University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Arrive in Italy
8/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Hello from Rome. The Minnesota women’s basketball team arrived in the “Eternal City” to kick off their Italy excursion. After a full 24-hours, well in hours on the clock anyway, the Golden Gophers started to get their internal time clocks set and got in a day’s worth of sightseeing on Wednesday. The Gophers play the first of four games on Thursday evening.
During the week, Becky Bohm, the associate director of athletic communications, will post reports on the Gophers’ first summer international tour in the program’s history. We will have the coaches and player contribute their thoughts, stories and experiences throughout the week. Tonight, though, you get just me to start things off. Let’s get you caught up on the first two days of the trip.
I mentioned the 24 hours of travel. Well, I'm taking into account that most of us left for the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport around 6 p.m. on Monday evening. The team met at the airport and anticipation was high. We were all excited. The players had stocked up on snacks for the trip and were all carrying back packs overstuffing with the necessary supplies for 7-hour overnight flight. The typical “must haves” were packed, the water bottle, the Ipod, the camera and magazines. I see Kristen Dockery has learned from Emily Fox that one of those little beanbag pillows are great travel companions. Doc’s was a nice Minnesota one.
We grabbed a quick team photo before boarding the plane. Once we got on the plane, one of those airbuses that carry about 250 passengers, the next goal was to find more space. After one false announcement that we were nearing departure, pretty much every player had moved to area where they could at least spread out in two seats. Then another announcement followed saying we were waiting for a few other passengers to still board.
Well, slowly every single player was forced to find their way back to their original seat. The flight was completely full. Oh yeah, quite a novelty (thankfully), there were four convicts going somewhere seated in the very last row. Yup, shackles and handcuffs. The lucky one in our group was our athletic trainer Moira Novak, whose seat assignment was directly across the aisle. I would have been just a little curious about where they were being sent. Where they being deported? Had they committed some international crime? Well, Moira reported that they kept to themselves and she wasn’t about to ask them any questions either.
The flight itself was relatively smooth. Well, as smooth as trying to get some sleep sitting upright in a crammed plane seat can be I guess. About four small children/babies decided to announce that we were flying near the southern tip of Greenland at about 1 a.m. Thank goodness for head phones! After about 20 minutes things settled down again.
We landed in Amsterdam at about noon or about 5 a.m. Minnesota time. We had just enough time to go through customs and catch our connecting flight to Rome.
After a 2-hour flight, we touched down in Rome and though a bit weary, were ready to start this trip for real. Coach Borton warned us that someone was going to have their luggage lost. It’s just what happens when traveling to Italy. Well, the unlucky one was Zoe Harper. Luckily they found the bag and delivered it to the hotel the next day.
We also had our first, and hopefully last, case of lost players and staff. While the rest of us were collecting the luggage, Brittany McCoy, Kay Sylva, Tanisha Smith, Coach Smith, Coach Riverso and Coach Moseley misread the signs to baggage claim. After a few minutes of figuring out just how to reach them the coaches had international phones we finally spotted them outside the baggage claim area. A minor drama concluded. Let’s just say the coaches learned how to use those international phones quicker after that.
We then met up with our tour guides Hollis and Sara. Sara is a native Italian, a great help in translating when necessary. We boarded a small bus and headed off to our hotel. Sara told us a few things to keep in mind in Italy. She taught us a few words of Italian we hear and use often. Grazie thank you. Sara asked then what “Prego” meant. “It’s spaghetti sauce,” joked Ashley Ellis-Milan. “Not in Italy,” Sara replied. Yes, we’re finally in Italy.
Hollis reminded everyone how often people have their pockets picked in Rome and how to avoid it.
Once we got into the city, Sara pointed out a few sights along the way. It was more interesting watching our bus driver maneuver through some of the narrow streets. We literally got ourselves in a bit of a pickle at one point and a few Italian police officers showed up to help. We finally arrived at our hotel, very happy to have a chance to freshen up a bit.
After a brief team meeting, the players were allowed to head out that evening in search of a place to exchange some money ($1 U.S to 60 Euro) and some dinner. As the staff was just heading out for their dinner, the players were already headed back to the hotel. We heard that pasta was a popular choice (obviously) and some had quickly found some of the famed gelato. Lots of pizza places too. Though I find it interesting that Doc and Ash went for Hawaiian pizza for their first meal in Rome.
It was only about 9 p.m. They were more than ready to get some sleep. The staff and our two tour guides had a nice dinner at a restaurant close to the hotel. Abby Kalland, our director of operations, got lots of grief for ordering something close to mac’n’cheese, while the rest of us went more the Italian pasta route.
Then a group of us walked down to the Spanish Steps. What an amazing sight! It is definitely a place to hang out in the evening. It was about a 30-minute walk from our hotel and I can still hear Hollis lamenting having Pam pacing the group. He referred to it as a “turbo walk” and that we needed to get better at strolling. We walked past the U.S. Embassy on our return trip to the hotel.
Check back later for an update on Wednesday’s day of sightseeing in Rome.
During the week, Becky Bohm, the associate director of athletic communications, will post reports on the Gophers’ first summer international tour in the program’s history. We will have the coaches and player contribute their thoughts, stories and experiences throughout the week. Tonight, though, you get just me to start things off. Let’s get you caught up on the first two days of the trip.
I mentioned the 24 hours of travel. Well, I'm taking into account that most of us left for the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport around 6 p.m. on Monday evening. The team met at the airport and anticipation was high. We were all excited. The players had stocked up on snacks for the trip and were all carrying back packs overstuffing with the necessary supplies for 7-hour overnight flight. The typical “must haves” were packed, the water bottle, the Ipod, the camera and magazines. I see Kristen Dockery has learned from Emily Fox that one of those little beanbag pillows are great travel companions. Doc’s was a nice Minnesota one.
We grabbed a quick team photo before boarding the plane. Once we got on the plane, one of those airbuses that carry about 250 passengers, the next goal was to find more space. After one false announcement that we were nearing departure, pretty much every player had moved to area where they could at least spread out in two seats. Then another announcement followed saying we were waiting for a few other passengers to still board.
Well, slowly every single player was forced to find their way back to their original seat. The flight was completely full. Oh yeah, quite a novelty (thankfully), there were four convicts going somewhere seated in the very last row. Yup, shackles and handcuffs. The lucky one in our group was our athletic trainer Moira Novak, whose seat assignment was directly across the aisle. I would have been just a little curious about where they were being sent. Where they being deported? Had they committed some international crime? Well, Moira reported that they kept to themselves and she wasn’t about to ask them any questions either.
The flight itself was relatively smooth. Well, as smooth as trying to get some sleep sitting upright in a crammed plane seat can be I guess. About four small children/babies decided to announce that we were flying near the southern tip of Greenland at about 1 a.m. Thank goodness for head phones! After about 20 minutes things settled down again.
We landed in Amsterdam at about noon or about 5 a.m. Minnesota time. We had just enough time to go through customs and catch our connecting flight to Rome.
After a 2-hour flight, we touched down in Rome and though a bit weary, were ready to start this trip for real. Coach Borton warned us that someone was going to have their luggage lost. It’s just what happens when traveling to Italy. Well, the unlucky one was Zoe Harper. Luckily they found the bag and delivered it to the hotel the next day.
We also had our first, and hopefully last, case of lost players and staff. While the rest of us were collecting the luggage, Brittany McCoy, Kay Sylva, Tanisha Smith, Coach Smith, Coach Riverso and Coach Moseley misread the signs to baggage claim. After a few minutes of figuring out just how to reach them the coaches had international phones we finally spotted them outside the baggage claim area. A minor drama concluded. Let’s just say the coaches learned how to use those international phones quicker after that.
We then met up with our tour guides Hollis and Sara. Sara is a native Italian, a great help in translating when necessary. We boarded a small bus and headed off to our hotel. Sara told us a few things to keep in mind in Italy. She taught us a few words of Italian we hear and use often. Grazie thank you. Sara asked then what “Prego” meant. “It’s spaghetti sauce,” joked Ashley Ellis-Milan. “Not in Italy,” Sara replied. Yes, we’re finally in Italy.
Hollis reminded everyone how often people have their pockets picked in Rome and how to avoid it.
Once we got into the city, Sara pointed out a few sights along the way. It was more interesting watching our bus driver maneuver through some of the narrow streets. We literally got ourselves in a bit of a pickle at one point and a few Italian police officers showed up to help. We finally arrived at our hotel, very happy to have a chance to freshen up a bit.
After a brief team meeting, the players were allowed to head out that evening in search of a place to exchange some money ($1 U.S to 60 Euro) and some dinner. As the staff was just heading out for their dinner, the players were already headed back to the hotel. We heard that pasta was a popular choice (obviously) and some had quickly found some of the famed gelato. Lots of pizza places too. Though I find it interesting that Doc and Ash went for Hawaiian pizza for their first meal in Rome.
It was only about 9 p.m. They were more than ready to get some sleep. The staff and our two tour guides had a nice dinner at a restaurant close to the hotel. Abby Kalland, our director of operations, got lots of grief for ordering something close to mac’n’cheese, while the rest of us went more the Italian pasta route.
Then a group of us walked down to the Spanish Steps. What an amazing sight! It is definitely a place to hang out in the evening. It was about a 30-minute walk from our hotel and I can still hear Hollis lamenting having Pam pacing the group. He referred to it as a “turbo walk” and that we needed to get better at strolling. We walked past the U.S. Embassy on our return trip to the hotel.
Check back later for an update on Wednesday’s day of sightseeing in Rome.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Basketball
F/C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
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