Family

We got a letter about how we had joined the "Fenton Toyota Honda Volvo of Keene Family"because someone in our family did a test drive. 

It made think of UCWS.  I'd call UCWS a family.  I'd do so for many reasons.  I don't even know if I can elaborate or expand on it, but I think it's true of all athletic teams.  It's a family and you support everyone no matter what. 

We talked about this and athletic teams in our sports management class, and it's when I first got comfortable considering UCWS a family. 

Now I'm not going to go where you think I will with this.  I won't list all the reasons why I think it's a family. 

Instead I'm going to describe what it's like to all of those people who wonder what it is like to travel with a team.  Regular students and fans wonder how you would describe traveling with a team, or even our team. 

It's quite simple.  It's just like traveling with your family. 

Everything revolves around the same basic things.  Food, bathroom, sleep and curing boredom.

What's to eat?

Are we there yet?

When are we going to eat?

Are we there yet?

What's to eat?

What movie should we watch?

Are we stopping for lunch? 

Are we there yet?

Where is the bathroom?

Are we there yet?

Can you change movies?

When are we stopping?

Can we watch the Justin Bieber movie again?

What should I wear to dinner?

Where is dinner?

I think I lost my ID. 

What can I have to eat?

Is there any gatorade?

What time is breakfast?

In many ways traveling with a team is just like traveling with your family.  

It's most fun for the players who get to enjoy one another in different places and don't really have to worry so much about logistics. 

For those who are coaches or staff members it's fun,  (I loved and looked forward to every trip.  The trips are one of the top things I will miss) but it can also be stressful. 

I had very little to do in comparison to our assistant coach when it came to road trips, but I still was able to do enough to walk away with a great appreciation for all of  the work that my parents put into our numerous trips across the country.  I honestly thought my parents were absolutely nuts for wanting to take trips with my sister and I after realizing all that goes into making an itinerary and executing it.  

I understood the stress involved in getting a rental vehicle, overseeing things, figuring out where you are going, making dinner reservations etc.  For Mother's Day I wrote a thank you for her organization of a trip to Florida because I truly understood how much work it took to make everything happen.