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.)

Happy Holidays!

Well, that was the quickest semester of my life. Literally I don’t know where it went. And while the rest of you have been home for a few days cuddling with and posting countless pictures of your dogs, I’m still in the burgh until Sunday..SUNDAY. It’s alright though, it’s the life of being an RA, but I won’t have to stay to close the building for Spring Break because I’m going to Costa Ricaaaa. The Costa Rica countdown has officially begun and in 91 days we will be on our way. Here are some fun facts to enlighten you on our upcoming adventure.

1)      Costa Ricans refer to themselves as Ticos (males) or Ticas (females).

2)      Costa Rica has a population of 4.5 million and a life expectancy of almost 77 years, one of the highest in the world.

3)      There are 800 miles of coastline in Costa Rica between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

4)      There are more than 121 volcanic formations in Costa Rica, and seven of them are active.

5)      A soda is a small, informal restaurant that serves traditional meals like chicken, rice, beans and salad for $2-$3 a plate.

6)      A pulperia is a neighborhood store that sells essential foodstuffs like canned goods, eggs, milk, bread and some produce.

7)      For most of Costa Rica, the dry season runs from December through April. During these months, the Pacific coast and most of the Central Valley receive little rain, or the odd afternoon shower.

8)      Costa Rica's official language is Spanish, though a large number of its citizens are bilingual. English, due to its status as the international language of tourists, is the most common second language in Costa Rica.

9)      The Costa Rican government is democratic, with presidential elections every 4 years, and no standing army. Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla is the first woman president of Costa Rica.

I hope everyone did phenomenally on their finals and got home safe. My plans for the winter include working, interning and looking for a big girl job..ew. But I will be back mid-January to resume my true calling in life, writing this blog. But I will be updating the twitter so please follow us @PSUWomenSoccer1. Also, it was announced that we won the NSCAA National Team Academic Award for the fourth consecutive year! So proud of my little Cards. Seee all those hours in study hall really paid off. Good luck to all the winter sports that have to stay and brave the Plattsburgh winter. Happy holidays everyone! Have a safe and thrilling break!

 

 

Oh Oh Oh It's Thanksgiving

I know we’ve all missed these posts, so here is just a little fill-in on what’s been going on since the season ended.

With no practice to keep us all entertained and in shape the team has taken to different means of fitness. Monica and I have started to play racquetball, and by that I mean we went one time to play but the courts were all full so we went to the downer. Liv and I have started to work out with Michelle (our trainer from the Spring) only to need to take a week off after our first session because we were so sore. And Taylor and I went to the gym the other day and went on the arc trainers for 20 minutes and then laid on the mats. There are a few girls who have been better about their gym regimens such as Lalo who has made a few spin class appearances and Macee and the rest of the crew have been running every day, god bless them. Clearly we are all concerned about the upcoming break and the five pounds the average American puts on during the holidays. Nawt. My theory is that we’re all taking this time off and are going to kick it into high gear after the winter holidays because when we get back for second semester we start our spring workout program which is Monday through Friday. I don’t think anyone’s complaining too much about it though because we all need to get our Costa Rica bods.

K. Rab had her second knee surgery last week and we are all so proud of her and wish her the best recovery. We’re all pulling for her to be 100% by softball season. If you happen to see her crutching around campus, offer to pick her up or carry her bag or give her a Mountain Dew or something.

And for anyone who has been wondering where Buddha is, he has been living in Mason Hall with me. The only problem is we’ve been having a rough few weeks because a Buddha is not supposed to live in a bedroom, they are supposed to greet you in a foyer. Also, Buddha projects whatever feeling you project on to him. So when we loved Buddha, we gave us positive energy, and when we started questioning his love, his energy turned bad. I don’t think he ever forgave me for the bad energy, or for stealing him from Lalo for that matter, so we are working out our differences while he sits in my closet. (If Buddha has to be in the bedroom he needs to be in a closet and at night the closet has to be shut, I Googled it.)

Other than that were all looking forward to getting together after break to do paper plate awards and have the coaches present the team awards. We also have a tradition where each grade comes up with some sort of skit to act out for the rest of the team. The seniors last year acted out Wiley’s top ten best coaching moments, hilarious. Other than that it has been pretty quiet. Here are some pictures and music to keep you entertained until next time! Have a safe and great break everyone.

 

Thanksgiving Song

 

 

 

Schmitt and Marley (Wiley's Dog)

 

 

When Kalya was the backup goalie..

 

 

 

 



This is the last time you will ever hear my complain about this

This is an essay a wrote last semester for my sports writing class, and this is the last time I’ll bring up how much I hate when people spit on the turf, promise..

Spitting, hackin a lugi, blowing a snot rocket.

All things that in the heat of a game can be that second of relief the athlete needs to clear their airways and push themselves through. Something so miniscule, yet so dangerous. Not to mention gross.

Players are put at risk everyday because of the spit left on the turf that can enter the body through open wounds. In 2005, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that athletes who play on turf have shown higher rates of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. This is a type of staph bacteria that can cause life threatening infections.

When someone spits on the turf, they are putting everyone at risk for infection. Turf is rougher than grass and therefore it is easier to break the skin when you slide or fall. Turf burn is caused by the friction of skin and turf which generates heat and removes layers of skin. Also known as raspberries, turf burn is painful and a gateway for infection; perfect for saliva to seep into and make the raspberry look even more attractive.

Many communicable diseases find passage from one person to another through contact with saliva. Major diseases include the common cold, the flu, tuberculosis, mono, Hepatitis B and bacterial meningitis as well as many others. Anything that is in the human body that is subject to effect the immune system can find its way out through any bodily fluid, including salvia. All of these diseases could side line a player for days, weeks or even months.

According to LiveStrong.com, because a body in motion is under a variety of stresses during a workout, more saliva or mucus will be produced. The production of saliva increases when athletes begin working their lungs and cardiovascular system. As the body warms up, it will produce more saliva. There are many factors that effect this and sometimes make is necessary to remove the excess liquid from your system. When running outside in cooler temperatures,(a.k.a every time you step on the field in Plattsburgh)  your nose must warm and humidify the air you breathe before it reaches your lungs. This action produces mucus in your nose and throat, and the mucus acts as a humidifier to condition the air before it reaches your lungs.

The problem with spitting it out during a game however is that is it has nowhere to go but the top of the turf. Astroturf does not absorb liquid like a grass field. So when someone spits on the turf it sits right on top for the remainder of the game or until it gets swept away.

Ponder this for a second; if someone starts to bleed on the field or on their jersey, it gets cleaned right away because everyone is worried about the spread of disease. You are not even allowed back on the field until you have on a new, clean jersey and your cut is properly cleaned and bandaged. Yes, blood is a bittt more potent than spit, but shouldn’t the same type of precautions be taken? Many of the diseases that can be spread by coming in contact with blood, you can get by coming in contact with spit. Crazy right? No one wants to skin their knee on the field to stand up and find moist liquid mixed in with the blood and skin. That’s disgusting.

 

So pay attention the next time you’re playing a game on the turf. Watch for how many athletes relieve themselves on the turf you’ve come to know and love. Please think about this next time you want to have a spitting contest with your teammates during warm-ups. If you want to be the jerk that gives your team mono by hackin a lugi, by all means, be my guest.