Day 11, Tuesday, January 18, 2005
By Tim Kelly

Well, our last day started early. The first bus to the airport left the Regatta at 4:00am, so we were running around knocking on doors at 3:30am. I’m sure that some of the girls pulled all-nighters, and we had some exhausted girls on that bus. I’m not sure how I made it personally, but I rode the bus to the airport with the 10 girls that had to ride that early bus. It was sad to see them go, but I got on the bus back to the hotel knowing that I’d see many of these girls again. It was also great to see them all say goodbye to our Slovenian bus drive (Ahoj Pero!) with such genuine affection. He was a maniac on this tour and I hope to God he’s still napping after what we put him through on this trip.

The 7:00am bus saw the Regatta get basically cleaned out. As I stood ready to jump on for yet another trip to the airport, I realized that I couldn’t make it. Total exhaustion was going to set in and I had to get to bed. Pero got the girls safely to Munich Airport and then started his long journey back to Maribor.

Cory and I had a little nap in the empty hotel and then rode a taxi to the airport with Mary Reese (she was off to Linz, Austria for a 5 day tryout) at 10:00am. We said goodbye to our Maldivian friends (they had one extra day on the continent) and finally found ourselves alone at the airport after having shipped 42 people off to varioius locations around the world. We often have a moment like this to reflect on a just-ended tour, but this day we were too exhausted to do anything but sit and smile. I’ve written this before, and meant it everrytime, but this really was the greatest group of people we’ve ever had on an exposure tour.

I want to take a moment to thank Doug and JR for their awesome job coaching on this tour. We’ve never had 32 girls on tour before, and with them at the helm it felt like we had our normal 12. From the first second in the gym that first night in Zizkov, they had those girls running like a well-oiled machine. I heard nothing but praise from the girls for their demeanor on the court and coaching abilities and we look forward to having them back next year.

Many thanks to Brook (with Michelle Knox) and Jirka!

I also want to thank Jirka and Brook for doing such fabulous jobs in their respective countries. Our supporters are almost too many to thank, but you know who you are and we appreciate your continuous efforts year in and year out to help us with these travelling circuses that we bring to town. Oldridge, Melon, Tomas, Z-Man, Alex, Detlev, Kipf, and Wolfgang, Jasmina, Buddy and Ishtok, our people at the Prokopka, Arena, Milena, and Merano, Mitja and Bernard, Igor, Herr Singer, Peter and Gabi, Therese, Radoavn, Mort, Ceej, and everyone else that was so helpful, Thanks!

Sr. Mussi en Praga. Que duro este trabajo!

Lastly, I want to thank those coaches and friends that come and watch our girls. The exposure that we can provide these young players thanks to your participation is what makes these events so worthwhile from a volleyball standpoint. Mirko, Markus (with a ”k”), our friends from Savonlinna, Finland, y especialmente mi gran amigo Marcelo Mussi. Again, thank you!

Notes from a Foreign Coach
By Pertsa, Head Coach
Ajo-KLP Team, Savonlinna, Finland

I was visiting Austria to scout players for my team. Bring it Promotions brought thirty-two girls from USA to Europe to show their talents. I saw lots of talented girls and several who could play in my team. It was a very opening experience. My team manager and I flew to Germany from Finland. In Frankfurt we rented a car and we drew from there to Innsbruck, Austria. It took three days for us to drive 2200 km from our city (near the Russian border), fly from Tampere, Finland to Frankfurt, Germany and back and see one game, one practise and have lots of great discussions about volleyball and volleyball players.

Because of the changed time schedule we missed the match in Innsbruck but it wasn’t a problem. Cory Solomon arranged an extra practice and we were able to watch the girls who were ready to sign a contract.

One of our Finnish friends with MC up on the Hunterberg

The next day we drove to Augsburg, Germany where the Americans played against the local team. It was a good game but we were just watching one girl in the game. She had a good serve and strong spike and I was ready to make a contract. There were lots of girls I would want to play in my team but unfortunately in Finland it is allowed to have only two foreign players. I have an Estonian setter so there was room only for one girl more.

We flew back to Finland with a contract and next weekend the girl is going to play in my team. The player isn’t anyone from the tour because I got an even better offer for a more experienced player (Charnette Fair). She is flying to Finland directly from USA. Though we didn’t get a player from the tour, I don’t consider my trip as wasted time. I made lots of excellent contacts and I’m pretty sure one of the girls is going to play in my team in the future. Most of the girls were looking for teams for next season, and we were looking for a player for this season. So it wasn’t a great surprise that we didn’t fly home with a player. It was a possibility but not probable.

I want to thank Tim and Cory and the girls. I’m also looking forward to meet again with the coaches from Maldives who I met during the tour as well.

Notes from a Tour Coach
By Doug Babington, Assistant Volleyball Coach
Texas Tech University

When I went into the Bring It USA Exposure Tour this year I didn’t know what to expect. As a coach form the USA, and being used to being in control of schedules and travel information, it took a little time to adjust to this new position. As I was informed before the trip and then again on the tour; I was there to just coach the team on the court and that was my only responsibility. After I came to terms with this little item I really enjoyed not having the pressure of making sure that everything went well. I enjoyed site seeing and skiing without having to worry about the whole group and if they were enjoying the tour. It was also great to have someone that controlled all of the issues about travel. The answer that Tim and Cory told us to say was "I don't know! Ask Tim or Cory.” This was a good feeling to be able to just coach and not have all of the little things that get in the way of coaching in the USA.

Coach Doug enjoying his new role in Europe

was a good overall experience with having to let go and I think that the players liked it a lot.

During the matches I tried not to talk too much, which is hard for me if you know me at all. I tried to let them figure it out. We made the libero in charge of serve receive and defense. I know that in the states we do the same thing, but this was different. We told them that if you see something then you make the adjustments on your own. If there was an ace or missed dig it was your fault. This helped a lot and I could see my two liberos getting better and better at running the serve receive and defense. The middles were in charge of running the blocking and making adjustments as well. The middles did a good job of running the blocking and making some adjustments. The setters were in charge of running the team as a whole. I think that the two setters that I had did a great job at this. They had different personalities, but were effective in doing a great job.

There are so many things that I could write about. The lost luggage, seeing amazing places and enjoying the company of everyone on the tour. There is no way to explain to people that were not there just how amazing it was. It is hard to believe that I met so many amazing people on this tour. From Tim and Cory who ran a great tour to all of the girls. To the coaches, and parents that were part of it as well. Now we are scattered all across the world. Some stayed and played in Europe, some came home to graduate, and for me I came home to go back to work. I miss the fun and travel, but most of all I miss the people.

Post-Tour Notes from a Player Abroad
By Michelle Cole, from Avila, Spain

Michelle Cole (far right) with Britney, Mary Reese, and Bri

The official Bring It USA January Exposure Tour is over. Instead of flying home to America, I got the chance to play with a team in Espana for a week. I left Munich with the rest of the girls, but I flew to Madrid and was met by a Croatian middle blocker and the club president. I got my first cultural lesson when I wasn't allowed to carry my own luggage because he was a man and that was his job even though he was the president of the club. After carting my stuff around for ten days on my own, I was more than happy to betray years of feminism and let him carry my luggage.

The town I am playing in is called Avila. It is a quaint little town with narrow crooked streets and circles instead of lit intersections. If I said the people here can't drive that would be mean so I will just say I am surprised that I am still alive. There is a huge castle in the middle of town that is amazing to my American eyes. I use the castle to help menavigate around the city since it is visible from everywhere. I am staying in an apartment with a girl on the team. Her name is Lidia, she speaks as much English as I speak Spanish so we spend a lot of time laughing at our attempts to speak a foreign language. I have my own room that is small and plain with basic plywood funiture. It is making me long for Ikea.

The team I am training with (they call practices ”training” here) is very nice. Only two girls speak English so I spend much of my time pretending I know what is going on when all I am really doing is copying the girl in front of me. I have always been known as a talker on the court so it is weird not being able to communicate. Some things are easy like "Voy" for "I go" or "va" for "go". Other things like "set me faster" or "I'll take the deep ball" or "I have no idea how this drill is supposed to run" are more difficult. This team practices twice a day for three hours each and generally plays a match on Saturday or Sunday. I am excited about the prospect of an actual match!

I would like to send a quick "Kick Butt!" to my girls who are still in Europe as well. Benavia, you have the most unique personality and the most amazing athletic ability, you are going to hurt people. Brittany and Aspen have fun and don't let the cold get to you. Mary, you are a tiny ball of pure athletic skill. He has a plan for you that includes great things, no worries. And Cory, don't forget to shimmie!

Letter from a Signed Player
By Britney Hurst (Tulane)

Hello Everyone,

Britney Hurst and Aspen McPartland, in Feldkirch, Austria

Finally I have access to the internet. I am in Felkirch, Austria playing on their Division 1 Professional Team (That's the highest level). I got picked up the first day on the tour, but stayed and toured a little bit more with the agency. I arrived here last Saturday, and we were suppose to have the internet in the house, but it has taken a week. We live in a beautiful 3 story house fully loaded. Three of us live here. The team is awesome, and so are the coaches and the president. They love us here. They picked up two Americans. A middle blocker from San Diego (Aspen McPartland), and an outside (me). There is a girl from London, and two from Germany. The rest of the team is from Austria. Everyone on the team speaks a little English so it isn't extremely difficult communicating, but on the other hand, the majority of townspeople don't speak much English at all. Ordering food and buying things aren't easy. The town is beautiful. There is a view of snow capped mountains out of my window. Unfortunately, it is freezing. Lousianians aren't comfortable in this type of weather. Anyway, I am having a blast!

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