Team at Crocs Cares event
CHELSEA ALBERT
I don't even know where to begin - the trip to Costa Rica was amazing and went way above and beyond any expectations I had prior to the trip. This team is so fortunate and blessed to have such an awesome coaching staff that spoiled us in every way possible over the last 10 days. It was definitely a special time for team bonding that I think the whole team really enjoyed!!
One of the best parts of the trip for me was the day that we got to pass out crocs to the children from Costa Rica. Getting the opportunity to sit there and pray with the children and give the them a smile was so rewarding! I loved that! It definitely made me take a step back and realize how privileged I am with even the simple things in life. It was such an awesome feeling to see the children's faces light up!
It’s hard to pick a favorite between the whitewater rafting, canopy excursions and the hot springs because I have never done any of them before and they each had their own different element of excitement.
1. whitewater rafting - came close to death on la cucaracha but breathtaking views and super fun instructors;
2. canopy - the thrill of stepping off the platforms was one of the coolest rushes, yet it was so peaceful flying through the trees and rivers;
3. hot springs - they literally were unreal and it had to be the most relaxing thing I have done in a long time!
Now that I'm still on cloud nine from the vacation it’s definitely going to be hard to adjust back to real life!
TARA BRESKE
Hola Ticos! Costa Rica is definitely a trip I will never forget, for numerous reasons. I enjoyed all the excursions and have special memories from each and every one of them. The last zip-line was absolutely amazing as was the entire experience. The first kid that came to my station to receive Crocs was one of the most touching experiences I've ever had up to this point. That was definitely a humbling experience.The whitewater rafting was such a thrill from the bus ride in the mountains, to walking/running down a rocky mountain in the pouring rain, to falling out in the rapids and being sucked under, to dominating a level 4 rapid. The hot springs were absolutely gorgeous, and pictures or words cannot do it justice. There were many more excursions and adventures along the way, such as tarantulas and bus rides, that I will never forget. Thanks to everyone who made this all possible and such a good experience for each and every one of us. And, according to Maggie ... we're cultured!
LAURA BUGHER
The trip was fantastic! Everything from the excursions to experiencing the culture was something I will never forget. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to spend so much time in such a beautiful place with this group! It exceeded my expectations!
SARAH CLAPPERIt's hard for me to narrow it down and name any one thing that I enjoyed most about our trip to Costa Rica. Everything from the zip-lining to the Crocs to watching Chels get pounded by rocks during the white rapids of "La Cucaracha" all register up there as my top moments. It was even kinda refreshing to turn the cell phones off for a whole week and not have to worry about what text I was getting and carrying my phone around. It was an amazing experience and one that I will cherish for a lifetime -- so many fun people and so many memories!
ASSISTANT COACH KEVIN ECKERT
No matter how beautiful the scenery, no matter how fun the activity, the trip wouldn’t have been half of what it was if it weren’t for the people – both those that I traveled with, and those that we met. Even though the coolest person of all was Fred.
MARIBETH GIESE
The foreign tour was the trip of a lifetime! Being in Costa Rica for eight days was such an amazing experience. The team was able to bond together through whitewater rafting, zip-lining through the rainforest, and hiking up a volcano. While the spiders and bugs won't be missed, we will all remember the foreign tour for the rest of our lives.
MAGGIE HENNEGAN
The memories our team made together in Costa Rica will last a lifetime. The crazy experience of whitewater rafting, watching Coach Kevin and Mr. Clapper do the traditional dance, giving Crocs to kids, and zip-lining are just a few adventures we will never forget. Pura Vida!
HEAD COACH CURT MILLER
We began fund raising many years ago to plan a trip of a lifetime for our players. Mission accomplished! The trip was truly amazing and we will all be left with lifelong memories of our diverse experiences. My hope for the team during the trip was to bond together and become even closer as a family than we were when we left. It is safe to say through our adventure-filled tour that our family bond is closer than ever.
The four side trips -- whitewater rafting, zip-lining through the rainforest, hiking a volcano and going to the beach -- were unbelievable adventures, but the best part of the trip was watching our players interact with the children of Costa Rica. The players were fantastic with the Costa Rican children during the kids clinic, and the Crocs Cares (shoe giveaway) program. The smiles on their faces will be etched in my mind forever.
Lastly, I just want to say once again that I have the greatest coaching staff in the country, and I am proud to call them all my best friends.
Pura Vida.
TAMIKA NURSE
Lauren and I would like to say that we really appreciated the quality time we spent together rocking in front of the fireplace in our luxurious hut!Costa Rica was absolutely amazing. It's rare that your first playing experience at a University takes place near a tropical rainforest. It's something I'll never forget.
TRACY PONTIUS
Hola! Costa Rica was unbelievable. It was definitely one of the best trips I have ever taken. Costa Rica was beautiful and all the activities we did were so much fun. My favorite part was the whitewater rafting, and zip-lining was also a good time! It was a wonderful trip and I would definitely go back!
ASSISTANT COACH BRANDI POOLE
I don't even know how to begin to describe our trip to Costa Rica. I knew when we scheduled the foreign tour that it would be fun and a great opportunity for our team. What I didn't realize was that the actual trip would be completely above and beyond my expectations.I was really proud of our team for coming together during these nine days. In different ways, each and every one of us stepped outside of our comfort zone ... whether that be the rafting, the zip-lining, the language barrier, the bugs or the food. We all experienced new things and a whole new culture that made us all have a new appreciation for our lives here in the U.S. We truly are a family, and I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to travel with them. I try every day to find better ways to live my life, and it's easy when you work with such a fantastic group of fun people.
I think outside of fun activities, our team also got a chance to see what happens when you truly touch people's lives. The Crocs shoes event that we participated in with the IUPUI men's team and the Bethune-Cookman men's team was a day that I don't think any of us will soon forget.
As for the basketball, that was my first experience with any sort of international basketball, and I loved it! Even though the competition wasn't that strong, I loved watching our team compete and have fun playing with each other. We conducted a clinic for kids in the small town of San Ramon. I don't speak a bit of Spanish, but it's amazing what a few key phrases (muy bien = good job, dame cinco = give me five!) can do for a child. Their smiles were priceless.
I want to give a big thank you first to all the special supporters of our program that made this trip possible. Secondly, I want to give a big thanks to Coach Miller for making our dream of a foreign tour a reality. I don't think any of us will ever forget it! Pura Vida!!
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH JENNIFER ROOS
I have been out of the country before with other teams, but this trip was very special because of this particular group. Not only was it a cultural experience of a lifetime for our team, but it was also a great experience to see our team grow even closer together. We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with lots of Costa Rican children in two communities, San Jose and San Ramon. Basketball allowed us to communicate with children who could not speak English. I don’t know if we will ever fully realize the impact that those kids had on us or how much we impacted them, but all of us will have forged lifelong memories.
JEN UHL
Our trip was definitely a trip of a lifetime. The country was beautiful, the people were very nice, I loved all of our activities, and I really loved spending so much quality time with my team.
KELLY ZUERCHER
This was an amazing trip for so many reasons! We were able to experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and we experienced them as a team … as a family. The whitewater rafting, ziplining, and trek through the jungle to the volcano all were just absolutely incredible! We watched teammates and coaches as they faced their fears and helped them through near-death – or so we thought – experiences (Chels, Tara, Tracy, haha).
Throughout the trip we all played different roles. We were Basketball Players when we were on the court. Teammates when we were cheering on the sideline. Encouragers when we were on zip-lining platforms. Rescuers in level 1 rapids (ha).
The roles were endless through out this trip and thats what makes it one of the most memorable trips I've ever been on. I am just so thankful that we were given this opportunity to experience another culture and the fact that we were able to do it as a team was the best part. We were already close as teammates when we went down to Costa Rica, but I feel like we definitely came back as a family, as sisters.
Team at the Hot Dog shed
Maggie, Jess, Coach Miller, Kate, and Maribeth...Beat the Pro Hole
Kate Achter and her homemade cornhole boards
Young Alumnae Team: Coach Miller, Ali Mann, Kate Achter, Casey McDowell, Liz Honegger, Pete Winovich
Everyone Loves the Golf Outing!!
