long cruise down the Rhine we saw different landmarks including the "dragon rock" and a few different castles nestled in the high hills and mountains surrounding the River. When that was through we proceeded to the Mayschoss Winery. It was quite amazing to drive through the vast mountains lined with all the grape plants used to make their wine; more famous for red than white. Once inside, we had some time before our tour to taste any wine in stock we pleased. Many varieties of red and white wines to choose from; some very tasty, others some of us would rather never taste again. Then we took a short tour of the musty, stuffy wine cellars and were left to freely explore the museum. After the tour, we went back to the store where we first got a chance to sample the wines, and were able to shop and pick out bottles to bring home with us (the drinking age is 16). It was time for dinner when we arrived back at our hotel. When dinner was done we left for the Roda JC v. FC Twente game in Kerkrade. That was the icing on the cake to end a great day with home team Roda JC pulling out a 2-0 victory over FC Twente. We got a chance to buy gear in the fan shop before returning to our hotel for the night.
Day 9, Aug. 12
Amsterdam, rain and Heineken
Amsterdam, Holland
By: Suzy Wichtel (Junior, Chesterfield, NJ/North Burlington, Criminal Justice/Sociology major
This morning we took a three hour bus trip north to the well known city of Amsterdam. Our bus driver dropped us off in front of the Amsterdam Arena, the largest arena in Holland where the Ajax men’s soccer team plays. There we got a team picture on the field and a guided tour of the conference room, control room, and stadium itself. Our initial itinerary had us taking a bike tour through Amsterdam, however the inclement weather prohibited us from doing so. Instead we got to see and take pictures of the beautiful city´s churches and canals. Also, some opted to grab a bite to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe as well. The team was to meet at the bus at 4:30 so we could get a tour of the "Heineken Experience," a place where we saw how they brewed and manufactured beer. Each of us received a souvenir at the end of our visit. Although the rainy weather altered our plans we still had a enjoyable memorable trip to Amsterdam. Driving three hours back to our hotel in Valkenburg we shared our various experiences over dinner.
Day 8, Aug. 11
Game Day in Belgium
Liege, Belgium
By: Sharon Hay-Stokes, Senior, Virginia Beach, VA/Princess Anne, Education major
Today was another early morning for the team. We had breakfast together in the hotel prior to leaving for our morning practice. We trained for the final time with the KNVP Dutch national coach, Josh Schwarz. During our session we worked on rebuilding the ball from the attack, transitioning to goal, as well as moving off the ball. All of these are valuable skills that we will take back to the States and apply in our game. After practice, the team was free to eat lunch around town. Many napped as we were trying to catch up on some much needed sleep, and prepare for our game tonight vs. the women from Standard de Liege. We knew the game would be intense as they are one of the premiere teams in Belgium. After the hour long bus ride to Belgium, we arrived and began warming up. Right before we were to take the field, we were greeted with one an American member of the men´s Standard de Liege team, Oguchi Onyewu. Gucci came to Belgium when he was 17, and has played with the Belgian powerhouse Standard team for two years. He also played for two years at Clemson University. Originally from Damascus, Maryland, and wearing number 14 for the US National team, Gucci scored the winning goal in the semifinals of the 2005 Gold Cup held in East Rutherford, NJ. We talked with him and took pictures for a few minutes. It was nice to talk with a fellow American!!! Needless to say the girls were even more pumped to play after meeting him. We dropped a 3-0 decision to Standard, but played extremely well. We finished strong as this was our last game of the trip, and we incorporated what we had learned all week from our own coaches, as well as the Dutch coach. After the game the Standard team treated us to Belgian waffles and Coke. After a long bus ride home, we are turning in to prepare for an awesome day in Amsterdam tomorrow!!
Day 6, Aug. 9
Honoring Fallen Heros
Margraten and Masstricht, Holland
By: Danielle Burns (Senior, Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown, Sports Management major
This morning our team started off with our usual breakfast and practice routine with the Virginia Wesleyan soccer staff. After practice we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the rest of our day. First, we headed to Margraten, Holland to visit the American World War II Cemetery. When we got off the bus we stood in front of a long walkway with standing concrete walls on both sides. These walls displayed the attack routes of the Americans, the Canadians, the French, and the Germans. Also, along the walls were the names of almost 2,000 American soldiers whom were never recovered from the war. The cemetery grounds were kept in absolute perfect condition. Not a single blade of green grass was out of place. Beyond the walking entrance, the several hundred acre cemetery could be seen. It was both amazing and rather depressing to be able to see the amount of people who sacrificed their lives and died with honor for the United States. On the way out of the cemetery we had an opportunity to sign our names in the guest book and read some of the stories of the Medal of Honor recipients. An experience like this one is hard to describe with words because of the emotion felt on the tour of the cemetery.
From Margraten our team got back on the bus and headed to Maastricht, Holland for our favorite pasttime... shopping! The narrow streets of the city were lined with stores and restaurants. Most of us were overly excited to see a McDonald´s. All of us were able to explore the city and buy souvenirs, gifts, clothing, and other things. After two and half hours of shopping I don´t think a single one of us returned to the bus empty handed. From Maastricht we headed back to our hotel for dinner and another free evening in Valkenburg.
Day 5, Aug. 8
Spa City and shopping
Aachen, Germany
By: Nicole Hite (2005 VWC graduate in Communications, Smithville, NJ/Absegami)
It was another early morning for us. After breakfast we headed to the practice fields to practice with Josh Schwartz, a former Dutch national coach for 20 years. We had an intense practice for two hours. We learned the difference between European soccer and American soccer and we will definitely bring these skills back to America and apply them to our style of playing. After practice we headed back to the hotel to shower and eat lunch. Then we traveled to Aachen, Germany for a walking tour of the Spa city, known for its hot springs with “healing power.” And of course you know we can’t go anywhere without doing a little, no, a lot of shopping. We then returned to Holland to an unexpected night off of practice in which we took the pleasure of exploring the city and doing some more shopping. We ended the night with a team dinner and a free evening.
Day 4, Aug. 7
Victory over Wartenburg
Stein, Germany
By: Kristen Byrnes (Junior, Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central, Business major
Sunday we had a tournament at a local field in Holland. The fields were about 20 minutes from our hotel. As we were walking in you would think we were the national team, everyone turned and just stared at us. Being the only American team there was interesting. The opening ceremonies consisted of an introduction of each of the teams, followed by the playing of each the team’s national anthem. Since we had a lot of players, 22 people we were divided into two groups of 11. The first team competed in the first match and were immediately thrown into tough competition. The German team was very technical and quick to the ball, one of their players plays for the German National team. Our second team played another skilled competition against a team from Belgium. The final score was 3-0. The first team competed one more time against a team from Holland and ended with a tie of 1-1. Nikki Hite scored the team’s only goal of the day. The final game was tied 0-0 and went into penalty kicks. Virginia Wesleyan went on to beat Wartenburg 5-4 in PK’s. Missy Kuhns, Suzy Wichtel, Julia Green, Julia Cyr and Christina Smith all scored the PKs to beat Wartenburg’s 4. Lindsay Williams played remarkable in goal the whole day. After a long day we returned to our hotel for dinner as a team and walked the town for a little while before calling it a night.
Friday, Aug. 5
Day 2
Brussells, Belgium and Valenburg, Holland
By: Kelly Donnelly (Junior, Cranford, NJ/Cranford, Education major)
We woke up early the next morning and had breakfast. We headed to our first practice on a soccer field right next to a field of horses about 10 minutes away from the hotel. After practice, we headed back to the area of the hotel and had lunch. After lunch we had our afternoon practice and as soon as we finished it began to downpour.
After returning to the hotel and showering, we headed back to Belgium to go to the Standard Liege game. The game was very intense; the fans were absolutely crazy and Standard Liege won 3-1. After the game many of us bought Liege gear and tried to meet the players. We drove back to Valkenburg and ate a late dinner at the hotel. Some of us went down the street to a café and met very interesting people while the rest of the team settled for a quiet evening in the hotel.
Thursday, Aug. 4
Belgian waffles, statues, and rain
Brussells, Belgium and Valenburg, Holland
By: Kelly Donnelly (Junior, Cranford, NJ/Cranford, Education major)
After an eight hour flight we arrived in Brussels, Belgium. It was hard to believe that we were in another county until we got our official stamp at customs. We found our Harvard Sports tour guide Lynn who brought us to the bus. Soon we headed to the section of Brussels that we were going to tour that day. When we first got off the bus, we were surprised about how cold it was, 50-60 degrees and very overcast. Our first stop off the bus was St. Michael's Church. The old architecture, statues, and history were all so beautiful.
We walked down to the Old Market Place and were allowed a few hours to explore, eat lunch, and shop. We had our first "real" Belgian waffles and some of the team found out that we have to pay to use public rest rooms. The team checked out Mannekin Pis, which if you don't know, is a statue of a little boy peeing! The statue (and it's replacement after being lost) has been a part of the town since 1388. There are many legends of the meaning of the statue, but the most popular took place in 1142. Brussels was battling an opposing nation and the troops placed the little boy in a basket and hung it in a tree to encourage the troops. From his basket, he urinated on the opposing troops who eventually lost the battle. After everyone had explored for a few hours we headed back on the bus to the airport to pick up the five girls from the University of Southern Maine who are playing with us this week, Dianna Thibaudeau, Sophia Louis, Jenna Waylak, Julia Cyr, and Eva Hanson. After everyone was back on the bus, we headed to Valkenburg, Holland to check into our hotel, the Hotel Walrum, and have dinner. After dinner we went for a run around Valkenburg in the rain and we managed to not get lost! After a team meeting we showered and were given a few hours to explore the area around the hotel.