The Yellow Armband: Fun in the Sun
9/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 16, 2009
Each Wednesday of the 2009 season, one of the Michigan women's soccer captains -- Jackie Carron, Alex Jendrusch, Amy Klippert and Kylie Neschke -- will give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the U-M program.
The Yellow Armband with Kylie Neschke
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 -- Fun in the Sun
This past weekend our team traveled to southern California for a pair of games. While everyone was very focused and ready to play some great soccer, the team couldn't help but get excited for a fun weekend in the sun! Here is a look at some of the events that went down.
The flight from Detroit to LAX lasted over 4.5 hours due to an issue with the engine fuel gage that delayed take-off by an hour. I would rather have the issue before the flight than during so I guess it worked out. Once in California we traveled to our fields for a short practice to loosen up the stiff legs. Dinner was at BJ's, concluding with the most amazing cookie cakes EVER!!!
Gameday began with a breakfast buffet at the hotel, some time to digest, and finally our game at Cal State Fullerton. The game didn't end with a 'W' as we had hoped, but it was definitely entertaining nonetheless. Amanda Bowery got caught in a near first fight. Here is the instant replay: both girls holding each other off for the ball, the Fullerton girl gets a little too agitated and takes a swing and miss at Bowery -- because clearly she never learned how to throw a true punch and of course Bowery is just too quick. Bowery puts her arms out to block the crazy girl from taking swing number two. At this point the Michigan bench is on the line yelling and ready to run in for a brawl -- including our trainer Tina Scully. We never take the next step in actually crossing this line because ... honestly, we are all slightly intimidated by Coach Greg Ryan and his probable disapproval. The referee runs over to Bowery and the other feisty girl and decides to award a red card to both players. Clearly, the referee has issues distinguishing the difference between throwing a punch and self-defense. Another exciting moment occurred after a player on the other team committed a dirty foul against Michigan, the stadium went silent and out of nowhere one of our teammate's aunt yelled for everyone to hear, "Number 16! You're a B!" (I have to keep it clean, there could be small children reading this blog). We definitely appreciate the enthusiasm of our fans!
After the game we enjoyed dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. The team went in two groups because of our early reservation. This meant the first group did not have enough time to shower before the meal. This didn't faze us, our group is obsessed with food and pulled off a strategic plan by placing our orders before the second shift even arrived. In the end, everyone was able to enjoy plenty of cheesecake. Back at the hotel, some teammates and I enjoyed relaxing outside in the hot tub. What began as a light and fun gossip session somehow led to an in-depth political analysis and discussion of controversial issues in society and current events -- aka The Michigan Difference.
Day three was BEACH DAY! We travelled to Amy Klippert's hometown, Newport Beach. Klippert's mother set up an amazing table of snacks and provided our team with plenty of beach chairs and towels. Haley Kopmeyer and I ran into the ocean first. Yes, we were both wicked excited to finally swim in the ocean, however, I had a slightly ulterior motive in avoiding the opportunity for my trainer to keep me from swimming due to my injured knee. Haley made an excellent partner in crime and it was a great success! Lindsey Thut and Jill Feree attempted to master the boogie boards by catching the big waves, almost causing a major crash as Jill crested a wave directly over Meghan Hennessey. Freshman Holly Hein ended her swim with an extra 10 lbs of sand caught in her very baggy swimsuit. Even Courtney Mercier was able to catch some rays as she showed off her newly bronzed body. The day at the beach ended with a nice dinner located at the end of the pier.
Back to soccer on Sunday. The team played really well together and it was definitely an exciting game to watch! The trip concludes with flight back to Detroit where we finish off the luggage bets. This is a tradition where everyone on the team hopes to be the first bag off the baggage claim. Holly Hein was the lucky winner in LAX and Kim Siebert won big back in Detroit.
We are all excited for our game taking place here in Ann Arbor against Miami (Fla.) this Sunday! I hope you enjoyed a small preview of what it is like on team trips with this crazy group of girls. HAIL!
