Day 13 - August 19, 2009
It's our third match day, our 13th day on tour, and we're all still very happy to be here together! That should be surprising, as we're living on top of each other in a boarding school dorm with no air conditioning (at 85 degrees, and 85 percent humidity). It's very typical for many of us, as we're very used to living out of suitcases for weeks on end, and learning more about each other than we ever thought possible.
For instance, did you know that Kitt needs 4 full size bottles of perfume to last her 3 weeks? Or that Phaidra knows the words to every single Hall & Oates song? Maybe it's news to you that Vanesha's snoring can wake someone up from three rooms away! Working together off the field always translates to teamwork on the pitch though, and we're looking forward to putting our combined energy out there to string some pretty rugby together.
Since we've got the 6:30pm match today vs. Canada, we have quite a bit of free time to kill before kickoff. Extended lunch conversations, naps, playing card games, watching movies in our common room, and sneaking away to wi-fi to log in and answer work e-mails usually fills that time. It's also a big part of the mental game to be able to keep the fire inside calm, and turn it on when the whistle blows! We're all feeling like gamers, and very united in our constant quest of success (both large and small).
We can't stop thanking our fans enough, as many of you are the reason that we're able to don the USA Rugby symbol on our jerseys. Your comments on Facebook, shouts out on Twitter, and personal texts and e-mails are incredibly powerful. We love the good vibes you're sending, and hope to wow you on the webcast (or in person for you fantastic few) today!
Much love!
-Mari Wallace
Day ...I can't remember how long we've been here (10) – August 16, 2009
‘The Sounds of bored Ruggers’
In and effort to save our bodies the coaches have been requiring only one practice a day since we played England. We will be especially grateful for this next week when we play South Africa, Canada and France with only 3 days between each game. With all this unexpected down time the sounds in the hallway have become increasingly interesting.
"Smack!” comes the sound of a hand hitting a freshly iced bathed leg. In return the angry recipient screams "When my legs thaw, I am going to kill you!" Followed by Phaidra's unmistakable cackle…
"Sweet 16," our 19-year-old lock, snores loudly on the common room couch. Strangely, Vanesha's snores can be heard from her room equally loud in the common room.
Another dance party is happening somewhere. Interspersed with the giggles are the calls to see that move again in slow-motion. If you didn't know, everything is better in slow-motion.
We are almost out of movies to watch. Instead we just repeat the lines from all the movies we have watched. Zoolander: "Its hard being ridiculously good-looking." Ron Burgandy: "I am trapped in a glass cage of emotion!" And finally, "Cheers, Cheers, Thank you for that." I am not sure what that is from but someone keeps saying it.
We play South Africa this afternoon. Soon the resting boredom will be replaced with nerves, then by pure adrenaline of the game. We need this win and we know it. Wish us luck! -Christy Ringgenberg
Day 9 - August 15, 2009It is HOT! It's also the night before we take on South Africa. Although they may be more acclimated to the scorching heat than us, we're feeling optimistic about the match. We've had five long days without a game and we're hungry for some competition.
Our week has been filled with videos, pool sessions, and practices. When we can, we steal away to downtown Oakville in Emily or Jamie's cars for some coffee, or a stroll (or in my case, the search for a connection to my office Internet). On Thursday we watched two great games while we had our bye. France and England had a rematch of the 6 Nations final (England came away with it, 43-8), and South Africa made a late comeback but fell short against Canada, 17-30.
Last night, we went on a team outing to a neighborhood "movie in the park" showing of Bolt. We showed up 2 hours before it was dark enough for the screening, so spent our time teaching a few kids some rugby skills, and chatting it up on the grass, whacking mosquitoes away to no avail. The movie was very cute.
We just got out of our jersey ceremony and we're pumped for the game! We're trying out some new combinations and have worked all week to get our attacking rugby primed. Hope you can join us on the web at 2pm EST: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-rugby. - Stephanie Bruce
Day 4 - August 10, 2009
It feels so good to finally be here. The three days that I was late due to work commitments felt like 3 weeks. From the moment I arrived at Appleby there was a great feeling and vibe with the team. We all know what work needs to be done. Every practice, team meeting, game, video session...it's all in preparation for the World Cup 2010.
We have approximately one year to get the team and program up to where it needs to be and every one of the 30 players here is working their butts off to make that happen. I'm excited to see how this tour will pan out over the next two weeks. We have no where to go but up, no one to support but each other :)
This morning we woke up knowing it was going to be a long day until game time. To stay sharp, we had a mini run-through focusing on ball handling. The remainder of the day we rested and tried to stay off our feet. People did various things during the afternoon: naps, card playing, watched movies, and taking a walk along Lake Ontario, trying to keep the mood light, not thinking about the game too much and trying to make time pass by faster!
Game time rolled around and the storms and rain we feared never materialized and kick off went on without delay.....well, a little delayed as England took their time making it over to the pitch for the national anthems. Regardless, the USA was ready to rumble.
First half showed it was going to be a physical match right up to the last whistle. USA took the lead in the 8th minute with an interception by #13 Amy Daniels. England answered back with a try in the corner two minutes later. USA threatened to score several times, but the deal was never sealed and England added 5 more points to the board before the half was over.
We went into the 2nd half optimistic, but spent the majority of the half playing defense and trying to make positive opportunities of the ball we did get. Unfortunatley England capitalized on some of the mistakes we made and won the match in the end.
With the first game behind us, we are looking forward to the next week of training and bonding as a team to correct mistakes we made, focus on the good things we did, and get ready to take on South Africa on the 16th. -Lara Vivolo
Day 3 - August 9, 2009
Today was a good day to be a prop. While other positions had meetings, interviews, and practices, we played cards and compared snack food options - the debate rages on about the merits of wasabi, soy sauce almonds.
We woke up this morning to gray, overcast skies and cool air for our morning pool workout. The short recovery session ended with a rousing game of pool volleyball, where we learned that we should stick to rugby. Breakfast followed, where the great tragedy occurred; they ran out of oatmeal... it really does always come down to food when you're in the front row.
While the kickers and throwers (Cheeks will defend her title in the ensuing days) went out for a morning session, the rest of us hung out, did laundry, and, in my case, worked on my schoolwork... someday I'll get to go on a tour without having homework - not anytime soon, but someday! Then there was a meeting at 11 a.m., but to our surprise the tight five didn't have to go, hence the snack talk. Lunch was followed by headshots. This is always an entertaining process, where you hear phrases such as "does anyone have lip-gloss?", "can someone fix my hair", and "should I put on mascara?" paired with "does anyone have the next size jersey? this one doesn't fit around my arms" and "should I smile or have my game face?"
Sometime between the lunch and the captain's run, the skies decided to open up. There was crazy thunder and lightning and a whole lot of rain. It was looking ominous for our afternoon session, but it managed to clear up just in time. We took advantage rainy, indoor time, and watched the move "Old School", where at one point 20 of the 29 of us were watching - my homework took a backseat.
Right about the time we were supposed to have our captain's run, the sun decided to come back out in full-effect, and with it humidity of the kind I've only seen in Virginia in July. We were sweating buckets. It was pretty disgusting, but we had a solid practice and really got to get through some things at pace, which felt good. Now, we are all just trying to get re-hydrated after losing several water bottles worth of sweat this afternoon (appealing, I know) and waiting for dinner. The jersey ceremony will be tonight...
I've been excited about this trip for a while, and have pondered what it means to be here over the past few days, but I think once that jersey ceremony happens, it'll really sink in. It hasn't been since the 2006 World Cup that we've had the opportunity to have this many test matches in such a short period against such high caliber opponents. This is the type of competition we need to be having regularly, especially as we enter the final year before the 2010 World Cup, so I'm excited to kick it off tomorrow wearing #1 on my back.
Thanks for all your support...
-Jamie Burke
P.S. feel free to leave us questions and comments on our facebook fan page - usa women eagles
Day 2: August 8, 2009
Run Free: One player's transition
Being the former USA Sevens Captain, I have become accustomed to being in charge and prepared all the time. I knew playing for the 15s team would be very different. The team already has experienced leaders and an identity of its own that I must adjust to. I was prepared for this. In one of my first feedback sessions, I was told that the coaches were excited about my Sevens running ability and want me to "run free." With this statement I may have turned from a responsible, ducks in a row leader to a free-wheeling hippie type who thinks that destiny will just take care of me. Uh oh...
First, I walk in casually to the airport thinking I am 2 hours early for my 5:00 pm flight to Toronto. Only to find that I have actually missed check-in by 20 minutes for my 3:30 pm flight. Thank you destiny and the friendly airport staff who put me on another airline, against company policy, to arrive the same night. Upon arrival I am not wearing the man polo like I am supposed be. Apparently that information was emailed out with other meaningless details like where we are meeting and that we need a player declaration form with your birth certificate. I don't have my birth certificate or a toothbrush.
I don't know the plays because I figure I just run free and join when I feel like it. My dress outfit for the banquet consists of pants that are too big and a shirt that is too small. The laundry here is free but my practice jersey will most likely never find the washers.
I hope that destiny stays with me through the England match on Monday. Even if she disappears, thankfully I have 22 more teammates than I am used to, who have my back.
-Christy Ringgenberg
Day 1 - August 7, 2009
The gang's all here! Well almost all of us anyway, as a few stragglers still have to wrap up things like work, law school internships, and other obligations that allow us to be amateur athletes here in the US. Thursday's travel day was the usual: full of delays, lost baggage, long waits for town cars, school buses, or minivans that we shove too many big rugby girls into. We settled into our dorm rooms at Appleby College, which we'll call home for the next 18 days.
Campus life is great so far! We're only about 100 yards from our practice pitch, which is a really well kept field in the middle of a grove of towering trees. Another beautiful feature of our new digs is that we're just about 50 steps from the cafeteria. It's fantastic to be in another country, yet be able to eat food that isn't just a beige blur of slop, but real fruit and vegetables! It's the little things that make us happy. Did we mention that the campus is right on the lake? Some lucky Eagles get to sit on their crunchy plastic bunk bed mattresses and look out at actual nature in all of it's serenity. It sure beats some of the views of previous hotel rooms, as so many just look out onto freeways or parking lots. Secretly, I think we enjoy the close living quarters of dorms more than hotels. Well, except for the communal showers and lack of scheduled daily cleanings.
This morning's training consisted of a new warm-up routine, and a little change up of our individual field positioning. The energy here is flowing, as we're getting more and more familiar with our teammates and styles of play. Although everyone's mind is on World Cup 2010, it's obvious that we came here to get some hard work done, and earn a few W's while we're at it.
Headed out to afternoon training now, where we're promised a lot of contact and hard hitting. You can't really save your bodies much when you're playing 4 international matches in 18 days! We'll do our best to keep you posted on our rugby fun for the next few weeks, but please feel free to post questions or comments for us!
As always, thanks for your support!!!
-Mari Wallace
