VA ODP Girls: 3 Flights, 4 Goals, and the tales of two cities!

Perpignan

No one said it was going to be easy, but the experiences for the 2001 and 1999 girls have been ones they will remember for many more days to come. One of the major themes within VA ODP is that our players focus on the things they can control so that they can deal with any situation that is thrown at them and they certainly have done that over the past 2 days. Both groups have went through travel difficulties but have stuck together to provide the foundations of great team unity. Whether it was flight changes like the 2001 Girls experienced or power outages in Amsterdam for the 1999 girls, they both arrived in Perpignan (France) in good spirits.

As the 1999 girls arrived in Barcelona on Friday they were able to visit the home of FC Barcelona, the Nou Camp. What an experience for them all to taste the home of one of the most history rich clubs in Spain and world soccer. The grand size and character of the stadium is something that words cannot describe so I will not waste your time trying and leave the pictures posted to tell a thousand words. After the tour we got on the bus and travelled to Perpignan, France. Once we arrived we were treated to a wonderful dinner at the hotel and then the girls were ready for bed. In the early hours of the morning on Saturday the 2001 Girls would arrive at the hotel.

In Perpignan we are staying in a centrally located hotel which allows to be in walking distance to the city’s downtown area. The two teams were served breakfast at the hotel and after a team meeting they headed in to the city for a light walk and stretch at the local park. Both teams were in good spirits and enjoyed the charm and character of the small French city. After lunch, at a local Italian restaurant, we packed up and headed to

Montpellier to play our first set of games.

As we arrived at the Montpellier SC training ground we were all impressed by the facilities that we were entering. Montpellier is a top professional club in France, so we were certainly felt privileged to play at such a prestigious club. Before the games Dr. Dan Freigang (US Soccer Sport Psychologist) provided the girls with coping mechanisms to deal with the challenges we were about to face along with reflecting the ones we had overcome thus far. The message was simple to each player and each team, put your hand on the shoulder of your teammate and let them know the “I have your back”. Both teams faced strong opposition and enjoyed the experience of playing against Montpellier. After the game the girls travelled back to the hotel for dinner and were both ready for BED!

VA ODP 2001 vs Montpellier

I would like to say how proud we were of the 2001 Girls who overcome only 5 hours of sleep in 2 days to compete in such a manner against Montpellier. They showed great team unity and togetherness. They never once complained about their travel ordeal and remained positive throughout and provided a spirited performance and were rewarded a positive result for all their efforts.

Tomorrow we train 10am and then head out to visit local towns close to Perpignan.

Thanks

Matt

Results

99 Girls – 4v0 loss

01 Girls – 4v1 win – Emma Kennedy, Megan Bungato, Ellie Wheeler