Our Seniors

           Four years being a student-athlete at the collegiate level can take a lot out of you and there are so many steps taken along the way. We have two seniors that will be leaving us this year to move onto the real world and wrap up their academic semesters. Emily LaLone and Lauren Gonyea have been with the program for all four years and have pushed themselves to help the team in every way. When speaking with them, both women seemed to have a bittersweet feeling of the end of the season. Since they went through these years together some of their answers were very similar. Having them both as our captains helped us when great minds think alike. They both will miss the feeling of being on the team and seeing all of their teammates everyday at practice, even under certain circumstances if they are tired or practice isn’t going well, they get to see their team which is like a family. Both women had a very successful freshman year that put them into the NCAA round. As they look back with nostalgia, this was their most memorable time as a Cardinal player, walking out onto that field and seeing the big Plattsburgh State sign. There were some differences in their answers, which makes them the two players that they are.

 

Q.What was going through your mind on senior game day?

Gonyea: That I would never play on that field again, it was really emotional. Especially since I’m from here I have played on that field for so long.

LaLone: Gonyea and I were both such a mess, we would just look at each other and start tearing up. It’s tough because it’s one of those things you watch everyone else go through and when it’s your turn it’s really hard.

 

Q. Is there anything you wish you could change about the season?

Gonyea: Mostly the outcome, I wish we could have gone farther.

LaLone: If I had to pick one thing I would say I wish we made it into SUNYACS.

 

Q. Is there anything you will not miss about soccer?

 Gonyea: Definitely early morning practices.

LaLone: Fitness, but also losing, that was tough.

 

Q. Would you have any inspiring words for next season’s team?

 Gonyea: Just leave it all on the field and give it all you got because it flies by so fast.

LaLone: Don’t let the same thing happen again, that should be your motivation. Remember how it feels when you get to the end of the season. As much as there are so many days when you would rather be doing anything else but practicing or you want to go out with friends when you can’t, just appreciate it while you are doing it because then it’s over.

 

Q. Why do you think the season resulted as it did?

 Gonyea: I think we did have a young team and we had all the players there but we didn’t have that extra oomph to score.

LaLone: You could look at it from a lot of different parts of our season, but we just didn’t get to the point where we were playing consistently for a whole game. It’s not like we weren’t scoring. We would score but then the other team would score like two goals in five minutes.

 

Q. As a senior, what advice would you give to incoming freshmen next year?

Gonyea: Work hard for your teammates because you are not just playing for yourself, you are playing for everyone out there.

LaLone: Appreciate every part of it, living with your teammates, doing everything with the team. Although preseason sucks, there is the hike and going to Wiley’s but appreciate it while you are doing it and work hard. Don’t be lazy because you don’t want to look back and think of what you could have done better.

 

Q. Do you have any regrets?

Gonyea: I don’t really think so, it’s hard to say because I left pretty happy.

LaLone: I don’t know if it is regret, but I just hope I was a good captain and leader when you look back because it was hard. With my internship, I felt like a zombie when I came to soccer during the week.

Coming to an End

 

              It was a long weekend of emotions. The last games of the season were winding down with the necessity to win both SUNYAC games and senior game making it bittersweet. Unfortunately we lost 1-0 to Brockport which made the game against Fredonia just another game. It was senior game, posters were made, balloons were blowing in the wind, and our mere two seniors had the game day to themselves. Emily LaLone and Lauren Gonyea are not only our seniors but they are also the captains of our team and the leaders. Through the three years I have played with them it has been great and they have always been people I could go to if I needed. It was a chilly day and everyone was bundled up on the sideline. It was tough not being able to get the win for the seniors since they deserved it but it was a good game and we stayed in it. We had the treat of two of our own to sing the national anthem. On Friday Assistant Coach Shay Gestal sang and Hannah Saccocio sang for us Saturday and they were both fantastic.

Even meditating the practice before did not get us the win so it seems these past two seasons that entering our spiritual side (Buddha) has not really done the trick.

 

                A special thanks to all the parents that attended the “tailgating” after the game and to those who brought any food that is much appreciated. It was nice to see everyone come to together one last time before the end of the season. Celebrating with the massive cake it seemed impossible for everyone to eat after they had stuffed themselves with tacos and cookies. Thank you to Mr.  & Mrs. LaLone and Mr. & Mrs. Gonyea for helping to set everything up and for everything you have done for us this season and past seasons. We will especially miss the coconut bars Mrs. LaLone is famous for because those are delicious.

                We traveled to Vermont yesterday to play Norwich who had a short bench. The game resulted in an 11-0 win and everyone got their fair share of playing time as it was our last time playing together for the season and the last bus ride. Cammey Keyser could not get over the chicken club sandwich she had ordered on the way home; according to her “it was the best on the planet.” It was tough not making it into playoffs because every year that is one of our goals. These next couple of days at the end of the season will feel weird not having to go to practice and be ready to play in games. There will be time to relax, do homework, and rest up after a long season. With finals week right around the corner there will be plenty of time for studying, not that anyone would want that over a game of soccer.

Fear has Two Meanings

It was a tough weekend for us with an eight hour bus ride all the way down to Buffalo State. We played to their level and showed them that we came to play. We managed to tie it up with five minutes left in the game with a goal from Diana DiCocco. We had momentum but they got a lucky goal from a free kick that we just could not keep out. After such a good game against Buffalo we hoped to bring that level of play to the Fredonia game who was lower in the ladder of conference play. We did not play to our full potential and after getting down 2-1 we just could not come back. It was hard to see our team with their heads down after the game knowing we could have beat them but it just means we have to hit that much harder this coming weekend with our last home games of the season. These two games are crucial and we must win them both if we want any shot of being able to get into playoffs. There is nothing we want more than to see our seniors and captains, Emily LaLone and Lauren Gonyea to finish their last year strong. As we huddled in the locker room before the Fredonia game I won't forget what Em LaLone said, "Fear means two things either Forget everything and run or Face everything and rise," that is a quote that we are challenging this past weekend and again we must do this weekend and I know we can face it.

 

We had an adventure on our long bus ride allowing us to watch a total of six movies even after having to wait in the beginning of the trip. I must say that Princess and the Frog was my favorite. Assistant Coach Pat Shaughnessy had a “birthday” surprise when we went to Joey’s in Syracuse for dinner Friday night. The chocolate mousse slice of pie had everyone’s mouth watering and I was sure to get a bite.

 

We were back on the bus and everyone seemed to fall asleep after a nice dinner and we got to the hotel quick where we were welcomed to the Double Tree by Hilton with a warm delicious cookie.

 

 

 

 With the long bus rides we always do a pre warm up routine led by Shay so we can get rid of our bus legs. Saturday morning we did something a little different and it seemed to have everyone relaxed but it’s hard to tell if it actually helped us before the game. Pat was able to get a nice picture from his room of our visualization tactics but some may say we looked like dead bodies, or like we are taking a nap. If you look closely you can get a good look at all of our white shins from the soccer tan or lack thereof.

  
 

Of course there is nothing like a little dancing by Wiley to get us laughing and energetic before a game as she lip syncs to her music. Notice the flexibility and strength she still has as she hangs from the top of the bus!

 

Although it was a long bus ride it was worth it to be with a team like this. We had a good time but it could have been a whole lot better if we could have come out with two wins. That is something that we can work on to change for this weekend.

Some of the players were caught sleeping! Each with their own blanket and pillow to keep them comfy, everyone has a preference!

 Our lovely Captain Emily LaLone in her Steelers Blanket

 Charisse Abellard with a quick pregame nap

 

 Ashley Pagano getting real comfortable

 

 Maddie Rattray gets up close and personal with her stuffed animals (Photo Credit to Pat)

 Ashlie Guinness I dont think that looks very comfortable

 And of course coaches need their sleep too, the one and only Pat Shaughnessy

 

 

Long Bus Rides and interesting Coaches

There was no better feeling that beating rivals Oneonta this weekend. Although it is considered a tie, since penalties kicks do not count until playoffs, it almost felt like a win. Kristy Kirkpatrick had a beautiful save in the penalty kicks that allowed us to take advantage. Megan Colby, who was in a splint from breaking her arm during the game stepped up and scored one of the penalty kicks and proved that she came to play. That energy boosted us into a win versus New Paltz with freshmen Vicky Scott and Heather Marko stepping up and netting a goal each and Cammey Keyser starting the series of goals. This was a good weekend for us because it showed that we can step up to the plate and play Plattsburgh soccer.

With that behind us we had two practices within 12 hours of each other after a long weekend, a late Tuesday practice and a nice 6:30am practice Wednesday under the lights as the sun was slowly rising. This upcoming weekend will be a long one with a trip that is at least eight hours all the way up to Buffalo State and Fredonia. It is an important weekend to keep up the tone of play and make sure we play our soccer and come out successful again. We are ready with all types of movies, games, homework and especially blankets and pillows to pass time napping on the long trip. Hopefully we will get some cute pictures while people sleep because eventually everyone finds a comfortable position to fall asleep in.

Meet the Assistant Coach

Although it is midway through the season, I have failed to give a little something about our new assistant coach. As we were sad to hear the B Mikes had to leave us, we welcomed Shay Gestal to the coaching staff and wish her good luck as she has to deal with 26 women and we all know that can be a little hard. Coming from Craftsbury, Vermont, Shay has let us in on a few interesting facts about herself such as the fact that she does not like to wear shoes. During our traditional mountain hike she roughed it up the mountain with her bare feet explaining that she never wears shoes and it is just easier for her. She is also a vegan who will cook meat and be around it but she just will not eat it, which is interesting since it must be hard to cook it when you don’t know the taste all that well. Growing up in Craftsbury is much different than Plattsburgh given the fact that it has about two stop signs, no internet and not much cell phone range. Gestal couldn’t be more proud of her small town and she loves everything about it. “I knew I wanted to be a coach once I figured out I wasn’t going to go pro,” said Gestal as Wiley sits next to me laughing at the answer. Shay is learning to deal with us and although we moan and groan when it comes to having to warm up and do exercises that help to prevent ACL injury we know it is beneficial in the long run. Shay thinks Plattsburgh is a great stepping stone to one day fulfilling her dream as a head coach at the collegiate level. “The opportunity is awesome and everyone in Plattsburgh is just so nice and lovely, I am happy to be working with the Waterbury’s since they have had so much experience and success,” she said.

 

P.S. This picture explains last weekend so well and the same thing is going to happen this coming weekend also. We all know what it means and if you're not having a good time now, I hope it gets the fire going!

No time to be sick

With a five hour trip to Cortland and our longest bus ride until Buffalo State we head to Oswego and Cortland. There was a trip to Moe’s and Panera and if you had chosen the Moe’s route, like me, you most likely had the misfortune of have to wait in line and eat the meal on the bus. Since so many of us went to Moe’s the line took forever and Panera eaters were done and on the bus before some of us could sit down. Eating messy Mexican food on the bus was not easy but after a stuffed stomach and a nice nap, we were able to be serenaded by a select few sophomores and freshmen. There were some Disney songs with a little bit of Grease.

(Under the Sea)

(Grease Summer Nights)

Our first away trip of SUNYAC’s did not end as we would have hoped. On a beautiful day in Oswego we went down 2-0 at half but coming into the second half we put all our hearts into the game. That heart is something we regret not putting into the first half since we had already dug a hole we could not escape. The momentum from the second half was carried into the competition against Cortland through which we had a difficult time agreeing with the decisions of the refs. After a questionable call inside our own box in the second half, Cortland put the first point on the board to make a 1-0 game. The rest of the half was a battle that was shot after shot on the Cortland goalie and finally a break through when Lauren Gonyea netted her third goal of the season. Everyone went crazy as we were tied up until the end of the game and headed into overtime. Not many changes were made on the field and the ball went back and forth to each side of the field we unfortunately were not able to stay solid through the whole overtime as they slipped through and finished the game winning goal to end in a 2-1 game.

It was a tough loss especially for the first weekend on the road in SUNYACs and with the heart put into each game. Emily LaLone was suffering from an awful sickness that seemed to be the flu but played like a champion and no one could have asked more of her. The momentum we played with will be carried into this week’s practice and onto the challenging weekend of facing long-time rival Oneonta Red Dragons Friday at 4pm and New Paltz Hawks Saturday at 1pm.

Ready for the Battle

SUNYAC play is no joke!

Many of you might rememeber our former mascot, Buddha, he is no longer with us due to the superstitions that have gotten the best of us this season. Many athletes understand that superstitions are not something to be tampered with and since last season did not end with the odds in our favor Buddha had to be dealt with and he is somewhere else now, in a better place. For now all we have is the team and the little superstitions we all have. Such as Devin McMahon, who wears a scrunchie in her shin guard that dates back to her Irish Step Dancing days. We also have Heather Marko, a freshman, who insists on wearing that red/black sequence headband whenever she plays and we are not exactly sure why.

With the first SUNYAC game of the season we went to our North Country rivals, Potsdam, and had a good battle that turned out in our favor. Lauren Gonyea scored our only goal of the game we won 1-0. Although we got the W, as a team, we were not happy with our overall performance because we felt that we could have played much better but with that it just gives us more incentive to play harder this weekend.

We are working hard this week to take on the competition on the road this weekend. Every Wednesday morning is a wakeup call for a 6:30 am practice. Although most of us complain about how tired we are and how we wish we were still wrapped up in the blankets of our comfortable beds, getting practice done with in the morning is worth it. Not only do we have the rest of the day ahead of us, but we also get to watch the sunrise, hear the birds chirping, and don’t have to play in the middle of the day when the sun is beating down on our backs. Unfortunately as I arrived at the field house doors this morning I came upon most of the team lying on their bags and fighting to keep their eyes open since we happened to be locked out. With our coaches still en route to us we could not do much except wait, and complain about how tired we all were which is something that never changes for early practice days.

I personally enjoy bus rides and being with the team for a weekend. Although many may not enjoy attempting to get comfortable in the seats or trying to finish homework, it’s a good time to bond together and see what everyone’s real tastes in movies are. We depart Thursday night after practice for a good five hour trip. On Friday we play Oswego and face off against Cortland on Saturday. We are up for a weekend of tough competition fighting for a spot in SUNYACS.

It's a New Season!

Hello everyone and welcome back to another season with the Plattsburgh Women’s Soccer team! It is already a couple of weeks into the season, and getting everything together with the team has been keeping us busy.

My name is Jill Tardelli and I have taken over the blog this season and hopefully will be able to live up to fantastic writing Ashley McKenelley has done. I am a junior on the team from Potsdam NY and I am currently playing outside midfield for the Lady Cardinals.

To start off, we had a longer preseason than normal. Thirty ladies came up nine days early to try to get that last name up in the cubby in the locker room and earn their spot on the team. Preseason took a toll on us with fitness everyday and practices twice a day. Waking up early was no joke, and muscles became sore. The ice bath became a second home to many of us where it would console our bodies. By the end of those nine long days, we got to know each other through mountain climbing, team dinners and spending what seemed like hours on the field. Our team of Cardinals was finally united.

We are now seven games into the season and the toll of preseason did not work in our favor. With a team full of sophomores and freshmen, we only stand with four juniors and two seniors. This new team is making strides in creating chemistry on the field and although it has not exactly been smooth, the kinks are being worked out. With Emily LaLone and Lauren Gonyea leading the team as captains we are sure to come out on top. At 6:30am every Wednesday the team is up before the sun to beat the competition and get ready for the day. As we watch the sunrise we decide it is worth it to be able to play on this field and have the opportunity to do something we love. We come into this weekend with a record of 2-4-1. We head into the weekend to play our first SUNYAC game against SUNY Potsdam. After a shutout of 4-0 over Clarkson we can hopefully use the moment to slingshot our way to win against Potsdam. With a goal from Emily LaLone, two from Diana DiCocco and one Vicky Scott there was no doubt that we got into the groove. Our team is lined deep with talent and with that heart and pride should help to get us through the rest of the season. 

It's the most wonderful time of the yearrr

Oh my gosh preseason is only a month away and I don’t have my mile down yet! JK LOL I don’t have to do it ever againnnn! But seriously, as sad as I am to be done with such an incredible team, I still have the blog password, so it’s kind of like I’m still on the team. That being said, I have chosen to write a final blog post with a few tips for completing your four years with Plattsburgh State Women’s Soccer with ease and grace, and without pulling all of your hair out.  

1.       Don’t come into preseason without being able to make the mile. FYI, 6:46 isn’t making it.

They will make you run it again even if you are just one second off, trust me. And if you can come in being able to finish the mile in 6:45, you will most likely be in good enough shape to complete the rest of the fitness testing with ease. I don’t care if you don’t touch a ball all summer except when you’re trying to look cute on the beach, be able to run that mile.

2.       If you are stressed out during preseason and making all the wrong plays, make the simplest play possible every time you get the ball. I’m not kidding, two touch max. This will build your confidence and your new teammates’ confidence in you.

I was given this advice my freshman year and it really helps. Slowly build your confidence and the coach’s confidence in you.

3.       Bring a pillow on away trips. You’ll need it for the bus.

There is nothing worse than using a smelly backpack as a pillow on a road trip. And you’ll get a better night’s sleep in the hotel. Also bring movies, GOOD movies. You’re kidding yourself if you think you are going to do homework on the bus, you’ll end up saving that for the hotel.

4.       Don’t roll your shorts up more than once, no one cares or wants to see your butt cheeks. We are adults now, we don’t care how we look at practice. And Monica will definitely call you out.

Enough said.

5.       Freshmen, get the balls. The upperclassmen appreciate it. They also notice who helps and who thinks they are too good to help.

I shouldn’t even have to tell you this.

6.       You are going to butt heads with your coaches at one point or another, it’s inevitable. Do not yell at them or cause a scene during a game or practice. Complain about it to your teammates and move on.

Seriously, go to Clinton, eat a big bowl cereal with ice cream on top and complain about it there. We all have felt the same way and could go on for hours, so keep the complaining to ten minutes tops and drown your sorrows in a nuttella crepe. Tomorrow is a new day and they will be mad at someone else. I promise.

7.       Write down your rain jacket number day one, it’s like a bunch of bridezillas at a 2am wedding dress sale trying to grab a coat to turn in at the end of the year.

This goes with not taking someone else’s grey t-shirt out of their locker unless they are there to give permission. As good as your intentions are you will never give it back. On that note, bring your own white socks, the ones they give you will cut off all circulation to your ankles and you will die.

8.       Don’t wait until the last minute to plan the crush party.

Just don’t, it’s stressful and hard collecting money and dealing with what weekends work for which people. Plan ahead and don’t take anyone’s complaining.  

9.       Don’t complain about paying for the crush party.

When you’re a senior, you can do whatever you want, this is not your time. Shut up and have fun.

10.   Throwing in a few spin classes during the season isn’t going to kill you, we all know our legs will take any cardio they can get.

And it’s good for your teammates, if you are not in shape, take it upon yourself to get in shape.

11.   Don’t complain about not being able to go out during the season.

This is what you signed up for. You are here to work hard and make sacrifices for the sport that you love. This is a privilege, you are making 20 friends your first day of college, not many people can say that. I don’t know how much more you could need.  Bond with them, those will be some of your best memories.

 

As cliché as it sounds, enjoy your time it goes by wayyy to fast. It’s going to suck, you’re going to be in pain, you are going to be angry, and at the end of the day you will not trade it for anything. Because this is the most fun you will ever have. Enjoy the rest of your summer everyone!

If you dont already follow us on twitter, you should! @PSUWomenSoccer1, here are some tweets from our girls sharing the psu love over the summer.

 

 

 

 

End of The Year

Well everyone it’s getting way to nice out so you know what that means, the semester is almost over. For us seniors that means we have to graduate and get big girl jobs. Boo. (Except for Renee who will be a fifth year education student, luckyy) We’ve been busy running around Plattsburgh, literally as the girls were up bright and early to hand out water at the half marathon and cheering on their captains Em Lalone and Lauren Gonyea. The pair was sporting custom made black t-shirts which had one of Wiley’s more famous phrases on the front, “You Pass out before You Die.” Classic. Cammey Keyser also ran the half marathon relay and still had to do squats with Sarah on Monday. Go Girls.

Up next on Tuesday, May 7 the girls will be helping out at the CVPH Blood Drive from 11-3:30 in the Angel College Center ballroom. Make sure to come down and show your support. Good Luck during finals week everyone! Make sure to get outside and enjoy the weather!

PSU takes on Costa Rica ... Part III

    On Wednesday afternoon we arrived at flamingo beach resort. A gorgeous resort with unlimited wifi and no bugs. We again were greeted with delicious strawberry banana smoothies and after we settled in and went to lunch we spent the rest of the day on the beach. It was a much needed break after non stop traveling and a great time for us to even out our soccer and rafting tan lines. It didn't take us long at the hotel to realize the Brockport women's soccer team was on the same trip as us. We could not believe it. We decided to get dressed up for dinner and after played ping pong, fuze ball and pool while we waited for the casino to open. We went to the casino and many of the girls walked away with at least five dollars, winning.
    The next morning we woke up and went zip lining. We had to split into two buses, one bus stopped and let the girls get out to pick some fruit, Jill bit into a mango and when she pulled away she saw a worm crawling through it. On my bus, Em and I serenaded everyone with some Train, Taylor Swift and Vanessa Carlton. Zip lining started off with playing with some caged monkeys. They held our hands like infants and graciously accepted the blades of grass we offered them. Brie went to pet one of the monkeys tails and he proceeded to slap her hand and growl at her, kind of like the French lady that didn't want Macee to pet the iguana. They were kind of feisty. Then, who I'm assuming was the head monkey, was mad about everyone else getting attention and turned around and mooned us, it was gross as well as hilarious. After we got suited up we did about ten different lines that were all different speeds and lengths. There was one line were everyone went down upside down and a few were people went superman style, which the guides called "super chica" for us. You wrap your legs backwards around the guide and fly down the line like super man. Shorty and I even did it with a dog on our backs. After two hours and so much fun we headed back to the hotel and got ready for our third game.
    The field was extremely buggy but nice and we ended up winning 6-0. Devin, Cassidy, M-Rod, Kristen, Cady (Katie Tatro) and Megan Colby all had goals and they picked Cady as MVP, go girl. Dinner was at nine that night so we all ate, showered and went to bed.
    Friday morning was one of the only mornings we got to sleep in, but nope, half of us were up at 530 to go on a morning stroll on the beach in hopes of seeing some dolphins, no such luck but it got the day going and we ate breakfast at 630 and with the sun already up we were all poolside by 7am. During the morning we put together a successful synchronized swimming routine and took a water aerobics class. After lunch we left for our catamaran boat tour, which was a giant boat with a huge deck to lay out on. There were two families from Arkansas who we introduced, again small world. (We also met a third family from Arkansas at dinner, weird) After an hour drive along the shore line we dropped anchor and had two hours to swim and snorkel. On the way back, I made best friends with mama Helen, our on boat drink mixer who made delicious fruit drinks the whole time. We also recruited the boat to join in in making a Harlem shake video. (A very hard idea to sell to people who have never heard of it) We watched the sunset and went back to the hotel for dinner.
    During dinner, a raccoon jumped right up on to the table and tried to take the food off of Schmitt's plate. We tried to give it a roll but figured, mmm betta not. After dinner we went to the hotel restaurant and watched the mens US vs. Costa Rica game. After dinner the restaurant had a salsa band playing and our tour guides, Sebastian and Emilio, gave us salsa lessons.
Saturday morning we woke up for breakfast and had the morning to lay by the pool before we left to go back to San Jose. Renee, Ashley Pagano, Schmitt, Kristen, Cady and I bought a banana boat ride and were taken out for about 20 minutes. Out of everything we did I am the sorest for that, my arms are dead. The ride back to San Jose was about four hours but it went by quick, we watched Pitch Perfect for the second time on the trip. We had dinner and after some of us went to explore the mall.       The mall food court was about 90% American fast food chains, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Wendy's, you name it. The stores were nice and the girls bought a few things, bags and pants, mall things. The mall also had giant furry animals you could rent and ride around like motorcycles. I think they were primarily meant for children, but the cult (the sophomore class) rented them for a bit. After we spent the night hanging out, playing truth or dare, telling stories and telling personal ghost stories, Ashley and Hannah went outside after we went to bed and tried to scare everyone, rude. Poor grandma was so scared she had to call in reinforcements and made Em sleep with her.
    In the morning we pulled ourselves out of bed and got on the bus to go see a volcano. Kristy and Kelly Siry were super jazzed about going while the rest of us would have been happy sleeping in and packing. We decided were only in Costa Rica once, or as Cammey would say YOCO, so as a team we loaded the bus and went. It was actually pretty cool and I got a decent science lesson on how the crater had an acidic level of zero. We got back, packed and had a farewell lunch. We are now on the plane for our ten hour trek back to the burgh. At the airport we met another plattsburgh alumni, a girl from Columbia who graduated in '07, they are just everywhere. A five hour flight and five hour bus ride will get us back around 8am, personally I'm going to get some grids and get in bed, but some of the girls have class at nine, totally worth it. We take up the last six rows of the plane and everyone's trying to stay awake so we will sleep on the bus, sorry flight LR660. Also Ashley took over 800 pictures, so we'll have those for you as soon as possible.
   Now for my last little sappy blurb, this trip could not have gone more perfect. No one fought, complained, or whined. Even though a few of us were doing homework on every bus and Kelly's burn blisters were so bad they started oozing. Everyone got along, there was no drama and we wouldn't have changed a thing. We had the prefect amount of down time and busy time and I would not change one aspect of the trip. We would recommend this trip to any team. Special thanks to Bruce for giving us the OK for this once in a lifetime opportunity and Wiley and B-Mikes for setting the whole thing up.

PSU takes on Costa Rica...Part II

    We left San Carlos this morning and we are now on our way to Flamingo beach which is about a four hour bus trip. When we arrived at the hotel on Monday we were greeted with tropical drinks in the lobby and then were escorted to lunch in the sun room which had an amazing view of the volcano. The food in San Carlos was a bit more American in that they had pasta with tomato sauce and bacon, thank goodness. We also got a special surprise in finding a plattsburgh alumni at the restaurant, Doreen Carr graduated in 85 and was thrilled to run into us. Such a small world.
    After lunch we walked to our rooms which happened to be our own little frat house with an unbelievable view of the volcano, and our own dog, sushi. After we settled in we went to the hotel pool which was accompanied but natural hot springs from the heat of the volcano. We spent the rest of the night at Baldi spa and water park, a gorgeous park with hot springs and water slides. The slides were extremely fast we made it into a game gathering at the bottom and guessing who was coming down based on their screams. We moved from hot pool to hot pool with our 20 person pack and basically cleared out whichever pool we ventured into. We had dinner at the resort where Ashley Pagano and Megan Colby took full advantage of the dessert bar and by that I mean at least two full plates of desserts.
    Tuesday morning we woke up to a foggy morning and headed to our next activity, white water rafting. For some reason, very few of us felt the urge to put on sun screen and emerged from the boats with bright red thighs and arms, poor Kelly Siry is blistering as we speak. On the way to rafting we stopped at an iguana park. Luckily for us, an Iguana had climbed out of the tree and onto the trail for us to take pictures with. B-mikes dad was walking around tickling everyone with leaves, which caused a few screams and laughs. Macee and Jill witnessed an iguana take a thirty foot fall from a tree onto the bank of the river, poor little guy was alright but the girls were traumatized. Right before we left, Macee and I wanted to try our luck petting the iguana on the trail, but Macee was in for a different surprise when a little French lady came up and whipped her in the butt with her rolled up tshirt yelling, "NO NO NO" and waving her finger violently. I guess she didn't want her to touch it. In typically Wiley fashion, she gave the lady a non smoking speech and tried to touch the iguana before making a run for the bus.
    The rafting itself was so much fun. The two hour expedition took us down a bunch of level four rapids and included a break for fresh fruit and cliff jumping. The guides spoke very little English but did a wonderful job keeping us safe and amused. Two of the guides collected different kinds of leaves and put them in the rafters helmets creating horns and antennas. Then, when we got back to the bus, Jill found some selfies Wiley and shorty secretly had taken on Jill's phone..#selfienation.
    Then, last night we played our second game. It was a night game which we hadn't played in a long time and we won 3-1. After the San Carlos women's team scored in the first half, we came together in the second half and Kristie Pageau, Kristen Averill and Devin Mcmahon all scored. After the game, the ball boys came up to Ashley and wanted to help hand out our water bottles, so with her usefully Spanish knowledge, she read the names off the bottles and in Spanish said the girls numbers and the boys ran over to deliver them. It was adorable.
    Now, I hate complaining about anything on this amazing trip, but we could not get out of this hotel fast enough. We understand that we were in the rainforest of Costa Rica, but a room full of lizards, ants, spiders, and beetles was too much for these Plattsburgh city girls to take. Now, we are not proud if this, but Schmitt and I were sitting in our room yesterday and found some poop on Maddie's pillow, obviously it had to be Maddies (recall her being pooped on during the Geneseo game) naturally we panicked because we knew she freaked out. So I gave her one of mine and we didn't mention it to anyone, until now. I should also mention we found a lizard in the room later that night, so it was probably that. And a special shout out to Brina ,who had the time of her life identifying each different species of bugs in our rooms.
    Keep checking back for more posts!

PSU takes on Costa Rica..Part I

    So Costa Rica so far has been incredible. We just left the children's center and we are on the bus on our way to San Carlos to sit in volcano hot springs and check into our second hotel.
    The weather here is gorgeous, 80s and breezy. We got to JFK at 130am on Saturday morning and after Macee flirted her way through customs we took naps on the airport floor until our 6am flight. Mostly everyone slept on the flight until breakfast came around and we had French toast with hot strawberry jelly and yogurt. We spent the rest of the day at the pool where Hannah got a little Costa Rican boyfriend named Becket. The seven year old blonde heart throb repeatedly brought her flowers for her hair, a man after my own heart. We had practice that night and the field was something out of a postcard. For dinner we ate a pool side buffet, each meal has a different tropical fruit juice and our server Minor is there to get us anything else we need and teach us some Spanish. The food is so good, we were all banking on bad food so we would stay skinny throughout the trip, unfortunately, I'm pretty sure we've all put on five pounds since Friday.
    Yesterday we went shopping in the city, we toured historical San Jose and went shopping at a flea market where our bargaining skills were tested. A very burnt Ashley Pagano made up for her lack of sun screen with her bargaining skills. Even Katie Tatro scored a whole hammock for $10, and had not stopped talking about how she is going to get it home. While in the city, there was a marathon going on and we cheered as loud as we could, only to get cheered back at. People here love us Americans, especially blonde ones. That's probably why Ashley Mckenelley, Macee and Brie Mustapich all scored shirts and medals off the runners backs, literally, still drenched in sweat. That night we played our first game vs. Codea Alajuela, a over twenty San Jose club team. They spoke basically all Spanish, as well as the refs which was interesting in itself. Schmitt learned the phrase mas atras, which means move the ball back and she yelled it continuously from the net. Cassidy Clavet got a goal off of corner from Melissa Rodriguez in the first half, then other team came back and got two goals in the second half. It was a great game and after we got together and translated some thoughtful words to each other. After the game we went to the hotel casino and tried to win some money. Renee walked away with $20 and Amanda walked away with $9.
    This morning we went to a children's center and had the time of our lives playing with under privileged children. Regardless of the language barrier, the children had as much fun as we did and loved playing with our cameras. Cassidy tried to steal a little girl and cried when they took her back to the classroom, I said just steal here and Ashley Pagano said, "shh they told us not to say that." We were all so touched that along with the numerous donations of coloring cooks, diapers, and toys we brought with us, we all chose to donate some money and actually gave them $436 to the children's center. Nothing can get us down right now.
    I should also mention our additions to the trip. B-mikes brought his ten year old daughter Brina (who is full of youthful energy and a much needed ball girl) and his father Ray. Wiley brought her daughter Baily and her best friends Slammer and Shorty. I'm working on getting the story behind those names. We also have our lovely tour guides Amilo and Sebastian. Jill is getting the whole trip on her old fashion camcorder so well have lots of footage when we get back. Make sure you follow our twitter to get more up to date information about the trip and what we are up to!

Award Season

Hey everyone I hope you had a good weekend and weren’t too affected by Nemo. CVPH had their annual winter carnival and Nemo couldn’t have hit at a better time for that. Macee, Ashley Pagano and I all attended to volunteer, but honestly the whole team should have just gone and hung out. They had snow shoeing, ice skating, tubing, cross country skiing, a waffle toss, and free food. It was actually a ton of fun, but we were just extra chilly because for some reason we didn’t think we needed snow boots. Everything was completely free, the hospital just asked that you donate a canned food item for the local food shelf. On Sunday, a majority of the freshmen did some more community service and volunteered at an event run by the ASPCA.

On Sunday night we had our end of the season banquet at bmike’s house. We played ping pong and fuze ball and basically just used the time to catch up with everyone. The coaches handed out the team awards and as usual picked the worst pictures of everyone to put on the awards. Kristie took home offensive MVP and the Jess Allen award. Hannah got defensive MVP, Devin got Most Improved, Em Lalo got the Jill MaConi award and Ashley Pagano got the coaches award. After the awards each class preformed a little skit. The freshmen did a great job reenacting the year’s best Wiley moments. The mile, one-on-one meetings and practice huddles. Taylor Florio did the best job impersonating Wiley I have ever seen, gobble whistle and all.

A little bit about what’s coming up, 32 days until we leave for Costa Rica, 7 a.m. practices start in Sibley next week, and tonight is the first game for intramural basketball so wish us luck. We have a few fun fundraisers coming up so Ill keep  everyone posted on that as it gets closer. Have a good week!

 

(Ashley and Macee snowshoeing)

We're backkkkk

I hope everyone had a great break and is thrilled to be back at school! My class load is a bit light this semester as I am only taking three classes on Tuesday and Thursday. So that means I will have lots of time to write blogs posts! My girls were very busy over break, Em LaLone learned how to snow board, Macee Maddock went on a cruise and we had a few girls up here running track for Plattsburgh. We had our first team meeting on Sunday and since then have already jumped into one of our goals for the semester which is team bonding. Some of the girls went sledding behind Memorial last night, so happy to see on my girls spending quality time together. 

 

Only 44 more days until we are headed to Costa Rica! A.K.A 44 more days to lose the holiday fat and get in soccer shape. And considering we are working out with our new trainer Sarah five days a week I think we will be able to get there. Our itinerary while we are away includes training and playing three friendly games, sightseeing, zip lining, white water rafting, a community service project and much more that I will get into as the trip grows closer. 

For our community service project we are visiting a children’s community center which cares for children and educates 230 low income children between the ages of 1 and 12. If you would like to donate some supplies for us to bring to the children’s community, the following items are requested. 

·         Crib sheets

·         Books

·         Puzzles, board games

·         Towels

·         Children’s toys

·         Plastic cups and other kitchen utensils

·         DVD movies in Spanish

·         Children clothing and bibs

·         Bathroom supplies

·         Coloring and craft supplies 

Anything you have new or used would be greatly appreciated and can be dropped off in the first floor office (Room 314) in Memorial Hall. 

During the spring we focus a lot on community service projects and one of our favorites in handing out water and Gatorade to the runners of the Plattsburgh half marathon. This year’s race is extra special because our own Em LaLone and Lauren "Grandma" Gonyea are going to be running! So proud of them. 

On top of our five day-a-week lifting schedule we are going to play indoor futsol twice a week in Sibley hall…at 7 a.m. Futsol is five vs. five indoor soccer with a small ball that is weighed down so it cannot be kicked high in the air. It is ideal for working on first touch and foot skills, something we should take advantage of while inside. Other than that I don’t have much to update everyone on,  I’ll keep you guys posted on what events we will be volunteering at and any other fun activities we do.  

(Lauren ran a marathon in Vermont with this on...)

 (Macee said this once and I loved it, so I am getting her this tank.)