Team Canada
WOMEN’S REPORT STORY BY: LAUREL JAY
I don’t think the Team Canada coaching staff could have picked a more appropriate (or ridiculous) place to accelerate the bonding of 72 young athletes than Las Vegas. It was made clear from the beginning that we were all adults who were to approach the weekend as professionals. The coaches goal was for the players to play to the best of our abilities, build friendships and chemistry with our teammates, and were open to learning and adapting.
Day one started early with a 7am shuttle departure from the hotel to the fields. This was the first time all 72 of us were together and there were so many unfamiliar faces and people to meet. Some of us knew each other from playing together on college, club, or previous Team Canada teams, but nobody knew everyone. We spent a significant part of the morning learning each other’s names and trying not to get blown over by the 35km/hour winds.
In the end, the women’s contingent ended up winning our division on Sunday–every game was a blowout. The best competition we got was when Team Canada scrimmaged ourselves at the end of the
Saturday pool play games. The coaches mixed up the genders and everyone got to play one mixed scrimmage and one single gender scrimmage. The Team Canada scrimmages were one of my favourite parts of the weekend.
My other weekend highlights included: Lauren, Emma, and Brianne’s clap push-up challenge on the buffet floor, 50 person blob tag, the random lobby area on the hotel sixth floor, and everything about Saturday night.
The best part about the weekend was meeting all our new teammates and creating instant friendships. There is something really incredible about being surrounded by the country’s top U-23 Ultimate players.
At the start of the weekend, we hardly knew one another. And yet throughout the weekend we supported each other, we challenged each other, and we inspired each other. We got to learn about each other on and off the field. We are all part of Team Canada, and I appreciate the emphasis on building a united Team Canada community before the three separate teams were officially announced. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal of winning gold for our country in London this summer. Vegas ended up being the perfect place for us to go from strangers, to teammates, to friends in 48 hours.
Team Canada at Trouble in Vegas 2014 Ultimate Canada Magazine -
www.canadianultimate.com
Photo: Michael McTaggart 33
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