For the fourth time in the last 10 years, Wittenberg Volleyball Head Coach Paco Labrador led his nationally ranked squad on an offseason training trip to his ancestral home of Spain.
Eleven current Tiger players, Labrador, assistant coach Amy Cox ’10, certified athletic trainer Molly Hopkins and student assistant coach Evan Amstutz ‘13 made the most of a 2013 excursion that spanned 13 days in May and June. The Tigers played five matches against semi-pro teams, a club team and the Spanish junior national team, while also taking part in a wide variety of educational opportunities and cultural experiences.
The travel group was exposed to different kinds of food, customs and traditions, in addition to sightseeing trips to such sites as El Prado Museum in Madrid, the Roman Cathedral in Toledo and the famous Alcazar of Segovia. Labrador’s father, who resides in Spain, led the group on some of the tours.
“The team made the most of every waking moment in Spain,” said Labrador, who has a 323-46 record in 10 years at the helm of the program, including a phenomenal 122-2 mark in North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular season play. “They really absorbed the culture and approached each new experience with an open mind.
“The competition was tough, and I feel like each player emerged from this experience knowing more about our collective strengths and where we need to focus our attention leading up to next fall.”
The team hosted Junior Olympic tournaments and clinics during the spring semester to raise money for the trip, which has become a tradition during Labrador’s run as Wittenberg's head coach. He says the opportunity to study and compete abroad builds team unity, provides valuable playing experience against top-level competition, and provides an invaluable opportunity for student-athletes to experience a different culture.
“Last fall, we had a lot of freshmen who saw extensive playing time,” said Labrador, who has five starters returning in 2013 after the Tigers finished 27-5 a year ago. “They have matured during the spring, and this is a great way to cap the non-traditional season and create momentum for the upcoming 2013 season. This is the ultimate road trip, and hopefully it will bring our team closer together while giving them an opportunity to continue to improve.”
Written By: Ryan Maurer
In Their Own Words:
“It was the experience of a lifetime to travel with my team and get to play and learn together in a beautiful new place.”
-Haley Mucha ‘16
“Spain was such an unbelievable experience. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip to have with our team. Not only did we learn a lot on the court, but we were able to take away so much more about the Spanish culture. It was a great time to bond and grow as a family and I would go back in a heartbeat if I had the chance.”
-Melissa Emming ‘16
“It was unbelievable! All of the cities we visited were unique, so we were able to experience many different sides of the culture. It was also cool to talk with the Spanish teams and learn about their volleyball system.”
-Kara Seidenstricker ‘16
“I loved looking at the castles and sight-seeing; everywhere you go in Spain the colors are vibrant and beautiful. The food was absolutely amazing too, even though I had no idea what I was eating most of the time. My favorite part of the trip was all the time I got to spend bonding with our team, and getting to know the girls on the Spanish volleyball teams.”
-Meghan Vodopich ‘15
“Words can’t even describe how awesome our experience in Spain was. It was incredible to see such rich history in every single city we went to and to get to participate in such a different culture. It was also really cool seeing how the Spanish teams played versus our style of volleyball.”
-Andrea Behling ‘14