Soccer Blog From Peru - No. 1 - Creighton University Athletics

For most collegiate soccer players, a trip to the NCAA tournament is something that will be ingrained in their memories and held close to their hearts. As a sophomore at Creighton I have been to two NCAA tournaments; making the quarterfinals last year and then losing to the eventual National Champion. It is important to realize that this is not an attempt to sound ostentatious because I do not take the NCAA tournament for granted. But, from a much broader perspective, the cultural and personal development that can take place while in a foreign country is unrivaled by any other experience. Luckily for 18 other Creighton soccer players and myself, we have landed in Lima, Peru at Club de Regatas where we will stay for 10 days in an attempt to win all four of our matches against professional Peruvian teams from the 1^st division while still remaining true to the objective of learning about another culture and different way of life.

This journey did not start today, May 21. 2009. Instead, it started 10 days ago when the school year ended and the team was asked to stay and train in preparation for the trip. Although we have not yet played a match, the progress that the team has made in these 10 days both from a soccer standpoint and a team dynamic is remarkable. Over this week and a few days the team became a cohesive unit that will hopefully produce an “unbelievable” trip.

Preseason Peru

May 11, 2009- We arrive at training at 8:30 a.m. and you can sense that everyone is a bit on edge and worried about what the coaches have in store for us. After all, we had two weeks off prior to the pre-trip camp and a majority of our free-time was taken up by studying. Luckily our fears did not come to fruition and we had a solid training session that allowed everyone to get needed touches on the ball. It was our first day back and we realized as a group that there was some work needed to be done in order to achieve our goal of victory in Peru. Later that day we had another practice that was more focused on soccer and tactical awareness.

I do not want to bore you with every practice and drill that we went through in these 10 days as that would be counterproductive to my essential point of introducing the reader to our journey. However, there was one instance in which I felt like the team became a cohesive unit and formed to become a band of brothers. It was not off the field at a party, in a restaurant, or during a film session; it was where we all find ourselves everyday striving to be the best, it was on the soccer field.

The stadium wasn't available as it was currently being used for Nebraska High School State Championships. Our alternative was to go to the “newly groomed” field behind McDonalds where many previous Creighton teams called home. The new generation of Creighton soccer players say it's more of a motel. Ironically, our opinions and values become much different after training on this field because it makes us realize the good fortune that we have everyday by being able to play on a perfect field in a perfect stadium. This combination of young athletes on an old pitch was inspirational.

We were done with our second practice of the day and it was time to do what most athletes all need, but all loathe; fitness. Usually the coaches come up with certain runs or types of drills that will enhance our endurance, but this time was a bit different. In order to step on this practice field you had to walk down a small hill where at the base, it connected to the pitch. Well, this hill was actually the main structure of the fitness work. Coach Warming set up a few cones about six or seven yards up the hill where we had to run up and down them in a relay race. The running wasn't exhausting or taxing on the body but it was good for our legs. After about three runs Coach allowed us to pick our own death; we could become the architects of our own demise. What I mean by this is that we chose what type of fitness to run. Often in situations like this teams will “back out” or choose something that is easy because they are now in control. However, at this moment, Chris Schuler and Seth Sinovic decided that seven yards up a hill was something elementary. Instead, they chose to run up the entire 25 yard hill and back down...three times. For some comedic effect, Jeff Thayer was first for one of the relay teams and he was running so fast up the hill that he slipped at the top and got his foot caught under the fence. Jeff was laying there half giggling and half in pain. We figured that a tough guy like this would find his way out of trouble. The only problem was, Jeff was actually severely caught in the fence and told us to stop laughing at him as he was in some recognizable pain. Finally, some of us “jogged” up the hill and helped him get out of his situation. Although this moment may seem inconsequential to the entire process of running, it gave the team a good laugh. Now that I am done digressing I can continue speaking about our inspirational moment. After this run a majority of the team was fairly tired and felt like that might be it. Instead, we continued to run and come up with new and creative drills. After another 15 minutes of hill running we decided that something more long distance would be beneficial. As a result, we chose to run a relay where each person ran 480 yards. This race put a cap on the day as we were all fairly exhausted and ready to have a cool down stretch. The reason I consider this the most influential moment of the ten days is because we took it upon ourselves as a team and a cohesive unit to better ourselves. The easiest thing for athletes to do is quit; the hardest thing is to continue. The team not only continued under the guidance of our leaders but we also made long strides of progress.

May 21, 2009- Today we are leaving for Peru on Continental Airlines, stopping in Houston, and reaching our final destination of Lima, Peru. As soon as we land, I look outside and I see every employee wearing masks. At first I am curious, but once that subsides a bit of fear creeps up on me. I realize that they are wearing these masks in prevention of obtaining swine flu. “I thought this was only something I see on the news, never up close and personal.” The doors to the plane opens and before any of us can exit, health inspectors enter with masks on and walk down the aisles, entertaining us by staring at us and judging whether we are sick and need to be quarantined. At this time others and I are doing our best not to cough and look as healthy and young as possible. I felt like it was a reenactment of Nazi Germany, on a much much smaller scale, experiencing what it was like to be chosen to live another day or see your last. In fact, one of my teammates, Kyle Deremer, was the chosen one. A young woman said something to him in Spanish, but with the mask on and in such a quick manner, he had no idea what was said. So his only reply was something a universal language...no. She didn't feel like that was a suitable response, so she put what appeared to be a thermometer on his forehead. It beeped green and she said, “Gracias.” Kyle felt a large wave of relief afterwards...don't worry folks, he is sitting right next to me and in fine condition. Anyway, we are all fit athletes so we passed with flying colors. Once we got off the plane and out of the airport, we boarded a bus that took us from the outskirts of Lima, into the city and the Regatas club. On the way, we are able to see downtown Lima and the infrastructure that was so different from the United States. It was obvious that the city wasn't designed as they are in the US. Some buildings stuck out more than others, they were all different shapes and sizes, and although they did not look old, there was an indigenous feel to the brick that was used to found a majority of the buildings. If Lima sounds outdated and obsolete then my explanation is poor. All I am trying to describe is that the style of buildings and roads were of a different world to me. Not one being better than the other, but just enough to comment about.

To compliment the journey, there was one part in particular that really encapsulated the two different worlds. We were stopped at a red light and there was what seemed to be a local bus next to us. In it, there was not one person of Caucasian decent. In ours, a majority of the team was European American. One man was staring at me as I was staring back at him and all I could think of was an indie art film that was bringing two worlds together to unite for something great. Hopefully this trip will do so.

Finally we reach the resort, it is pitch black outside, but I have that familiar smell of the Pacific Ocean sting my nostrils, the water smells the same in Peru and in California. Everyone looks to the right and we see the ocean in its finest hour; when it is calm and tranquil while the waves are softly crashing on the shore. I would love to tell you what the ocean looks like during the day, but that is for another teammate to describe to you, as my job here is done.

Soccer Blog From Peru - No. 1

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Kyle Deremer

Chris Schuler

Seth Sinovic

Jeff Thayer

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