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Hi everyone,
This is our first journal of the trip to keep everyone up to date on how our tour to Europe is going. Coach Annie and I thought it would be good if we started things off. We told the girls that they did a great job buying their travel bags and packing! Everyone is nice and compact. But we know who deserves the true credit, so great job parents!
Well, we made it out of O’Hare ok after a long bus ride from Madison. It was about 98 degrees in the O’Hare terminal while we waited to board the plane, so that kind of had everyone a little uncomfortable. Once we boarded the plane, we were very fortunate that our flight from Chicago to Dusseldorf, Germany was not full. The girls were allowed to change seats and spread out so they could stretch their legs. For me, I was just fine with a Libero behind me and in front of me. So Lindsey and Sarah… thanks for letting me recline my chair. So then after some musical chairs, what the girls thought was going to be some extra comfort to sleep was routinely interrupted by two crying babies throughout the flight. That’s ok; they were cute kids… just really loud and grumpy! So that along with the excitement of the tour, not too many of us got any sleep. So I was stuck watching Twilight New Moon, which the girls thought was amusing. Horrible movie! Can’t understand why all the girls like that movie so much? Don’t think I am going to watch the first one… but it would be nice if Edward and Bella got married so they could end all these sequels. (This is Annie – I could not be a bigger Twilight fan so I also watched it and love Edward!)
We touched down in Dusseldorf this morning around 7:30am with a four hour layover before Rome. Taylor looked a little shaky when the plane touched down because it was her first flight ever, but after this trip she will be a professional world traveler. We decided to nominate Mackenzie Ziegler and she was named our official group translator since she is the only one who speaks German. Thanks to her, the girls were able to eat some familiar foods. It only cost each player one bite of their sandwich for translator help… Mac was plenty full at breakfast☺. Now the girls are catching up on some sleep as we wait for or flight to Rome. With matches tomorrow against the Italian Junior National Team, we are going to need that rest today!
One thing that has been really neat to watch is how the girls are just one huge group of friends, not two separate teams. Everyone gets along; they share their iPods, books and have fun together. This tour is going to be a lot of fun outside the volleyball for these kids and I can’t wait to see the positive effects of these girls going though this experience together.
Alright everyone, it is time for me to catch a nap and sign off for the day. We will keep sending home updates daily if possible as two players will be writing a journal each day to share with you. All the girls say good luck to the Capital teams playing in Milwaukee this weekend at the Badger Region Championships.
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Dave and Annie
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