deBeer and SportsHerWay Take on Prague

As the 2009 World Cup approached my self, Jacqueline McDevitt (deBeer Grass Roots Manager) and Lauren Traber (SportsHerWay Team and International Sales Rep) took on quite an adventure to take over Prague. Lauren flew out of BWI and I felw out of JFK and we met up in Heathrow Airport in London, England. Stuck in security I almost missed the flight but Lauren was holding the plane for me!

Day 1

After a long flight we arrived in Praha Airport and on our way to another adventure, rental cars! The car we rented was a stick shift, something I had not driven in say about, 6 years! It was an adventure to say the least but we were thankful that here in Prague you still drive on the right side of the road and yes, the steering wheel is on the left side! Getting used to a 6 hour time difference took a little getting used to but after a long night sleep we woke to a beautiful morning in a beautiful city!

Day 2

Day 2 found us on our way to the stadium where the games were being played and also where we would set up shop to sell lax gear with SHW. After settleing in and getting the currency exchange rates down we were off to a great start! Most of the girls from other countries were thrilled to see SHW and Debeer. They said that in their country they can either noever find lacrosse gear or that it is out of this world exspensive. We ahve sold out of our Impulse sticks, all but 2 of our handles and all of our GripperPro stringing kits! The last game of the day was USA vs Australia! It was a nail biter, USA was down 9-4 to the Aussies going into the half. USA pulled together to end the match 10-9 and keep their undefeated streak alive! Day 2 was a complete success! Lauren and I went for a nice walk around our hotel to find some local fare and “czech” out the area!   All in all it was a great day!

The Countdown

The world cup begins in exactly 24 days (from today, May 25). I know this because one of my US teammates sent out a daily calendar with a compilation of quotes and the number of days remaining until the tournament begins. Throughout the month, I have watched the number tick down lower and lower. The excitement and anticipation for the games is all I can think about, or rather, all I can dream about. I think about it during the day, during those hard workout sessions, and it keeps me up at night when I am trying to sleep. I am sure that I am not the only player out there with this feeling. I know my teammates are feeling the same anticipation that I am, but I hope that as we go through training camp at the beginning of June we will not only feel excited, but also ready—ready to face any obstacle we see on and off the field.

I can’t wait to get to training at camp and to see my friends. And call me sappy, but I can’t wait to put on the red, white, and blue everyday for basically the entire month of June. This is truly the most memorable time of my life, and I know that though it is all time to prepare and to play at our best, to also remember how special it is to be a part of this group and this experience. GO USA!

New Kids on the Block

The 2009 season is starting to get interesting; teams are playing to prepare for the NCAA playoffs, playing to get into the playoffs, or they are simply playing for pride. Last week, as a part of the University of Denver coaching staff, I was reminded of why I love lacrosse and how far the sport has come. We travelled to Fresno, California to play Fresno State in their inaugural season. Like any young program, they have found their first year to be one of tremendous challenge and also tremendous growth. Roughly six players from their program had played lacrosse before, while the rest of the team is comprised mostly of young athletes who had barely even heard of the sport before.

Watching this team play made me appreciate the fact that even though their skills may still need some fine tuning, they were out on the field for the love of the game and pushing themselves to grow. Too often, lacrosse can seem like part of a routine; workout, wall ball, drills, drills, drills. However, in watching a first year program like Fresno State, it is easy to appreciate the reasons why they play and to remember the reasons why we all play individually.

Being born and raised in Colorado, I know first hand what it is like to live in an area where lacrosse is still “new” in popularity. Yet, each year, the sport continues to expand and grow, across geographic boarders and among sociological boundaries.

I feel like the upcoming World Cup is vital in exposing lacrosse to all those budding lacrosse communities around the world. I feel lucky to be a part of it and am so excited to have it finally arrive in June.

98 days and counting…

It’s been a long road to get to this point but it’s final- the team has been chosen and we have one goal in mind-  Bring Back The Cup!!  It was only a couple of weeks ago when we were first introduced as the 2009 World Cup Team.  It was probably one of the most proud moments of my life.  I’m sure my teammates felt the same way.  We were playing in the South of the Border tournament in North Carolina.  That weekend was filled with great competition against collegiate teams Duke, UNC, JMU and some international competition against England and Wales.

We took the field on Friday night at Koskinen Stadium on Duke’s campus to face our first international match against England as the 2009 World Cup Team.  As we took the field to start our warm up there was an overwhelming feeling of pride.  If you look at this team from the stands there is no way that you can’t notice the love of this tight knit group.   We put everything out there for each other every second of every play.  As we were warming up I remember looking at the scoreboard-  USA v ENGLAND  and I thought to myself- Wow!  That is US, we are the national team, we are representing this great country.  It was and always will be one of the greatest moments for me.  I feel so fortunate to be a part of this team and to play with the 17 other greatest teammates in the world.  We are ONE!