National Team 2014 - Journey to Taiwan - Final Day of Training Camp

Well here it is 7 years after my first journey. I had no idea how long the journey would last way back then but here I am still traveling the world with the sport that I love. 

I wasn't sure I was going to put this blog back in place this year because who really wants to hear about how the practice days went and what food we ate and how I felt about the team and the days, etc etc etc. Well I guess if your parents are kind of looking for it then they don't really mind hearing about things so here goes for another year.

We just wrapped up training camp and are about an hour away from leaving for the airport so I will be as quick as possible. Training camp has been a phenomenal experience. The players have worked extremely hard and have grown each day. The staff has been incredible as well. The staff here at Durham College in Oshawa have been great. Maybe the best training camp experience for me thus far in terms of facilities, food and friendliness of the people around the campus. The best part of the camp for me though was having a mentor of mine, Mike MacKay, here each day helping me improve my own coaching skills. It was a coaching clinic everyday and helped me affirm that a lot of what I am doing is on the right path. Just a phenomenal experience. 

So on to the team and everything else that awaits us. We will depart tonight for the 14hr and 45 min flight to Taipei. We arrive at 4:45 AM Monday morning so we lose a day basically. We begin playing on Wednesday with 5 games in 5 days. I will try and update with schedule and stats and all of that fun stuff when I get the info. Our games will mostly be in the middle of your sleep back home but at least you will get the info. 

Our team was picked last week and have been training hard. I am really excited to get to coach such a talented group. As we are calling them, this is the "2020 Olympic team". We have so much potential here and many of these players will be moving to the senior national team eventually. I am very honoured to be coaching them. 

Here is a team pic and I will quickly identify them

6 - Korissa Williams - University of Windsor

5 - Karly Roser - Northwestern University 

7 - Sami Hill - Virginia Tech University

4 - Dakota Whyte - University of Wisconsin

8 - Jamie Weisner - Oregon State University

21 - Meg Wilson - Simon Fraser University

15 - Khaleann Caron Goudreau - Vanderbilt University

11 - Quinn Dornstauder - Arizona State University

9 - Saicha Grant Allen - University of Dayton

12 - Emily Potter - University of Utah

13 - Emma Wolfram - Gonzaga University

14 - Audrey-Ann Caron Goudreau - Vanderbilt University

10 - Adut Bulgak - Florida State University

I will try and post some tidbits about the players and some photos as we go through the week. 

We arrive on Monday and fly back the following Monday so it is a whirlwind trip but no doubt will be filled with lots of good moments. 

Now I am off to finish last minute details before we hit the bus. The long journey begins but I wouldn't trade it for very much. Another part of the world to visit through the bouncing of a ball. 

Until Taiwan............