2018 International Trip deemed "Life Changing"
Contributed by: Bob Westbrook
November 27, 2018 -
Life changing.
This phrase is how our staff and players describe our recently completed Japan experience.
There are simply no other words that capture the quality and depth of what this trip meant to us as individuals, as a club and as a team.
Our athletes represented us in the highest possible manner. On the court and off the court, the girls made us proud of their representation of the sport, A5 and the United States.
The competition level on the court was the highest level we have ever faced. One of the teams we played -- the number one high school team in Japan -- practices 34 hours a week. 7 hours twice a week and 4 hours a day on the other 5 days. They all play in the same system. All over the country. They have all played together with their teams since junior high. Hard to imagine and even more unbelievable to see. Our athletes made steady progress in the face of a pretty challenging schedule as they competed throughout our stay.
Off the court our experiences were just so amazing. We traveled by train everywhere. Ate unusual food. Started in everything from a hip, millennial hotel in Tokyo (the Moxie-highly recommended) to one of their Olympic Training Centers in a very small room with shared showers and communal dining rooms.
There was just so much.
We thank everyone for their support. We could feel the vibe from across the ocean. Thanks, as well, to Bring it USA, Cory Soloman (Bring It's Representative) and Marie (our Japanese guide) and Denise Templeton for their efforts on our behalf.
All in all, our trip was humbling and inspirational. Can't wait to share what we have learned.