USA D3 Volleyball Brazil - Wrapping up the trip!

We had the best of intentions to update the blog every day of the trip. However, a busy scheduled combined with some slow internet connections made that a difficult reality. So, as I'm writing this I am sitting in the airport in Rio de Janeiro waiting for our flight back to the states. It will be hard to put the last few days into words, but I will do my best!

FRIDAY:

Day 5 was our first day with no volleyball. After an early wake up call, we boarded the bus for the five hour drive to Rio. Fortunately, there was beautiful scenery most of the way. We crossed over a small mountain range that had beautiful vistas that words and pictures can't really describe adequately, unfortunately. 

The drive was way worth it when we arrived in Rio and went straight to Sugarloaf, where we boarded a 40 passenger gondola to the top. It was a hazy day, so the very top was actually in the clouds. Every few minutes, the clouds would clear a little, and we could see breathtaking views of the coast (including Copacabana Beach) and the city. One of the really fascinating facts was that the gondola system to the top was built in the early 1900's. Fortunately, it has been updated since then!

After we left Sugarloaf, we headed to check into our hotel which sits directly on Copacabana Beach. The serpentine patterned black and white tile sidewalks stretch the length of the beach, and we walked several miles of them over the course of the last few days. After throwing our bags in our rooms, we headed to a long overdue lunch/dinner at a local buffet including some great flan for dessert. On the way back from dinner, we learned the hard way to wait for the green walk signals at intersections, as a handful of us came way too close for comfort to a local bus and taxi speeding down Copacabana Avenue! Let's just say that cars are not as pedestrian conscious in Brazil as they are in the states! After a few hours to settle in and look around the beach (my family had the chance to watch a high level beach soccer game, including a bicycle kick for a goal), we met back up to head to a small open air market which was our first souvenir shopping opportunity. We found some local art, some tourist junk, and a variety of t-shirts and knock off soccer jerseys. Then we headed for an evening snack which consisted of our leader's favorite, an Ovaltine milkshake from Bob's Burger.

SATURDAY:

We didn't think the trip could get better, but Saturday was a day that we will all remember for a long time. After some time at the beach in the morning (including playing in the massive waves), we met at 11:00 to head to the Marina Barra Clube for an incredible experience. When we arrived, we were met by our hosts, the Ripper family, who came bearing gifts of shirts and water bottles. Ju Ripper played volleyball at USF in Tampa, and her entire family is involved in helping area players have opportunities to play at the next level. They arranged a tournament for us to play the Marina Barra team as well as the Flamengo team. The men's and women's teams played on side by side courts in their beautiful facility. Before play began, we found a family of capybaras just hanging out behind the gym. They resemble a giant guinea pig, and they were very patient with our paparazzi style photo taking! Our time hanging out with them was cut short by needing to lineup for our opening ceremonies. All six teams marched in and stood while one of our players sang the Star Spangled Banner and they played the Brazilian national anthem. Then it was time for volleyball. We ended the day with a win and took second place for the day. The tournament concluded with a medal presentation to each of the teams as well as a short collaborative dance demonstration with anyone game enough to get up in front of the group. To say it was entertaining would be an understatement. We waited for the Marina Barra players to shower and then took some of them on the bus with us where we met up with all of the teams at a local pizzeria. The party continued there as we swapped language lessons, jerseys, dance moves, and laughs with our new friends. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us!

SUNDAY:

Just as Saturday was an unforgettable experience from the relationship and volleyball side of things, Sunday proved to be just as unforgettable from a sightseeing perspective. Caitlyn and some others started the day by being on the beach to catch the sun rise over Sugarloaf. Then several of us made a quick trip to a local grocery store to pick up Brazilian coffee and chocolate to take home.  On the way back, we took a slight detour through the local farmers market which was full of fresh seafood and beautiful produce. Then, it was finally time to get on the bus to go see the Christ the Redeemer statue! In order to get up to the statue, you have to ride a train up the mountain (with breathtaking views along the way as well as locals selling bottled water at random stops along the way) and then walk up close to 10 stories of steps. The time and the climb was well worth it! Since it was Sunday, there was a small mass taking place at the base of the statue, and there was a huge crowd. It was a bit of a challenge to make your way through the crowd to get pictures without inadvertent photobombers, but we all managed to walk away with some great shots. 

Once we came down from the mountain, we boarded the bus for a short ride to the international market which is an open air market that takes up a city block. After doing some shopping there, some of us walked the three miles back following Ipanema and Copacabana Beaches and others rode the subway back to Copacabana where they played some beach volleyball (thanks to a local family who was kind enough to lend them a ball). Then we all met up again and walked to dinner at a local Brazillian steakhouse. The waiters made their way around to each of our tables with a variety of meat that they would slice directly onto our plates. One of the local specialities was chicken hearts. Hannah Kate captured my first taste of one on video, in case you doubt that I actually tried one. If you can get past the look of it and the texture of it, it's not too bad. I'm not sure I appreciate it as a delicacy like my Brazilian friends do, but I was able to eat a couple of them. The final course was a grilled pineapple, and I will happily recreate that back in the states! Speaking of pineapple, we had a great selection of fruit at every meal here. I will definitely miss that!

MONDAY:

After seeing everyone's sunrise pictures, my family and several others decided to head to the beach for sunrise today. It was really windy and we got a little sandblasted, but it was totally worth the 5:45 am alarm to see that beautiful sunrise. After the sun came up, the kids played in the surf for a bit while I soaked up a few last minutes of beach time. Then it was time to shower to head to Centro (via the subway, which is a very nice one) to finish our souvenir shopping at the market area known for name brand knockoffs. It was a unique shopping experience, and everyone came away satisfied with lower cost items including popular soccer jerseys, handbags, etc. Once we headed back to the hotel and emerged from the subway, we were met with our first bad weather of the trip. It rained the rest of our day, but we didn't let it keep us from a couple more adventures. 

After yet another great meal, where we were able to celebrate Caitlyn's birthday with some cake, and a final team meeting with our entire travel party that included a drawing for a variety of goodies that Ron had collected over the week, we loaded our bags on the bus and headed for one last tour en route to the airport. Our Brazilian guide Leo (pronounce Lay-o), who is an all around great guy with one of the best smiles I've ever seen and is currently an assistant coach for a professional men's basketball team in southern Brazil, had arranged for us to get a tour of the club where he grew up playing basketball, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. It also happens to be one of the most popular sports clubs in Brazil and will be hosting our U.S. Olympic teams in 2016. The Flamengo property sits right on the lake in the middle of Rio, and the first part of the property we toured was their boathouse and crew training facility. We then continued in the rain to see all of the facilities our Olympians will use for practice next year. It was well worth looking like a drowned rat to get the opportunity to see behind the scenes at such an exclusive place. 

As this trip comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on a few things. The hospitality of the Brazilian people was overwhelming. Our poor attempts to speak Portuguese were always met with smiles and appreciation. This sport that we love served as a common language all week, despite being in a different hemisphere and speaking different languages. The opportunities that sports provide for our athletes as well as the young athletes all over the world really are incredible. The group of 34 people who came to Brazil this week to represent the USA and DIII volleyball are leaving as friends, despite having never met before last week or even having been on competing teams in the past. I am incredibly proud of how these players embraced this opportunity and treated everyone we met with respect and generosity. Finally, I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are coming home with a strong connection with a country that opened her arms wide to us this week and tremendous gratitude for Ron Smith and all of "his people" who made this trip possible for us. Until next time Brasil, tchau!

USA D3 Volleyball - Incredible hospitality and great food!

Days 3 and 4 have been full of great competition, great food, and opportunities to explore Brazilian culture. Here is Caitlyn's perspective on the last couple of days! 

"After a late night in Valinhos, everyone was looking forward to finally getting a full night's rest! Wednesday morning we woke up to a traditional Brazilian buffet breakfast- eggs, meats, cheese, fresh fruit and a array of pastries and donut-like temptations. We had the morning off from volleyball so most of us headed to the Carrefour, a Brazilian style Walmart complete with a Subway, chocolate shop, bakery, and fast-food restaurant called Pimpas. It was fun to see the different types of fruit in the produce section, and I was surprised how many American brands (like Oreos) they sold. However, there were a few major differences: pipoca, pronounced pee-poh-kah, their version of popcorn reminds me more of an edible version of styrofoam packing peanuts and most of the bottle water sold is actually carbonated bottled water (a few of our players learned this the hard way). The rest of the morning was spent lounging at the hotel pool bonding before our next match.

At 4pm, we loaded the motor coach and headed to the Balaó, an echoing dome arena, to play Jundiai's U22 professional teams. The hospitality in Jundiai was incredible! They played our National Anthem before the match, provided professional refs, a professional photographer, and the fan atmosphere was exciting. The minute we walked into the Balaó we felt like celebrities because everyone, including the families that traveled with us, was constantly being asked to take photos with fans! My favorite part of Brazil (besides the food) has been the people! Post-match, the Brazilian players always ask us to trade our college or USA t-shirts for their jerseys or warmup shirts- I even received a Brazilian flag in exchange for one of my extra shirts. The look on their faces when we agree to exchange is priceless and sometimes they thank us with a hug or kiss on the cheek! After our matches in Jundiai we had the most incredible dinner at a local family-style restaurant called O Bom da Picanha II. They served us salad, breaded corn and potatoes, chicken, steak, and of course dessert. This is a good time to mention that I've been in a permanent food coma the entire trip.

Thursday, we departed our hotel in Jundiai and traveled about an hour and a half to our next match in Piracicaba. All of the gyms we have played in have been so different and unique. Piracicaba's was older then Valinhos and Jundiai's and was shaped like a barrel or airplane hanger and was in conjunction with a professional soccer stadium that we also got to visit. The Piracicaba women's volleyball team was comprised of 12 of the most athletic looking 22 to 28 year-olds I've ever seen! They were talented yet classy and I was proud of how our team really stepped up to the challenge. After the match we were once again approached to trade T-shirts, spandex, and even socks with the Piracicaba players. I think this is a tradition we should bring back to the states! After the match we grabbed a quick bite to eat at a fancy place called Burger King :-) The menu was virtually identical to ours back home, except with a different assortment of Brazilian sodas.

Last night we traveled three hours to San Josè dos Campõs and checked into our overnight hotel, which really is more like an apartment with a separate living room, kitchen, and two balconies that overlooked the city. Before we went to sleep we had a little time to explore a local mall and have dinner in its giant food court. We were given $50R (about $15US) to choose whatever we wanted. I played it safe and went with a create-your-own pasta place that Leo (our Brazilian guide/interpreter/foodie/BFF) recommended. Many members of our group indulged in Ovaltine-flavored milkshakes from Bob's Burgers. I'm not a huge chocolate person so I went with gelato to deepen my food coma.

This morning we woke up really early to travel to Rio de Janeiro! It's about a four hour ride depending on traffic. I'm currently sitting on our motor coach and almost everyone is resting up for a big day of site seeing. I am looking forward to visiting Sugarloaf today and hopefully seeing a few stadiums as Rio prepares to host the Olympics next summer! Tchau!"

USA D3 Volleyball - Overnight travel and playing a pro team

Our first day in Brazil was a LONG one! Thank goodness for a group who are fun, adventurous, and givers! It started with a 9 hour overnight flight where most of us got a maximum of two hours of sleep, if we were lucky. Fortunately, that was the worst part of the day.

As the sun came up, we flew over the Amazon River and then continued south to land in São Paulo, a city with 16 million people! It seemed like the city went on forever with endless high rise apartment buildings. Once we were off the plane, we had our bags, were through customs, and on a really nice bus in less than an hour. As we made our way to Jundiai, we fought our urge to sleep to take in the sights, which included a pro soccer stadium and the parade route for Carnival. After about 45 minutes, we arrived at our hotel to eat a delicious buffet lunch, shower and rest for a few hours. I don't think a bed has ever felt so good!

Before we knew it, it was time to load the bus again and head to Campinos for our first match. As we started to warm up and get a feel for the court, our opponents showed up. We played the Division B pro team Valinhos. They had about 20 players on the roster (ranging in age from 23-30) including a 6'7" middle blocker! Warm ups were different from what our players are accustomed.  We did shared hitting where we got our first glimpse of what we were up against, as the Valinhos players grunted loudly as they crushed balls. We also played with the international purple and yellow balls for the first time for most of our players. They have a very different feel from the leather balls we use in the U.S.  Despite all of the differences and lack of sleep, our team played great and challenged our opponents in all aspects of the game. We ended up playing five sets (all to 25). While we lost all of the sets, we continued to get better as the girls got more and more comfortable playing together, and, most importantly, our energy and competive spirit stayed consistently high throughout the match.

The real highlight of the day was after our match when we had the chance to spend time hanging out with the Valinhos players, learning Portuguese, taking selfies, swapping shirts and Instagram names, sharing music, and laughing with each other. It was so much fun to see the similarities and differences and learn from each other!

We also got to watch our men's team play for the first time. They played a Masters level (30-40 year olds) team and lost in an exciting five set match. By the time they finished, it was after 10pm, and we were all starving! So, we headed to a local pizzeria near our hotel which was completely different from American pizza. There were all kinds of delicious combinations (none of which resembled our pizza except the crust) that they brought around to the table to take whatever you wanted. There was even dessert pizza with Neapolitan ice cream on top! After we all had our fill, we finally got to our rooms around 12:30am and slept the best I ever have on the road!

So far, we have not been disappointed with the hospitality of our Brazilian friends, the quality of volleyball, or the unusual experiences! Looking forward to another great day! Estamos animado para outro dia!

USA D3 Volleyball - Coming together and heading south!

It has been a great first 24 hours getting to know these players and figuring out how we are going to come together to represent our schools and country in the coming week!  Here is Hannah Kate's insight on the first day.  Enjoy!

"Our first practice was a bit rough, but what first practice isn't?  It was obvious that this group of girls is full of talent and we just needed to break some ice, which is exactly what we did when we got back to the hotel! Coach Mika had us write down 3 facts no one else would know about us and then crumple up the piece of paper. Coach passed them back out for other people to read and we had to guess who wrote the 3 facts. Through this extremely entertaining ice breaker game, I learned that 3 girls on the team have a twin, Coach Caitlyn used to live next door to a prison, and Coach Mika used to have a pet raccoon.  I mean who knew our Harvard graduate coach grew up on a dairy farm with a pet raccoon? I definitely didn't. By 11:30 we were exhausted and ready for bed, all of us looking forward to our second practice and flight to Brazil the next day. 
     After waking up at 6:30 AM on Day 2, the team met for breakfast in the lobby. We were then squished into a van to be taken to our second practice together. Considering we had known each other less than 24 hours, I would say practice went really well!  We were then squished back into our box-like van to go back to the hotel for some much needed showers. The van smelled pretty bad, but I have to say, the elevator ride with some of the guys from the men's team was way worse.
     After eating a quick lunch we loaded up the vans and headed off to the Orlando airport to catch a flight to Atlanta. On our way to the gate we spotted a large TV that was playing "How to Train Your Dragon 2". Apparently, you are never too old for an animated movie because a random forty-something year old man decided to join our childish indulgence. Four hours later, the plane is boarded and we are ready for take off! I'm literally typing this as we leave the ground. After this short flight, the only thing standing between Team USA and Brazil is a long 10 hour overnight flight. I have absolutely no idea how I will sleep. But no worries, our team has loads of Tylenol PM, Advil PM, melatonin, etc. I'm honestly surprised we got through security with the amount of (legal) drugs we have in our carry ons.
     Regardless of the long flight, I cannot wait to be competing in Brazil with this amazing team! Peace out America." 


Be sure to follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BerryCollegeVolleyball) and Instagram (https://instagram.com/berryvolleyball/) to see pictures each day!

Opportunity of a Lifetime - Nós estamos indo para o Brasil!

Early last fall, I was presented with the opportunity to coach the USA D-3 team headed to Brazil.  As you can imagine, it didn't take me long to say "YES!"  In the months since then, Ron Smith has assembled an incredible team of DIII volleyball players to represent the USA in what will be a trip of a lifetime for all of us.  Today, we all officially met for the first time in Orlando where we will practice tonight and tomorrow morning before boarding a plane tomorrow evening.  Joining me on this adventure is our own Assistant Coach Caitlyn Jansen and rising sophomore setter Hannah Kate Thompson as well as my family.  In addition to our women's team, we will also be traveling with the USA D-3 men's team.  To say that we are all excited to get started on this adventure is a tremendous understatement!  We plan to write daily (I'll get Caitlyn and Hannah Kate to share their perspectives, too!) in order to bring you all along for the ride!  Stay tuned and boa noite!