08/19/2009
Women's Soccer Preseason Trip Ends with Trip To Downtown San Jose After an 8-day, 3-Game Training Trip; Read Entire Journal

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 1 (Tuesday, August 11, 2008) Provided by the seniors

The day started off very early when we all met at the Knellar at 2:30am. Our flight left Boston at 6 am and after a brief layover in Atlanta we arrived in Costa Rica safe and sound.

Our trip is being run by Costa Rica Soccer and our orange coach bus came complete with a tour guide, Roberto, to help us along the way.

Ironically, Worcester was a warm 80 degrees at 3 am in the morning, but our first session of the trip was in the rain we've all been so familiar with this summer. After cleaning up after our muddy training, we were treated to our first traditional Costa Rican dinner complete with a private performance from a local dance group. Some suprise participants joined in on the festivites and showed off some pretty unique dance moves. I don't think any of us have ever seen Coach Brady move like that.

The long first day meant an early night for everyone. Another jam-packed day awaits us today including a community service project and our first game. Thanks for following our adventure and we'll keep you posted! -- The Seniors

Day 2 (Wednesday, August 12, 2008) Provided by the juniors

Today we had an early start with breakfast at 6:45 am. We headed out to a morning training session at 8 am. After training we went straight to a local community center to spend time with young children. The center provides a safe place for children from at risk home environments. We played with the children ages one to five. They really enjoyed sitting on our shoulders and taking pictures with our digital cameras.

Towards the end of our visit they taught us a spanish version of the hockie-pokie and some other spanish dances/songs. One of the young boys said a prayer for us before we left.

Back at the hotel before our first game we had a delicious Costa Rican lunch. We headed out for our game against first division professional team at a nice field-turf staduim. We lost 2-1 but the game was a great experience. Kellie, who played in net the second half, was awarded the MVP by their coach. Kristen scored her first international goal. The team was very creativity with the ball.

We ended our day at the "The Stadium" a local restaurant for dinner and to watch the Costa Rica/Honduras World Cup qualifier game. It was cool to be surrounded by Costa Rican fans while watching an important match. After the game we all went to bed early to get ready for our 2-day trip to the rainforest and second international game tomorrow.

-- The Juniors









Day 3 (Thursday, August 13, 2008) Provided by the sophomores

Today began with an early breakfast and bus ride. On the way to our next destination, the rain forest in San Carlos, we stopped to shop at Sanchi. There, we picked up lots of souvieners for friends and family.

The ride to the rain forest was beautiful. We had the chance to see a local artist whose talent is carving faces and animals out of bushes. The country side was very beautiful spotted with cows, horses, sugar cane and pineapple plantations.

We arrived at the hotel which is surounded by rainforest. We were not prepared for the hot, humid weather that awaited us. After a walk around the grounds, we all took a dip in the pool and prepared for our second game of the trip.

Before the game against San Carlos (a lcoal club team we experienced some international culture with the playing of both the U.S. and Costa Rican anthems and presentaion of the flags. The coach from the Costa Rican team was very welcoming and was truly happy to compete against us. Though we played well, the game ended in a 1-1 tie. Sophomore Rachel Minsky scored in the first half and San Carlos tied the gaame in the second half on a penatly kick. After the game we exchanged gifts with the other team and ate fruit.

Dinner was at the hotel´s restaurant and we were treated to a three course meal that consisted of salad, an entre, and dessert. We are calling it an early night to prepare for our adventure into the rain forest and white water rafting.

-- The Sophomores





Day 4 (Thursday, August 14, 2008) Provided by the seniors

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

Day 5 (Friday, August 15, 2009) Provided by the juniors

We woke up early to enjoy our last breakfast at the Tilajar and then settled in for a four hour bus ride to the beach. On the way we stopped to see some crocidiles in the river. They were bigger and more scary than we imagined. At our new hotel we divied into small houses separted in different sections named "Jamacia" and "Hati". We headed to the small sided beach soccer field at the hotel for some our training session and some 6 v 6 games. We played seniors and juniors against sophomores, a mixed team and then MA, NH, and ME against the rest of the team. Coach, Rick and Roberto (our tour guide) even made a celebrity apperance in the state game. Coach made some great saves but his team ended up losing while Roberto scored two goals. After our training session we had some time at the beach and the pool right near the field. After cooling off from the games in the ocean we did a small workout in the water. We enjoyed another class one dinner outside and time with our team. We finished the night hanging out by the pool with our teammates and some uninvited guests (racoons) who got a little too close. Tomorrow we had to the zip line tour and then an afternoon at the beach. -- The Juniors

Day 6 (Saturday, August 16, 2009) Provided by the sophomores

Pura Vida!! At 8:30am the team woke up and ate breakfast at the hotel's restaurant with the wild raccoons. After breakfast, we ventured on the bus to travel to the zipline course. Our team geared up in harnesses and helmets and we were given an instructional lesson. The course had 14 rope lines and we traveled from station to station above the rainforest. Coach was really brave and didnt scream at all. Most of the team was adventurous enough to travel down the rope upside down. Jo brought her camera out onto the course and took some amazing pictures of us zipping through the jungle like Tarzan. Erin was stuck on one of the lines, however, she was quickly rescued by our guide. Although Erin exclaimed, I hate nature, everyone truly had an awesome experience. After we all returned safely from the canopy, we ate fruit with the instructors and loaded the bus to head home. We convinced Conejo to push the speed limit laws, and we got back to the hotel in record time. We ate a speedy lunch and got the first shuttle to the beach. Coach and Rick decided that the beach was far too sunny and hot, therefore they spent the afternoon playing golf and enjoying some amazing views of Costa Rica. We enjoyed the sun as long as possible (approximately 40 mins) before the clouds blocked it out, at which time we swam, snorkeled, walked and ran the beach. Jo, Sydney, Audrey, Al, and Charlotte decided to splurge 2,000 colones (about 3 dollars) to rent snorkeling equipment and fins that were far too small for their feet. They got to see tons of fish including a blowfish. Audrey found out that her waterproof camera was actually not waterproof and Sydney got caught on the coral. Lorna obtained a vicious knee injury and needed medical attention from Diego the lifeguard. When she was bandaged and ready to be moved, we took the shuttle back to the hotel, and attempted to use the pool. The rain had other plans for us, so we all sat under a tent and talked until it passed. We got to watch a raccoon dig through a womans bag and then scurry away with some stolen Oreos. We all returned to our rooms to shower and get ready for dinner. We ate and sat around and talked for a few hours. Then we all dragged ourselves back to our room. We were all very tired after a long day in the sun. We leave for San Jose in the morning and our first hotel of the trip for a 1-night stay before leaving on Tuesday. After our game in the afternoon against UCEM (a first division professional team and league champion) we will go to a restaurant in San Jose for a farewell dinner. -- The Sophomores

Day 7 (Saturday, August 17, 2009) Provided by the seniors

As the trip was coming to an end, we decided to wake up early and soak up the last rays by the pool. After breakfast we had a two hour bus ride back to San Jose for a 1-night stay and our last game. Our trip has come full circle, as we returned to the same hotel. We then played the top first division team in Costa Rica, UCEM. We played well especially in the second and created some good chances. However, we came up on the short end falling 2-0 to a very good Costa Rican womens team. We learned a lot from our opponents and look forward to taking some of the moves and playing styles that we have learned from these great teams. We then cleaned up and went to our nice, but sad, farewell dinner at Tony Romos. Costa Rica Soccer made a slideshow with many of the photos of the trip while we enjoyed our last meal in Costa Rica as a team. As part of their presentation they presented everyone with a small gift to help us remember this unforgettable experience. We presented our unbelievable tour guide Roberto and bus drive Randall with a Clark t-shirt as well as some of the staff from Costa Rica Soccer Tours. Everyone has been amazing in making this such a great trip. We ended the evening back at the hotel hanging out as team, dancing and reminiscing about the unbelievable past seven days. Tomorrow we leave early for a short stop in downtown San Jose for some last minute shopping and a walking tour of downtown before our flights back to Boston. -- The Seniors

Day 8 (Tuesday, August 18, 2008) Provided Alum Tedi Link

Our final hours were spent walking around the down town area of San Jose in the morning. After trying to get in a few more precious minutes of sun and eating breakfast, we departed for some last minute sight-seeing and shopping. We got to see what their hospitals looked like and how they were divided up depending solely on age. We drove passed their Central Park and got to see where their new soccer stadium was going to be built (courtesy of China). Once we got off the bus and began walking around, we stopped at their judicial building and a few of their museums. After taking our last and final Clark group pic on the steps of their national museum, we headed in to the long flea market strip. With a plethora of t-shirts, shot-glasses, wooden toys and hand-made bags, we navigated our way through the market gawking at our surroundings. Once our wallets were close to empty and shopping bags full, we loaded Marvi (our bus) for one last hurrah. Roberto's last words on the way to the airport were very nice and heartfelt. I think it's safe to say that our amazing time down here was mostly because of our fantastic tour-guide and comical bus driver. Coming from a person who was more than timid to travel internationally, this experience is something we all will carry with us throughout our lives. All 21 of us have experienced new things, tasted different foods and conquered previous fears. As much as we enjoyed ourselves and had a blast, we miss the North and are ready to get back home. We had a safe flight home and arrived back on campus around 1:30 am. After some quick good-byes we all headed to bed after a long day. -- Tedi Link