Day 1 – Rome – Blog by: Mallory Peebles and Sarah Rankin

We arrived in Rome at 2:30 and met with Chad, our AIST tour manager, and Giancarlo, our Italian guide, they will be travelling with us on our trip throughout Italy. We immediately freshened up, exchanged currency, and headed to the city of Rome. The first place we went was the Piazza Navona, where we met our Rome tour guide, Fabio. He then walked us past the House of Senate and we headed toward the Pantheon. The Pantheon is a dome building built by Emperor Adrian. The center of the ceiling has a huge hole, which lets sunlight and rain into the Pantheon, the rainwater is drained through vats in the floor. After the Pantheon we headed to the Trevi Fountain. Everyone throws a coin into the fountain while making a wish, but obviously our wishes have already come true since we’re in Italy. Our last stop is the Coliseum, the arena was absolutely huge and we took many group pictures here. Finally, we head back to dinner at the hotel, with a delicious desert of gelato. We all crashed as soon as we laid down in bed, relieved to sleep but excited to see the Vatican in the morning.

Day  2 – Rome – Blog by: Mallory Peebles and Sarah Rankin

Today we woke up and had breakfast at the hotel, and then dressed for the Vatican. The Vatican requests that everyone dress in clothes which cover knees and shoulders. As we drove into the city everyone enjoyed seeing the sights, because we slept on the bus yesterday. We meet with Fabio again in front of Vatican City, which is the smallest country in the world. Fabio had already gotten our tickets so we didn’t have to wait in any of the very long lines.  The Sistine Chapel, the Vatican museum, and St. Peter’s Basilica are all located inside of Vatican City. We began our tour in the museum which is overwhelming with so many paintings and sculptures, Fabio explained the history and importance of all the art as we walked through. From the museum we made our way to the Sistine Chapel, fortunately Fabio had explained the history of the Sistine Chapel before we entered, because the guards are very particular about too much noise and camera flashes.  Every few minutes the guards enter the chapel and shushed the crowds when they become too loud.  The chapel was absolutely beautiful, and it amazed us that everything was built and painted completely by hand. Our last stop In the Vatican was St. Peters Basilica.  In the Basilica we had 20 minutes to walk about and see all of the dome ceilings, statues, and artwork. Afterwards, we had a couple hours of free time around Rome before we would meet up at the bus. We walked all around Rome and saw the Spanish Steps, the Capitol, ate Italian pizza and went shopping. Now we are heading to Tuscany, a welcome 3 hour ride that allows us to rest our feet after so much walking and touring.

May 5 – 8, 2012

We have been in the Dominican Republic for four days, and have already participated in many fun, unique activities and have witnessed many interesting aspects what life in the Dominican is about.  The outskirts of the city was where we were exposed to how others live in this country.  Seeing all of the trash on the sides of the roads and the poor conditions in which these people live really made me realize how blessed we are to live so well.  We worry about something so small as not having our cell phones for a week while some of the Dominican people don’t even have a solid roof over their heads.  To me this is one of the best experiences I have had on this trip so far because it has opened my eyes to see exactly how blessed we are back home.

    On Sunday, our second day, we took a trip to the market to purchase some souvenirs.  This was a hectic, but also hilarious experience.  Everywhere I went I saw my teammates and their parents trying to bargain for the items they wanted to purchase.  After spending a couple of hours at the market, we took a tour around the city to learn a more about the country’s history.  It was very interesting to learn about the different aspects of the culture here.  I really enjoyed the market because it was an extremely different experience from shopping for name brand clothing at shopping malls in Georgia.  Also, we took a boat trip today (Tuesday) to Sonao Island.  On our way to the island we listened to music and danced around on the boat, which was a lot of fun.  The beach was very calm compared to the beach at our resort, and the water was absolutely gorgeous.  We swam around in the ocean and laid out on the beach for a few hours before coming back to the resort for dinner.  Even though we have only been here for 4 days, it has been an experience that my teammates, coaches, and I will never forget.

Day 5 – Blog by Andrea Cole

May 9, 2012

The day started off early as the team headed to the downtown Santo Domingo area to take on a Dominican team that was compiled of players from various universities. Since tropical weather dumped rain on the city the night before, a change in plans took the group on a pre-game hike. The venue of the excursion was Tres Ojos, an underground cavern filled with pools, tropical plants, and exotic animals. The hike down in the cave was muggy and slippery, but well worth the effort. The pools at the bottom of the cave gave the place its name, The Three Eyes. There were actually four crystalline pools of water, but there was only time to visit three as the fourth pool required a boat ride deep into the caves. On the way up, hikers saw various beautiful plants and vines, as well as an iguana and multiple honey beehives hanging on the cave walls. After the hike, the team arrived at the second field to find a grass infield, bases that resembled pillows strapped to the ground, and a lack of dugouts. The parents had a great view, sitting on a patio with tables and chairs behind the fence. The Lady Vikings got off to a slower start against the Dominican team than the previous day, but remained strong and we preceded to sweep the Dominicans with a final score of 14-1. Because of a stomach bug that swept through the team, the Vikings had a change of starting lineup. Courtney Cauthen started in left field, with Lacey Herring at short, Denice Aleman at second, and Lindsey Campbell as the designated hitter. Courtney Hodges, starting at third base, had a blast that would have been a grand slam on any field with a fence at a reasonable length. Others that posted hits that helped the team were Lacey Herring, Kristen Stoll, Katie Stanford, and Lindsey Campbell. Holly Todd made a few excellent catches in the outfield to keep runners off of the bases. Andrea Cole started the game, pitching three innings, allowing one run. Caillee Shamoun relieved, recording a save and allowing no runs. After the games and pictures with the Dominican girls, the group headed to a restaurant on the beach between Santo Domingo and Capella beach. Boca Marina was a picturesque spot, resembling what one would see on a post card, or on a pamphlet for a travel agency. The restaurant had a bar on the land, but all of the tables were out on a pier that had huts that provided a shady view of the crystalline ocean water. The most interesting detail of the venue was the beds on the end of the pier that allowed customers to lounge and take in the view during or after their meal. The food was excellent and the atmosphere utterly Caribbean. The late lunch was a great way to wind down another busy day of touring and playing softball.

Participants who are traveling with U19 AIST select teams will be required to fill out the form below along with their Parent(s) or Guardian(s).  By filling out the form below, you (the participant) and your Parent(s) or Guardian(s) sign knowingly and willingly and are in agreement with the AIST Alcohol and Drug Policy.    This is a zero tolerance policy and participants will be dismissed immediately from the tour if caught consuming Alcohol or Drugs.  You will receive an email confirmation upon submitting your form.

We thank you for your understanding and look forward to providing an experience of a lifetime for you!

Yours in Sports,

Chad Wilkinson

President – AIST

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Please take your time and fill out this form carefully. Make sure we have the correct contact information and as many details about you as possible.
If you are selected, we will forward you an email to confirm we have a spot avaialble.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Try-Out Information:

Location:

Fox Valley Park
Indian Hill Rd
Goldens Bridge, NY 10526
(upper field)

Time:

Sunday, October 30, 2011 from 9-10:30 AM
Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 9-10:30 AM

Bring soccer ball, shin guards and cleats
$45 registration fee (pay at the field) – Checs made payable to AIST-NY

Paul Griffin will be running the try out along with other AIST scouts to find the best possible candidates for this event which will take place in August of 2012.

Try-Out Information:

Location:
Kellum Gym
887 Kellum Street
Lindenhurst, NY 11757

Time:

Thursday 12/1/2011 6:PM TO 8:PM
Thursday 1/19/2012 6:pM TO 8:PM

Bring your own lunch
Bring your own equipment (glove, bat, helmet, catchers equipment)
$45.00 Registration Fee (pay at the field) – Checks Made Payable to AIST – NY

Northeast Fastpitch Showcase

American International Sports Teams www.aist.us

New Windsor, N.Y. Mt Airy Sports Complex – http://nwrecisfun.com/site/mtairy.asp
- 3 game round robin to single elimination playoff
- Website to place roster and short player profiles up by Dec 1st 2011.
- Website will also address colleges and universities attending.
- Lighted fields(2)
- 4 Fields in Total
- Bathrooms,concession,and playground at complex Hotel and Restaurants
- Listing will be available on website u16, and u18 teams.
- Trophies for 1st and runner up each age group
- Scheduled team stations u16 and u18
- No fee for AIST Select Teams intering the tournament

Cost: $650.00 per team

To hold your space e-mail pgriff52@yahoo.com or complete registration below

If you are not able to attend one of the tryouts above, please register anyway and we will contact youw when the next tryout is available in your area.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Day 1 – Arrival in London:

On the first day, we met the infamous Chad. Running on little sleep, we tried to keep our eyes open as we started our bus tour of London. Despite our efforts, we all managed to fall asleep at some point along the way. Our first stop in London was Madame Tussauds wax museum. As we broke up into different groups we started to explore all that it had to offer. We all got to take pictures with our favorite celebrities and sports figures, including the royal family. The other tourists got the privilege of experiencing our lovely singing and dancing in the X-Factor live booth. Yeah, we don’t only play lacrosse, we are awesome singers too. Some “adventurous” members of our group decided to enter the Scream section of the museum. The adventurous spirit of the group dwindled as we entered, and we sprinted and screamed the entire way through. After the wax museum we hopped back on the bus and ventured off to the Tower of London. Here we saw our first Royal Guards and everyone was quick to snap a picture. We saw many parts of the castle including: the bloody tower; where it is rumored that two princes were murdered, the prison; where we had the opportunity to see the elaborate and beautiful inscriptions the prisoners made in the stone walls and finally the main tower; where we saw the elegant and magnificent crown jewels. We ended our day with a bus ride back to the hostel and a free night to explore our surroundings and mingle with the locals.

Nicole Sockett, Haverford College and Whitney Corby, Corning High School

Day 2 – Game 1 vs. St. Catherine’s and free time to explore:

After a desperately needed good night’s rest, we ate breakfast at the hostel and then boarded the bus. An hour and a half later we arrived at the Surrey Sports Park – a beautiful athletic facility equipped with multiple locker rooms, a myriad of “pitches” (fields), and even a Starbucks. The team began to warm up in a light drizzle which turned into a full out downpour. We played St. Catherine’s School lacrosse team and beat them 18-4, a great way to start the tour. Both teams then had the opportunity to mingle over lunch and learn more about each other’s culture and customs. Another bus ride took us to the center of London to spend the remainder of the day exploring. Some went shopping at Harrods, others wandered around Oxford Street, while some enjoyed Hyde Park. We wrapped up the day with dinner at Auberge, an Italian restaurant, and time at local pubs near the hostel. All in all, a great day.

Gina Lambiase, Baylor School

Day 3 – Games 2-4 and London Eye

We got a goodnights rest at the hostel in London and boarded the bus to get out to the Caterham’s Rugby club. We got to meet our new bus driver, Paul, who turned into our number one fan during the games (the first time he’s ever seen Lacrosse played). We played the three Centex teams back to back. We played white first and they were not the hardest competition but it was neat to play with them and kind of teach them the different things about lacrosse. Our second game was against their red team which is their best team, we were beating them at first but with no subs for us they quickly began to give us a game and the game ended in a tie. The last game was versus their blue team, which actually was a mixture of blue and white players, we had 7 different scorers in the game and a trick shot from Christina. After the games they gave us hamburgers and the team showered and received cute little medals. Playing the English teams was a lot different, it was quite the experience! After the games we went straight to the London eye, which is a giant ferris wheel right on the river Thames and it takes you all the way to the top of London, its right near big ben and the view from the top of it was breathtaking. A few girls had already been on the Eye before so they all went out in London near the eye to grab something to eat and afterwards we all headed back to the hostel to take showers and see what fun we could find in the city outside of our hostel.

Erica Albornoz, Mercyhurst College

August 4th statistics:

Christina Esposito- 10 goals. Controlled the offense the entire game.

Bootman- 3 goals. Did the draws for 50% of the game and won a majority of them herself.

Maggie- 3 goals. Has unbelievable finesse when controlling the ball on offense.

Erica- 1 goal.

Both goalies, Sam and Jess, are amazing and are true leaders on and off the field, and can break down every scenario on defense.

Defense slowed down the fast breaks had by the other team, and worked well together the entire game. This is a promising start to our 10 day tour in England and Ireland!

Miss Devin K. Schmidt

TC Williams High School- Minnie Howard Campus
Health and Physical Education Teacher
Lacrosse Coach

Game 3- Centex Red (their top team)

Scorers:

1. 1. Christina Esposito- 4
2. 2. Maggie- 2
3. 3. Sarah Bootman- 1

Final Score: Tie 8-8

Draw Control: We won 11 out of the 14 draws.

We were tired after the first game, and this Centex team was significantly better than the first team we played. The other team was faster and capitalized on our tiredness. Centex tied the game with 10 seconds left in the game. The girls felt as if a tie is equivalent to a loss.

Game 4 – Centex Blue

Scorers:

1. 1. Christina Esposito- 3
2. 2. Whitney Corby- 1
3. 3. Erica Albornoz- 1
4. 4. Maggie Comisky- 3
5. 5. Liz Anderson- 1
6. 6. Sarah Bootman- 1
7. 7. Nancy Happel- 1

Final Score: 11-3

Draw Control: 65%- won 9 out of the 14

Since it was the third game in a row, I knew the girls were mentally and physical tired. I decided to give the team specific goals to obtain throughout the game and they would earn a prize at the end. Immediately the girls perked up and focused on the goals. A few of our goals were:

1. Have 6 different scorers (we had 7),

2. 70%+ draw control (we had 65%),

3. 1 interception (Liz made it),

4. 1 trick shot (Christina Esposito did a ‘between the legs’ and scored). It was an exciting game. This game was the game that showed us we work well together.

Game 5: In Chester

Scorers:

1. 1. Erica Albornoz- 1
2. 2. Christina Esposito- 4
3. 3. Sarah Bootman- 3
4. 4. Liz Anderson- 1
5. 5. Whitney Corby- 1
6. 6. Maggie Comisky- 1

Final Score: 11-6

Draw Control: 52%- won 9 out of the 17

This was our biggest challenge to date. The other team was a lot more physical and gave us a run for our money. Within the first 5 minutes, a girl from the other team tore her ACL going to goal. We had 6 different scorers, and really capitalized on scoring when we had a fast break. Our goalies were the backbone of our defense, keeping everyone on their toes. Christina Esposito was the leader on offense from the start of the game.

Ali Green

East Stroudsburg University