4 more freaking years

Alright so I am assuming most of you have followed we played horrendously and didn't qualify for the Olympics. We only scored 14 first half points against Cuba it was horrible I can't even describe it and the dissapointment of once again not qualifying. We just came out and could not buy a basket, got freaked out and were down 39-14 at the half. We came back though cut the lead ot 12 but kept exchanging baskets from that point on. I really played bad didn't finish, rebound super frusterating. I was up all last night envisioning my missed shots and turnovers. Sometimes it is hard to put everything in perspective when it is something that you want so bad and you come close but never get there. We got smoked by the US today as well.
My ankle is a little worse than the tweak I had hoped for so talking with physio, and the coaches about what to do tomorrow.
It will be good to get home for a quick visit and hopefully this trip to Belgium will be a positive basketball experience it has been a while since I had one!

One down!!

Alright well the first game is officially under the belt and we pulled it out. It was a very scrappy game a lot of fouls but we came out on top in the end. Actually they didn't score for the first 7 minutes of the game but we didn't really score that much either. Doesn't matter we turned it on and pulled away, it felt good to play again it had been a while!!
Tweaked my ankle in the game a little bit not a horrlibe one but enough to be sore and a little swollen. Hopefully the needles work wonders and I will not be able to feel it tomorrow.
I am off for treatment so that is all for now. Hoping the US can pull out a win against Cuba real close game last 4 minutes. GO USA!!

One more sleep!

Well it is the day before the game... finally I get to play again. Everyone is pretty excited to get going again, our assistant coach got in today after 35 hours of flying! She coaches at a unversity so couldn't come to the last phase but it is good to have her here now! Our doctor also got in yesterday after travelling for 2.5 days ya she topped us all and to make matters worse they have no idea where her bags are!! Imagaine trying to buy all new clothes in Chile!! Today we got to sleep in as we opted out of the first practice of the day at the cold gym. Instead we went to a fortress that protected Valdivia for many years, it was gorgeous and pretty neat to see the history of it all. It was incredibly fortified. We also learned about hte largest earthquake which was in Chile and it topped off the richter scale and other measaurements the fortress actually sunk and then was topped by a tsunami. There was a ship in the middle of the river/ocean you could still see hte mast sticking out it was near land and got dragged out to sea and then sunk by the earthquake/tsunami. They chose to leave it in the middle for history!

Practice tonight was a lot of shooting and then some pictures. Dinner toniht was chicken... I was pretty excited! It is time for bed!

If you want results I think the best site might be fibaamericas.com. I am not sure of our schedule after the game but we play at 1 here so 10 on the west coast. It is against Jamaica.

Some things I have learned...

Chile is a beautiful country! I believe I mentioned the other day that it is winter here... comes a little earlier in Chile but we attempted to crank the heat in our room and this was successful until we belive it was the hotel that turned it off because all of our rooms were cold again this mornning. Our first practice this morning was at 830 it was in a different gym and ohh my gosh it was actaully colder in the gym... quite comical we were doing walk throughs in our sweats some people toques and mittens. Then this afternoon we toured Valdivia. So as I said the airport is tiny and from what I can see and what our translator has told us it is not really a tourist area. There was a chocolate factory and we were asked if they did tours and they said no but when they found out we were here for the bball they let us come and tour. It was really cool I wished I had some pics. First off it was inthe middle of nowhere on a farm. To go in we had to wear coats and hairnets. I now understand why some chocolate is so expensive honestly this was all done by hand. THey had mixers and what not but most of it was done by hand whether this was painting the molds and pouring the chocolate in to rolling out and cutting the dough. The best part was that we got some samples and it was delicious but the crazy part was after I left I feel like I don't chocolate for a while now.

We also made a detour to check out some sea lions. It is so wild these sea lions sit on the side of a river and people just walk right past them they get upset if you make loud noises they yell back. THey just lay and suntan all day on a dock, our translator said when they rowed past that area you had to go faster because they would try and play with the boat and knock it over. These things were absolutely massive.

The only complaint thus far is my calves are acting funny, I don't know if it was those compression socks or the cold temperatures in the gym, but they feel like they are going to pull when I run.

I think that is all for tonight, my computer needs to charge!
Yes Michelle it is big J!

30 hours later!!

Alright so we made it to Chile! It feels so long ago now but I woke up early yesterday morning got a pool workout in and hten we headed for the Toronto airport at 9am. Our flight didn't leave until like 1 the bad thing about travelling in a large group is that sometimes they make you get there really really early! Played some card games and tried to exchange some money however the lady kept telling everyone different prices and differnt stories so I felt like she didn't know what she was doing and declined. THen it was the 7.5 hour layover which actually went great as we got to sleep in the hotel and have our "last meal". THe flight to Chile was 9.5 and it went alright it was long but I managed to sleep almost the whole flight. Cleared customs where we had to pay 132 US dollars to enter the country the most any country had to pay who knows why! The 2 hour layover before our flight was filled with an interesting Chicken sandwhich which I avoided for the most part.
When we arrived in Valdivia our plane pulled into the tiniest airport I have ever been to. There was a total of two planes, one building and one luggage carousel. We were greeted with pictures and filming and a local dance complete with spurs and music!
It is really pretty here albeit freezing... I can see my breath. I was not yet ready for this dramatic change in weather. The gym thus far does not appear to be heated should be fun. The food has been okay so far and the rooms are not too bad once we got the heat cranked up.
That will be all for tonight I got to see some people though B and Klaw from the team visited with them tonight. Crazy I got to see a girl from UTPA that played with Michelle, Jenn. I got to talk with her as well!
It is time for treatment and bed but I will be updating the blog as there is free wireless in the lobby!

Chile Bound!

I am off tomorrow morning beginning the long 24 hour trek to Chile, I am not sure I will be able to update this while I am gone but if you are interested in following the tourney we have to win our first two games and that means we will advance to next summers qualifier tourney. THe big goal is to beat Jamaica and then Cuba!
Should be exciting but it is time for me to head to finish packing and head off to bed.

training camp comes to an end!

Practices are done! Exciting we finished off practices in Waterloo today it was a really good training camp and once Ree gets healthy we should be ready to go! I had a rough practice this morning woke up with some sort of charlie horse on my ankle hurt to jump or walk but after my afternoon ice bath charlie horse was gone and I am all better!
It is pretty funny the little things that can excite you at training camp but I am fired up because there will be a starbucks run later tonight... nothing like a little vanilla steamed milk before bed!
I didn't nap today and instead took a little trip to Shoppers with Ree so that she could get her prescription. I purchased some compression socks, I guess they keep the swelling out when you travel for a long time. I believe the trend started with Clo, the smarty pants suggested it and we all followed suit and it has been working for people so I jumped on board. Our flight is going to be fun it will be a full 24 hours of travelling complete with a 7 hour layover in Atlanta!! The good news is that we have a hotel room I believe so we can relax a little bit maybe lay down watch tv!

Man Down

Today we had a morning off, it is always great to sleep in made it to 1015 this morning and woke up so that we could catch the end of the free breakfast buffet. We started watching film on Jamaica doing a little scouting and then it was time for a quick pool workout for me just to get some cardio in. I got to trade in my Kobes today, I was a little nervous because I had worn them once before but they didn't look to closely and they had dried out by then so you couldn't really tell. I got a new pair of bball shoes for overseas I should hopefully be set. Tonights practices the NEDA girls came out to watch but disaster struck when Ree went down with an ankle sprain. She is looking like she is in a bit of pain but hopefully the accpuncture can work the same miracles on her as it did on me!!
Speaking of Accpuncture I am off for treatment I will keep you all updated.

Old lady!?!?!

Alright well training camp is well under way the schedule is up on the wall and the days till we play are being crossed off everynight before bed. Training camp as been an adjustment for me to say the least I wake up every morning my body creaking and cracking wondering what in the world I am doing to it. I have not done two a days for over 2 years now! I am so sore I honestly feel like an old lady, today appears to be somewhat of a hump day my calf is finally feeling a little better thanks to a whole bunch of accupuncture those little needles work wonders!!
The team went over to Chelseas parents house hte other night and had an amazing meal, it was such a nice break from eating out at restaurants to have a home cooked meal. We threw Carrie a little Bachelorette party complete with games and a movie!
The stag shop in town was slightly overwhelmed with a number of girls over 6'0. I bet they are wondering why the Canada Basketball girls are all looking in the stag shops!
Time for my nap!!

The baby is Jeff and Getti's (my strength coach).
The glasses are from the Imax.

Welcome Back!

Here are the pictures as promised. They are from the drive home from Sac to BC and then some from BC hanging out in Vancouver. The last one happened my first day back at camp... I got a black, a sprained finger and a sweet scratch on my cheek!! Today got a cut on the black eye so a little blood to add in the corner. Good to be back!!

Prison call and a flight to Toronto

I am back in Toronto, made it here about 12am yesterday. My original flight got cancelled out of Abbotsford so it was a much later flight that we had to take. When I got the phone call I was just finishing getting ready over at Apollo dad was going to drive me from there, I wound up heading back home, the wonderful thing about the abby airport was that mom could drive me four hours later hwen I needed to be there. I was attemting to get on Ontario time so I worked out in the morning thus Apollo so I didn't want to nap really but since I was all packed up there seemed like nothing better to do at home. I was laying down when the phone rang so I picked it up and I had a collect call from (in a male voice tring to sound sexy and seductive the word) "Jay" came out sounding incredibly creepy. I was like okay pretty sure dads not doing that and then the lady said "this call is coming from a correctional institute" I hung up that phone so fast. My nap was over and ruined adn Kobe had to be let into the house because I was certain this creppy man was coming to get me... from prison.
The flight was good felt a little long, it had been a good 15 days since I had flown I guess I was out of it. My rolly bag is fantastic!
Practice this morning was good it was one of those where you feel so tired you don't always know what you are doing, remembering plays took some serious focus!
I am rooming with Ree (mom and dad that was for you!!)
I was a little dissapointed today because I tried to have my nap and I only slept for like an hour, I am out of sync for these training camps I am normally just waking up when we are down our first session... may take a couple of days.
I tried to post some pics got impatient so maybe next time.

Lonely last night!

Well Ben left last night... I hate all these goodbyes somedays I just really want a house and settle down a little! I was a little upset this morning so I went to Wal mart with Grandma and spent some money and then decided I should go back to mall to see if I could find some things, spent way too much money on books, suitcases, socks! Never a good idea to shop while you are a little upset. Packing now sad to be leaving BC, I really think I live in one of the most beautiful areas around not so excited for the scenery in Ontario but training camp should be great so I am off. I am sure I will have lots of time for updates while at camp!

Mission!!

Happy Birthday today Michelle!!!!!
Well I was thinking I should probably post but I couldn't recall what I had been doing the last couple of days. It has been very relaxing though I have yet to wake up before 930am... loving that. Took Ben to his first fish hatchery, although there wasn't much excitment as the salmon aren't quite spawning yet, but we did see some 8ft long sturgeon, looks kind of like a mini shark! We had a picnic lunch at Chehalis I just really wanted to go camping after that, so much fun! Did a few rounds of mini golf and batting cages at Wonderland... a really great place minus the mildew smell in the underground jungle golf area. We did that with Jen and Reagan so it was good to catch up with her finally!!
I got in two workouts with Mike and Allison and Ree and Dev. It was a lot of fun to play again and be coached hasn't happened in a while.
Biggest news I bought the Office season 3 it is fantastic only problem is that I can't stop watching them so sometimes 1 episode turns into 4!
Michelle comes into town tomorrow get to see her real quick and then we are headed into the big city for the weekend!

home safe and sound

Well we made it home safe and sound! I know I haven't posted in a while but the last two days in Sacramento went by fast. After we lost we came back the next morning and I was working on 2 hours of sleep but I really wanted to get home so I didn't take much of a nap so I could get things rolling. I went to the dentist to get my mouthguard and cleaned up and started packing. The next day was exit interviews which went alright and then back to the dentist get my exit physical. Which I passed with flying colours, even the second x-ray my bones have healed!! I said my goodbyes and got to hang out with Jeff, Getti, and the baby that night which was a lot of fun. We anticipated an early start but a few drinks the night before and not being able to load up the car (it is Natomas we didn't want all our belongings stolen) meant we left around 1130! I was still ambitious we could get to Portland, Ben made fun of me because after about 3 hours I was kind of hurting and I realized this was the longest stretch of time I have driven for! We stopped at Lake Shasta for lunch at a great little black bear diner, drove around the town and took off again with Ben taking over the wheel.
We stopped in Eugene that night Ben loves college towns, he got to run a lap of Hayward field and we got a good rest to start up the next morning. Ben did all the driving on day 2 I think he really wanted to drive across the border and of course we got pulled in! Ben thinks he is now Canada's most wanted! He looked like he was lying and we had a car full of crap! We made it safe and sound and it is good to be home!!