Bonjour! Today the team traveled to Paris, France for the final segment of the European Tour. We wasted no time; shortly after arriving, we walked to the Louvre and the gardens that surround it. The team stopped to take numerous pictures which slowed our pace, so before we knew it, it was time for dinner. The team dined at a charming local bistro, Le P’tit Bougnat. The menu included typical French cuisine such as pate and chocolate mousse! After dinner, the team went to Montparnasse, to get a 360 degree view of Paris. Soaring 57 floors in merely 33 seconds, the team climbed two more flights of stairs to the rooftop. Following this experience, we boarded the bus and took a night tour of the “must-sees” of Paris. Luckily, the timing worked out perfectly so that the team could see the Eifel Tower’s light show at exactly 10pm. Tomorrow we are excited for a full day in Paris before our final match in the evening.
Day 4
Greetings from Ghent! This morning we made our way to the “pitch” for our first practice in Belgium. The weather may have been cold, but the intense workout lead by a premier Belgium club coach had the girls sweating! The girls worked on the timing of passes and capitalizing inside the circle. After practice the team enjoyed typical Belgium sandwiches in the clubhouse. Then the team traveled to Ghent where we went on a canal cruise around the historic city. After some shopping and tasting of the local candies (“the noses of Ghent”) the team sat down to a wonderful dinner and celebrated Vanessa’s birthday. In the morning we will leave for Paris! More updates and pictures to follow.
Day 3
Hello Wesleyan Field Hockey fans! We are checking in after our first day in Belgium! At 10am we boarded the bus and said our goodbyes to our wonderful tour guide, Chris. Soon after, most of the team nodded off as we drove through the countryside towards Brugge. After three hours of driving, the bus pulled into a parking lot and we found ourselves in an area that looked like any old park. The team was wrong in assuming that this place was ordinary! In Brugge there were old brick houses with ivy weaving up the sides and small cafés boasting “Belgium’s best waffles!”; in the city center, a breathtaking panoramic view of medieval buildings.
When our free time was over, we drove to a local hockey club named Indiana, for our evening game. Again, we faced strong competitors with individual skill and strong team play. Nonetheless, Wesleyan capitalized on penalty corners, scoring two goals to keep the final score at 2-2. Following the game, we enjoyed enormous bowls of pasta in the clubhouse with the opposing team. More to follow tomorrow from Ghent!
The team during a skills session
All smiles after practice!
Day 2
Hello again to all our followers! Our final day in Amsterdam was a thrilling one to say the least. We started off the day with a bicycle tour of the city. Most of the team would agree that biking through Amsterdam is more challenging than playing field hockey. Navigating through the busy city streets and dodging pedestrians proved to be quite a challenge for the Cardinals! The entire group nearly returned our bikes unscathed, but in the last few meters, our very own Patricia Kletcha-Porter was involved in a minor accident.
Happy to be back on our feet, we traveled to a rival hockey club to watch the Netherland women’s championship game. The level of competition was incredible and the fan base was extraordinary. Hundreds of people crammed into the stadium with sound makers and memorabilia ready to support their team. After a thrilling game, we headed back to Amsterdam and enjoyed a few hours of free time. The team is looking forward to Belgium in the morning!
Day 1
Greetings from Amsterdam!
Today kicked off the first full day of the 2013 Euro Tour! The Cardinals got an early start at a local hockey club in their morning skills session with some premier Netherland coaches. After a brief typical Dutch lunch, the team head off to a local hockey shop where they were impressed by the selection of gear. Rising junior, Lilah Fones, was particularly struck by the store’s mini hockey stick!
Next, the Cardinals squeezed onto a city bus and head towards downtown Amsterdam. After a few minutes walking down historic cobblestone pathways and avoiding hurried bikers, the team arrived at the Anne Frank house. The girls enjoyed a tour of the house, which included original copies of Anne Frank’s diary, authentic furniture from the Secret Annex, and several informative videos about Anne’s life story. Shortly after, the team walked along the canal towards a famous chocolate shop, Unlimited Delicious. In this sweet afternoon treat, the girls got a tour of the shop and were able to make their very own chocolates. While many truffles were eaten before they hardened, the girls agreed that they were hard work, yet delicious.
Their stomachs full of chocolate, the team boarded a coach bus and headed to face off against a local club team. Playing against a very disciplined squad, the Cardinals maintained the lead for the majority of the game. The precision of the Dutch passing and use of the field forced the team to make smart decisions and play at a high intensity. Following the game, both teams came together and shared pizza in the clubhouse. Although they were tired from the long day, the girls enjoyed the experience.
Wes FH Travels to Europe!
Welcome University Field Hockey Fans!
The Wesleyan Field Hockey team starts the summer off with a bang, traveling to the Netherlands, France, and Belgium for its first International Tour since 2008. Thank you to all of those who supported the team and made this trip possible! Make sure to check in to follow the team throughout the trip! There will be daily updates about where the team is traveling, what they are doing, and who they are playing. We look forward to sharing this experience with our fans!
Wesleyan Field Hockey 