08/16/2009
Women's Soccer Enjoys Day Off in Costa Rica With Zip Line Tour and Day at the Beach; Read About Day 6

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

Read AboutDay 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

Pura Vida!! At 8:30am the team woke up and ate breakfast at the hotels 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