The team at one of our clinics with 2 male Argentinean national team players.

The crowd at the soccer game.

Our team at the soccer game.

Hello everyone!

 We all made it back safely to JFK on Friday morning. The team dispersed from the airport and went their separate ways back home. The trip was a huge success! Thank you for following our trip through this blog. We hope to see you at one of our games this fall.

Here are some pics from the last couple of days.

View photos from our trip on Flickr.

Yesterday, we suffered our first defeat against the La Universidad de Los Buenos Aires. This was by far the best team we faced while in Argentina and we were all very sore and tired. Despite our crushing loss, we managed to join the Argentinian super fans in cheering on River Plate at the Buenos Aires Futbol stadium. After the game, we mingled with the locals as we waited for the fans of the visiting team to safetly vacate the premises in order to avoid any riots that are common at such events. It has been a wonderful trip, now that our soreness is dissipating, we are looking forward to getting back to familiar ground, food, and faces. Hopefully this trip will set the tone for the season so we can lay our own crushing defeats on Skidmore, Union and St. Lawrence.

Buenas Noches Buenos Aires.
Can't wait to see you tomorrow America!

Caitlin, Colleen, y Maria (Mary)

Hola from Argentina!
Today was action-packed. We had a very productive field hockey clinic this morning with extremely talented and experienced MALE instructors. We practiced some new shots on goal. The instructors made these drills look easy, not to mention they looked great demonstrating as well (haha).

After practice we visited a community center in an impoverished area outside of Buenos Aires. It was a great feeling to look at the room that we filled with bags of clothing donations brought from back home. The volunteers and children at the center were very grateful. Not only does the center provide a safe and nurturing environment for children, but also teaches women valuable skills such as sewing and cooking so that they can provide for their families.

Tonight we played our third game against the most difficult team thus far. Victory was ours once again! It was a very fast-paced game, but Hamilton came out with a 2 to 1 win. After the game they treated us to some delicious empanadas in their gorgeous clubhouse. Plans for our own field hockey clubhouse at Hamilton are in the works...start fundraising?!

Tomorrow is our last practice and match. We're SO EXCITED to go to a professional futbol game after our field hockey game. We hear the games get pretty rowdy, so it will be quite the experience.

Can't believe our week is almost over....wish we could stay longer! See you soon!!!

Signing off,
Carly Andrascik, Holly Rodiger, and Kristina Zambelli

Today the field hockey team experienced the rustic life of Argentinian gauchos. We awoke to thunderstorms and wind, which had the unfortunate effect of blowing shinguards off of the balcony and into the wild streets/ pigeon farms of Buenios Aires. Upon arrival at the ranch we were greeted with delicious empanadas, which were greatly needed due to the arctic winds still blowing upon the tired team. We trooped out in our matching outfits of jeans, sneakers, and blue field hockey jackets to the horse stables. Looking at the wild-eyed ones carefully, we tried to lobby for the perkiest/most promising looking ponies. After mounting our gallant steeds, and posing for photos, we rode around the ranch. Some of the horses lacked ambition and were perfectly happy to stay at the back of the pack. Other younger horses jockeyed for the front. The good looking gauchos were a plus. This one old we nicknamed "Papi" loved the ladies, especially Coach. She secretly enjoyed it and blushed.

Later in the afternoon we all felt 10 pounds heavier after consuming mass quantities of steak, chicken, ribs, and blood sausage (we don´t suggest you try this). A lively accordion player serenaded us with various waltzes and polkas. Caitlin was lucky enough to get a dance with Papi, which all of the girls were envious of (but none more so than Coach). The Allens showcased their amazing Canadian polka skills, and Mr. Carter whisked Mrs. Allen away for a quick two-step.

Afterwards we watched the gaucho skill exposition, showcasing their fantastic horse herding techniques and doling out kisses to many lucky ladies.

Tomorrow we have more field hockey. The sightseeing is over, unfortunately, and now we have to practice what we came here for. Wish us luck, as many of us are still sore from Friday.

-Erin McNally, Erin Bessette-Kirton, Kay Bossler

View more photos from the trip on Flickr

The field hockey team has experienced so much in such a few days. Our first practice went terrific. An Argentinian field hockey coach showed the team some new drills and tricks that will make our opponents very confused. Coach McDonald told the team that the Argentinian coach had a good feeling about the Hamilton team so threw in a few extra drills but the team is convinced that Coach managed to sneak in her favorite drill into our session.

After the wonderful practice, the whole group boarded our favorite bus and experienced "Paris of South America" from the top viewing windows of our bus guided by and Argentinian. The city tour had a few stops that were great photo opportunities (especially of the third most important cementary in the world that looks like a small European town within Argentina).

Hamilton field hockey´s first international game was a success. Before the game began the opposing team greeted us with kisses. We were still friends after the game ended where some players traded Hamilton sweatshirts with the others' club sweatshirts. Our host team prepared a wonderful meal where we learned about each other. (Mr. Spangnolo now has some ideas how for our tailgates in the fall...)

No one left the Recoltea markets empty handed yesterday. Everyone learned and practiced all the spanish needed to survive in a market. Si, no, meños (less), hola, gracias... (I don't think Mr. Allen needed his spanish dictionary yesterday.)

Argentinians are even teaching the team how to work together on the dance floor. As a group we had dinner at a tango club where we had lessons on how to master the tango. Caitlin and Kay have it down perfect... others not so much.

-Sarah Flisnik

Team picture during city tour.

Amy Allen and Marisa Spagnolo posing with their new proctective masks to wear on penalty corners,
these team from Beunos Aires can really hit the ball hard!

Shaking hands and greeting our opponents.

Our next games are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We usually play at night around 7 or 8. We played at the Club Centro naval.

After a long delay at JFK airport we finally started our journey to Argentina. We arrived safe and sound, a little tired and somewhat late. Somehow Flis, Zambi, and Caitlin managed to sleep for almost the entire 11 hours. The flight was long and cramped so we were relieved to have the most comfortable bus imaginable pick us up from the airport. There have been many ideas about how to add the bus to the Clinton region but none seem feasible yet. However, currently a prolonged road trip seems to be our most popular answer (we learned today that Buenos Aires is about 4500 miles from the coast of Florida so if we drive we could make it back by the end of our season...).

We arrived at our hotel and had free time to wander the surrounding neighborhoods. Most people walked to the nearby mall to grab some food and explore the area a bit before wandering through the park nearby. Caitlin has taken to admiring stray cats from just a little too close while Mary, Bray, and the Allens try to learn some Spanish. We went to an Argentinian steak house/ grill for dinner with delicious (and very large) steaks and grilled chicken. The parents report that the wine was delicious as was the food! Tomorrow we have our first practice and games which seem daunting after so little sleep last night. Hopefully we will be a little more awake at that point!

Bye and good night!

-Meghan Carter

We are off on our way. Everyone made it safely to the airport and it was a breeze checking in and going through security. We are just about to get on the plane. Next stop Argentina:-)