08/14/2009
Women's Soccer Enjoys Day of Activities in Costa Rica; Read About Day 4

The Clark University women's soccer team departed on August 11 to Costa Rica for an international preseason trip. The 8-day, three-game trip will include time in San Jose and San Carlos. This marks the first time Coach Brady, in his ninth year, has taken the team on an international trip.

The trip will include three games against local club teams, opportunities to train and a number of popular cultural attractions. In addition, the team will take part in a community service project. The players will visit a childrens community center that cares for and educates 200 low-income children between the ages of 1-12 years old.

The players will team up during the trip to provide daily updates from Costa Rica.

Day 4 (Thursday, August 14, 2009) Provided by the seniors

Read About Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 View Photo Album of White Water Rafting

The morning began with the unpleasant realization that our team should have paid attention more in both science and Spanish classes. Some players woke to find that Celsius and Fahrenheit are very different when it comes to setting air conditioners. It turns out 17 degrees Celsius works out to be about 47 degrees Fahrenheit. Well, well just say that some people didnt leave the fetal position all night. After warming up a bit we headed off to breakfast at the hotel where we had a typical Costa Rican spread of rice and beans, fried plantains (platanos), and mixed fresh (emphasis on fresh) fruits. We ate to an audience of iguanas, birds, frogs, and even a friendly crocodile. Then the adventures began& Our first stop was at Wave Expedition where we were greeted by water above and below us. We gathered around a very energetic water guide, Alex, as he explained safety procedures and rafting techniques. We arent sure if the safety talk calmed us down or made us more aware of the fact that we were about to navigate through rapids in nothing but a blown up raft. After suiting up in life vests and helmets, the first crash came on land as forward #26 (Molly Meehan) decided to sneak attack chest bump our very own Coach Brady. Turns out the life vests provide a lot of cushion& The real journey started off right away with the cliff walk down to the river. With each step down the eroding wood stairs we held onto the rope guard rail and heard the rapids get louder and louder and our hearts beat faster and faster. Each boat got to practice our new skills for 30 seconds before being pushed off with a buena suerte and a wave goodbye. The first of many overboards came from none other than the coaching staff, as Coach Tedi Link became one with the rapids. However Alex jumped right into action and yanked her back into the relative safety of the raft. Little did she know that she was merely the first of many to meet the same fate. The others to fall victim were& Lorna, Sara, Sydney, Rachel, Tedi (again), and countless close calls. The whole trip down the river was 10 miles and 2.5 hours worth of screaming, laughing, and unforgettable memories. The day continued on the water theme as we headed off to the natural hot springs that night. The springs consisted of a number of pools naturally heated by the volcano on which they were built. We spent the evening soaking up the heat and when we were looking for a bit of excitement we climbed to the top of the pools and found a waterslide which probably wouldnt have passed code in the States. After our first ride, we found out the tube was enclosed for good reason. The angle of the drop sent everyone airborne and resulted in quite the show for the crowd that had gathered at the end. After the wedgies were pulled and the bathing suits were readjusted, we relaxed a little more in the pools before boarding the bus for a quiet ride back to the hotel and a much needed night sleep. Hasta luego! -- The Seniors