(Coe)sta Rica
YOUTUBE VIDEO
What better way to kick off the 2017 season than by taking a trip abroad with the people I love, playing the game I love? Answer: nothing.
After months of individual training and time…too much time…spent apart, the sophomores, juniors, and seniors began this season with a 10 day soccer excursion in beautiful Costa Rica.
Accompanied by coach, 15 of the girls were able to share some incredible experiences abroad.
Our trip consisted of five practices, three games against national/professional teams (and boy oh boy were those players skilled), white water rafting, a visit to the hot springs, tours around the city, market bargaining, beach trips, sloth sightings, a playdate with a school of young impoverished Costa Rican children, AMAZING coffee, lots of free hotel chocolate samples, and more!
Being my first time out of the country, yes I know, so sad, I was extremely excited to dive into a new culture and experience all things “foreign.”
Throughout our stay we were able to learn about Costa Rica and its citizens’ ways of life. We ate classic Costa Rican meals, which usually consisted of chicken, rice, beans, coffee, watermelon, and the best pineapple you’ll ever taste, spent time in three very different locations (a city, beach town, and the rainforest), and dove into a culture very different from our own.
In Costa Rica there are a lot of stray dogs and the driving is absolutely insane (I never knew so many cars could fit onto such a small street).
During our training sessions, locals would stop their vehicles on the side of the road and watch our practice.
In Costa Rica, it is tradition to name the MVP of the opposing team after every game. Mo was the MVP twice and MJ was the MVP once.
It seemed as if there was a soccer field or goals on every street corner and everywhere we went, our team received stares for our light hair and eyes.
Also, side note, we learned that Costa Rica is rated the happiest country in the world! I can appreciate that statistic. I’m all for spreading cheery vibes.
During our adventure abroad, our team was able to develop on and off the field. Though our soccer challengers surpassed our level of play, we were able to learn from our opponents and take their calm, cool, and collected possession into our own style of the game. Furthermore, the “tropical conditions,” as Coach would like to say, allowed for our mental toughness and physical fitness to improve. We worked hard to excel and advance as a team and used our trainings and games to progress- to the 15 of us, this was a pre-pre-season, not a vacation (although the relaxation and tourism was nice, too, of course).
Throughout this experience, our team bonded and united more than ever, which I honestly didn’t know was even possible (we are already a pretty tight knit unit). We all shared many long and fun days side by side, making for some of the best everlasting memories.
We were together in every single second of the fatigue, soccer struggles, adventures, views, late night talks, slumbies, gut-wrenching humidity, near-death white water rafting experiences, love, soccer successes, laughter, adventuring, and fun, allowing us to grow tighter as a whole. I am excited for this newfound team chemistry Costa Rica helped us develop.
All in all, I had the BEST time EVER abroad in Costa Rica- seriously. I could not have asked for a more fun, challenging, and awesome adventure to go on with my teammates.
I 1000% believe every single college team NEEDS to go on a trip abroad together at some point in an individual's four years because it is truly life changing. I am not quite sure who else I would want to experience another country with than my Kohawk soccer fam.
Costa Rica is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity I'll cherish forever and I know my teammates can say the same.
Pura vida!!!
- Costa Rican term for “pure life,” “full of life,” “going great,” “living a good life,” “doing good,” etc.
Link to pictures from our Tour Guide, Emma: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hou917zxxpbstws/AACIkQZv10Rz_2y92XLVqiUIa?dl=0
What better way to kick off the 2017 season than by taking a trip abroad with the people I love, playing the game I love? Answer: nothing.
After months of individual training and time…too much time…spent apart, the sophomores, juniors, and seniors began this season with a 10 day soccer excursion in beautiful Costa Rica.
Accompanied by coach, 15 of the girls were able to share some incredible experiences abroad.
Our trip consisted of five practices, three games against national/professional teams (and boy oh boy were those players skilled), white water rafting, a visit to the hot springs, tours around the city, market bargaining, beach trips, sloth sightings, a playdate with a school of young impoverished Costa Rican children, AMAZING coffee, lots of free hotel chocolate samples, and more!
Being my first time out of the country, yes I know, so sad, I was extremely excited to dive into a new culture and experience all things “foreign.”
Throughout our stay we were able to learn about Costa Rica and its citizens’ ways of life. We ate classic Costa Rican meals, which usually consisted of chicken, rice, beans, coffee, watermelon, and the best pineapple you’ll ever taste, spent time in three very different locations (a city, beach town, and the rainforest), and dove into a culture very different from our own.
In Costa Rica there are a lot of stray dogs and the driving is absolutely insane (I never knew so many cars could fit onto such a small street).
During our training sessions, locals would stop their vehicles on the side of the road and watch our practice.
In Costa Rica, it is tradition to name the MVP of the opposing team after every game. Mo was the MVP twice and MJ was the MVP once.
It seemed as if there was a soccer field or goals on every street corner and everywhere we went, our team received stares for our light hair and eyes.
Also, side note, we learned that Costa Rica is rated the happiest country in the world! I can appreciate that statistic. I’m all for spreading cheery vibes.
During our adventure abroad, our team was able to develop on and off the field. Though our soccer challengers surpassed our level of play, we were able to learn from our opponents and take their calm, cool, and collected possession into our own style of the game. Furthermore, the “tropical conditions,” as Coach would like to say, allowed for our mental toughness and physical fitness to improve. We worked hard to excel and advance as a team and used our trainings and games to progress- to the 15 of us, this was a pre-pre-season, not a vacation (although the relaxation and tourism was nice, too, of course).
Throughout this experience, our team bonded and united more than ever, which I honestly didn’t know was even possible (we are already a pretty tight knit unit). We all shared many long and fun days side by side, making for some of the best everlasting memories.
We were together in every single second of the fatigue, soccer struggles, adventures, views, late night talks, slumbies, gut-wrenching humidity, near-death white water rafting experiences, love, soccer successes, laughter, adventuring, and fun, allowing us to grow tighter as a whole. I am excited for this newfound team chemistry Costa Rica helped us develop.
All in all, I had the BEST time EVER abroad in Costa Rica- seriously. I could not have asked for a more fun, challenging, and awesome adventure to go on with my teammates.
I 1000% believe every single college team NEEDS to go on a trip abroad together at some point in an individual's four years because it is truly life changing. I am not quite sure who else I would want to experience another country with than my Kohawk soccer fam.
Costa Rica is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity I'll cherish forever and I know my teammates can say the same.
Pura vida!!!
- Costa Rican term for “pure life,” “full of life,” “going great,” “living a good life,” “doing good,” etc.
Link to pictures from our Tour Guide, Emma: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hou917zxxpbstws/AACIkQZv10Rz_2y92XLVqiUIa?dl=0