RICHMOND, Va. - For the first time in program history, VCU Men's Soccer has taken their game overseas, and headed to Costa Rica from June 30 until July 12. Each day, this blog will expand by an entry and share their daily experiences.
For daily updates and photos please visit here or see below...
Thursday, June 30
Pura Vida Ram Nation! Greetings from San Jose Costa Rica. We have just arrived after a long day of travel and had our first Costa Rican meal. We have a busy day ahead tomorrow of touring and our first training session, but one of the guys can tell you all about that tomorrow night. I'm here to take you through the last 10 days as we prepared for this trip in Richmond and what this international tour is all about.
First, I want to say thank you to the athletic department and the donors who helped to make this trip possible. We have been working towards this trip since 2010 and are unbelievably excited that it is finally here.
Once every four years, the NCAA allows college athletic programs to take an international trip. For a sport like ours, it's incredibly significant. Each year when the fall sports return, we have only 21 practice opportunities (two a day) to prepare for the new season. So in just over 10 days, we try to put together the team that you see playing at Sports Backers stadium on game day.
Once the games begin, there are almost no training days for the kids who play a lot during the fall. With 2-3 games a week, it's really about recovering from the last game and physically preparing for the next one. I would say on average, we get one good training day a week maximum. Therefore, so much of our team in the fall is built in the winter and spring. Needless to say, an extra month in the summer with additional training and games is vitally important.
Off the field, all of our student athlete's days are filled with an enormous amount of activity. A typical day in life of a player on our team goes from around 6:30am-9:30 pm. So sometimes, you aren't able to accomplish as many extra things as you would like to help them, because there just aren't enough hours in the day. That's been another great part of this trip.
We had 10 days here in Richmond as we prepared for the trip and we were able to add some programing such as daily nutrition and physical preparation sessions with our trainer James Benzel and our strength coach Guil Moreira. We were also able to bring in some different speakers to chat with the guys. I'd like to give a special thanks to Steve Zakuani and Marine Corps Captain William Yarborough for their time with our team and their inspirational messages.
We have a lot more planned for the trip, including 6 games in 12 days against youth national teams and professional teams in their preseason preparations as well as some cultural sightseeing and some time with some of our Costa Rican friends. Those who are interested, can read all about our journey each day in this online blog.
Hasta luego!
- Head Coach David Giffard
Friday, July 1
The alarm clock rang aloud begging for the three of us to get up and begin our first full day in Costa Rica. Lyndsey, RJ and I lethargically wandered down the hall towards the breakfast area to join the coaching staff and our teammates. I must say this is the first time I’ve ever eaten rice and beans for breakfast…and it was fantastic.
Following breakfast the team met on the bus to start the day with a quick tour of San Jose. The mountainous terrain and chaotic, yet amusing traffic within the city proved to capture the entire team’s attention. A few notable sites we drove past include the University, the City Square, the National Theater of Costa Rica and the Supreme Tribunal of Elections building. The latter on that list as explained by our guide here is important tot he political infrastructure here in Costa Rica and maintains order within the other 3 branches of government.
Subsequent to our brief tour, we exited the bus and were given around thirty minutes to explore the central market of San Jose. I couldn't resist the urge of buying myself a local jersey from one of the athletic shops along the street. We then joined together again for a quality meal where I decided to order pasta with meat sauce. It was a lighter lunch because we had training immediately after.
We arrived at a second division professional team’s stadium, which is where we would train for the afternoon. In the backdrop of the stadium stood the mountains and volcanos, making the training session that much better. Our strength and conditioning coach along with our trainer put us through an intense warmup to loosen up our legs.
We then got right into it getting touches on the ball and playing a few fun games throughout the session. I of course won the final game of knockout (juggling game), so I am currently the reigning champion. Sorry. By the time we left the stadium and arrived back at the hotel the whole group was exhausted.
Our first day was a major success and I look forward to playing in our first game tomorrow! We are all super grateful to the athletic department and all those who helped assist in making this trip a reality for us. It is truly surreal that kicking a futbol has led us to an international trip and we promise to return to Richmond a better and more focused team.
Hasta Luego!
- Eli Lockaby
Saturday, July 2
Game day! There is no better feeling than waking up in the morning knowing you get to play the beautiful game of soccer. This morning I decided to wake up my two roommates Steven and Luc with some hype music by the rapper Future. Of course, Steven, the early bird of the room was already coming back from breakfast so he didn't get the pleasure of waking up to it but got into as soon as he walked in. The preparation in the morning is something I always look forward to. Making sure the boots and jerseys are all pristine and ready for kickoff.
The trip to the game began quiet. Max, our tour guide asked, "It's awfully quiet for a team getting ready for a game." The team response was pinpoint accurate, "We are getting in the zone."
A number of my teammates yelled out sporadically and it was true. We didn't know the competition, we didn't have any friends on the other team, this was about to be a very new experience for us. When we walked into the lock room the t vibe immediately changed. Music started to be blasted Lyndsey and Brandon were doing some sort of dance.. I'm not really quite sure what it is but the energy was flowing. Nerves seemed to have been masked by the excitement to play and I could tell the team was ready for challenge at hand.
The game ended in a 2-0 victory for the Rams! For our first outing in Costa Rica it went how I thought it would. We learned a lot about ourselves in our first game of what really is preseason for the fall. We excelled in places we have worked hard in and struggled in a few areas as well but that's what this trip is for to prepare for the fall. On a personal note in the game I clocked in at 18.9 mph which is a team record and also up there with a couple of soccer super stars. the reason I say this is because Guil, our strength and conditioning trainer, and James, our medical trainer, have worked tirelessly to help us remain healthy and fit to play.
The team was very quick to shower and get to lunch because the Euro Quarterfinal game between soccer powerhouses Germany and Italy were playing. Having such a diverse team is truly an honor and creates a lot of "healthy" little rivalries when games like this come up. The game ended up going into penalty kicks where unfortunately for my Italian friend Cesco was quite upset while Greggy, Jason, and Rahim rejoiced together. We ate at La Princesa Marina, a seafood place very close to our next tour site of the National Stadium of Costa Rica. The stadium holds around 38,000 people and when we were there it was getting groomed for the Costa Rica National Games that start in couple of weeks. One fact I learned from the stadium is that it was part of a business deal between China and Costa Rica. If Costa Rica would open up trade and being relations with China then they would pay for a new national stadium.
Our site seeing was done for the day because game two out of six is tomorrow morning at 8am and we needed to get back and rest up. Majority of the team was in and out of James and Guils rooms getting treatment and doing recovery so that tomorrow we can continue to be at our peak performance. Now it's time to get the legs up watch some Netflix and get a goods night sleep for game number two!
Hasta Luego
Dakota Barnathan, #8
Sunday, July 3
This morning, the alarm was set at 5:45. As Max, our guide, told us: Costa Rican usually wake up that early so why not us? Indeed, here the sun comes up at around 5 30 and goes down by 6 pm. After a good breakfast highlighted for me with some papaya, we headed toward the stadium for our second game of the trip at 8am.
For me, no game today. This was Joe’s turn since I played the all 90 minutes in goal yesterday. From the bench, I assisted to a good game that we won 3-0 against a group of players preparing for a tournament is Sweden. We scored an early goal by Jorge and maintain our control on the game until the end not letting our opponent get a single chance to score. Luc and Dakota added two other goals. The best way to make coach happy! That second win and the progression in our performance is important for our confidence as the level of the competition will improve progressively during the trip.
After the game, we drove for about 1h 30 to get to the pacific coast of Costa-Rica. During that time, Max told us a lot about the history of his country. We learned for example that Costa-Rica does not have any army since 1948. For lunch, we had to cross a particular bridge to get to the restaurant. That was impressive. A few feet under us… 25 to 30 massive crocodiles! After lunch, we headed to our hotel situated right next to the beach and the jungle. For Steven and I, that ride was all about the Euro 2016 game France-Iceland that was going on. After a 5-2 win, we could exult. We are in semi-final!
Then, arrived at the hotel, we all went to the beach to get in the water and play with the ball. The view there is wonderful, a postcard picture. Before diner, we also spent some time playing baby-foot and ping-pong. We ate in a restaurant of the hotel and got to try fried yuka and tres leches. Today was another really good day for us as we improved on the field and got to see a new part of this Costa-Rica. I can’t wait for the next few day to explore the jungle and play some more games. I finally wanted to personally and for the team thanks the people that have made that trip possible.
Hasta la proxima!
- Pierre Gardan
Monday, July 4
Last night really set the perfect tone for today's events! A couple of the guys and I went out to the beach at night and were amazed with what we were greeted with in the sky. With no city lights to obstruct the view we were able to see a rare abundance of stars in the night sky. Coming from an area back home close to the beach, it was safe to say I had never seen a sky as decorated as the one I saw here in Costa Rica. Our night came to an end when a pack of raccoons came to join us. We all figured it was best to leave the beach to them to avoid any sort of scuffle with their pack.
This morning Cedric and I were woken by the sound of rainfall which signaled it was time to head to breakfast. I know for a fact that Eli was disappointed with the layout this morning that consisted of the signature rice and beans plate. Before coming to Costa Rica I never would have thought rice and beans could make the cut for a breakfast entree.
After breakfast, we all caught the shuttle bus which took us over to la playa Blanca where we saw a portion of the beach that blew what we had previously seen out of the water. The rain held off perfectly for us. The sky and the water were equally as clear. We all explored the beautiful landscape that payed before us. I was even lucky enough to find and get a taste of coconut.
Shortly after returning from the beach we ate lunch then showered as quick as we all could. Our next stop on today's journey was to explore the trails of the jungle. Although I'm not necessarily a huge fan of bugs this was an exploration I couldn't pass up on. As we climbed through the rain forest there was plenty of jokes played between the guys in attempts to frighten the group (Steven especially). This didn't go particularly well with me due to my paranoia of getting attacked by some unknown forest creature. We were extremely lucky enough to get a sight of several spider monkeys leaping tree to tree overhead. Max, our tour guide, noted this was an especially rare occurrence.
Following our expedition dinner quickly came around. Dinner was held in a buffet fashion which is perfect for a group featuring some of the quickest and largest plate cleaners around (Pierre Gardan). After dinner there was no room for star gazing tonight as we have a early morning game which has the bus pulling out at 6am. Another game tomorrow to make some key improvements as a group.
"Hasta mañana"
- Brandon Eaton
Tuesday, July 5
Awoken by the sound of my alarm at 5:30 am, I quickly grabbed my phone and turned off the remaining alarms. Despite the warmth of the blankets in our freezing room, I knew it was time to get up and get the day started. My roommate Eli and I both took showers in preparation for the day ahead. We had a game to get ready for and were on a very tight schedule. Our bus was leaving at 6 am to head back into the city of San Jose for our next game. City traffic around San Jose was quite bad and added at least 30 minutes to our trip.
Upon our arrival to the national training center, the team was amazed at what we were approaching. This facility is used by all the national teams; youth and senior teams, male and female. It takes my breath away to know that I was walking on the same grass as players such as Keylor Navas, Joel Campbell, and Bryan Ruiz. Joel Campbell plays for my favorite football team, Arsenal. Although our preparations were not as uniform and smooth as we would have liked, we got ourselves warmed up and prepared to play against the U-17 Costa Rican national team.
It was an awesome experience for all of us. It is not everyday that you can say to your friends and family that you were able to play against a national team. I am truly honored and humbled by the experience. Despite the heat and our team struggling a bit to adapt to the altitude conditions, our team was able to squeeze out a narrow 2-1 victory. Steven dal Molin put us ahead early in the second half through a penalty kick, then Luc Fatton clawed back the lead later on.
After the game was finished we quickly changed and got back on the bus to head back to our hotel on the beach. Much to our surprise, the restaurant we ate at for lunch was right around the corner of our resort. The place was called Los Chanchitos. Thankfully we ordered ahead so the food came out shortly after we arrived. As all the meals have been, the food was again delicious. Rice, beans, plantains, salad, and the choice of beef or pork tenderloin. After a little bit of rest time at the hotel, some of the guys headed down to the beach to try and soak up our atmosphere one last time.
Unfortunately when we got down to the beach most of the waves had stopped and the clouds covered the sun. However, we weren’t going to let that dampen our moods. We instead moved over to the Ping- Pong and Foosball tables after a short while on the beach. Let’s just say it got a little competitive! Joe Gonnella, Rahim Costa-Dorsey and Pierre Gardan fought it out for the title of Ping-Pong champion. I personally stuck to the Foosball table and got a couple of wins there. While playing, our games were interrupted by a peculiar object. In the corner of our eyes we noticed an iguana nested above us on the roof. All of us were intrigued at how close we were to it.
Tonight at dinner the restaurant offered rice, lentils, vegetables, stuffing, beef, and chicken. When I went back for seconds I recognized a create your own pasta station. In my pasta I chose to put calamari and octopus. I’ve personally never had octopus before tonight, so I was hesitant to try such a unique food. I can safely say though, that it was actually pretty good! We wrapped up the night by taking a walk to the beach.
On the sand we recognized some hermit crabs. When we were all taking pictures, a crab ran right by Cesco’s foot. Like anyone would he kind of screamed as he was not expecting it. This caused us all to laugh. As we ventured further along the coast of the ocean, we saw eyes piercing at us from a distance in a tree. Our flashlights revealed the animal to be a lemur. It was so cool to see one up close in person, and it seemed so comfortable around humans.
By the time we started heading back to our rooms, the clouds had subsided and the stars in the sky had finally become visible. It was a great view and an image that will last in the memory for a long time. Half way through our trip and we have already had some unforgettable moments. I honestly can’t wait for what Costa Rica has to offer us next. Tomorrow we head to the national park and another beach. Our tour guide, Max, rates this beach as the second best in all of Central America! Pretty exciting stuff.
Hasta Luego!
- Greg Boehme
Wednesday, July 6
The plan for the day was fairly simple – wake up, eat breakfast, leave Punta Leona, go to a national park and beach, and finally leave for the hotel in San Jose. However, the day was nothing sort of amazing and was filled with wonderful and unique experiences. Since we did not have a game today, we got to sleep in until a super late 7:30!
For me, waking up at 7:30 in the US is early. But here in Costa Rica, the day starts at 6. The sun rises and sets earlier here so it is the best way to utilize the sunlight. But back to our day. I packed all my belongings the night before so I did not have to do it in the morning. I am not always the most organized person so I was quite pleased with myself.
Now this is where the fun experiences begin. On our way to breakfast, I got my first look of the capuchin monkey. A group of us were about five to ten yards away from the two monkeys in the branches. We were all taking pictures and videos, but then the closest monkey suddenly jumped forward onto another branch right in front of us. Each of us hurriedly leaped back a couple feet. Our tour guide, Max, said that they are notorious for stealing stuff, whether it was food or even phones, so we did not want to take any chances. After bravely and speedily walking past the monkeys, with each of us keeping at least one eye on them, we made it to breakfast. Breakfast was once again a high quality meal. I believe it was my sixth consecutive day with rice and beans for breakfast, which is a new record for me, but I love and appreciate all the great food.
After an hour and a half bus ride, we finally made it to the national park. This was definitely the highlight of our day. The national park is about a mile long trail through the rain forest, ultimately leading into the beach. Max is an excellent guide and knows so much about nature and all the animals in the rain forest. We were all super excited to possibly see sloths, birds, insects, and even snakes in their natural environments. I was a little scared to see a snake to be honest though, and sure enough, the first animal we spotted was a little, venomous snake called the eyelash viper.
The snake was just curled up in a branch, but we still did not get too close. The next two animals we saw were both sloths, which I was especially excited to see. These sloths were a little smaller than I imagined, but they were still amazing to see. I knew sloths moved slowly, but I did not realize how slow. The male sloth was actually funny to watch. He must have had an inch that would not go away; he just kept scratching his back, armpit, and butt.
When we got to the beach, which Max said was the second most beautiful beach in all of Central America, we were not allowed in because a crocodile from a nearby swamp made its way into the ocean. That was disappointing, but luckily for us, there was another beach close by. The water was so warm. I could have stayed in there for hours. However, we could only stay in the ocean for a little because we had to get to lunch at 12:45.
Now for one of the coolest moments of the day. Greg and I were walking back from the beach, and we ran into a family who were big fans of VCU soccer! I was wearing a VCU shirt, so that is how they noticed us. They told us that they come to all of our home games, and it was just a really awesome moment. This shows how small the world is but how big our VCU family is. These moments were definitely some of my best experiences here so far. For the rest of the day, we had a very long bus ride – traffic is especially bad here – back to the hotel. We stopped to shop a little, and my teammates and I got some gifts for our families. Once we got to the hotel, we had another fantastic dinner.
We all really appreciate this great opportunity VCU and our coaches have given us and are trying to make the most of it. Now it is time to rest up. We have a game tomorrow so wish us luck.
Pura Vida
- Joseph Gonnella
Thursday, July 7
This morning I woke up with my new roommate Jason. After sharing rooms with Dakota and Luc, the coaches decided to put a Frenchman and a German together right before the Euro 2016 Semifinal between France and Germany… Was it on purpose? We will never know… We both woke up at 7, showered, and headed downstairs for another tasty breakfast! Following breakfast, we then left the hotel at 8 to play our fourth game.
This game was a level higher than the previous opponents we played. We played the professional team Belen that finished 3 rd in the Costa Rican first league. Even if it was a game we were in the most control of, we payed from the small details that we did not take care of. We had a lot of chances, but we were never able to find the net, whereas our opponents who only had a few chances, scored almost every time. Eventually the game ended with a rough score of 3-0.
So this was our first loss on this trip, however, as Coach Giffard said after the game, a lot of lessons to learn from it. That is the purpose of this trip. Asking ourselves questions and taking advantage of those games to come back stronger for preseason and the fall. It was an amazing experience to compete against a professional team. There are not many college teams who get the privilege to do so. I believe that everybody on the team is aware of the opportunity we have been given. We are all thankful to all the people behind the scenes that made this trip become a reality.
After the game, I have to admit that I was stressed… Because the Euro Semifinal that I mentioned before, was starting. Pierre and I (French), and Rahim, Jason and Greg (German) hurried to go back to the bus to watch the game! We then went to a nice restaurant who thankfully had a TV with the game on. As always, it was delicious! I personally had some pork with… RICE AND BEANS! I have to be honest, I think we ate in less than 10 minutes, and then everybody was focused on the game. 2-0! Antoine Greizmann twice! (“Even though they were lucky” - Jason) Ready for the final on Sunday against Portugal. ALLEZ LES BLEUS!
So we now are back in San José until the end of this trip. With some of the boys we did a regeneration session and focused on contrast bath: 10 minutes in the hot tub, and 10 minutes in the (very) cold pool at our hotel. 7.30, time to have another amazing dinner. After that, Netflix for some, Spanish TV for others, and a good night to sleep before an exciting day that is waiting for us tomorrow. Zip lining, visiting a volcano and waterfalls… Can’t wait!!
-Pura Vida-
- Steven Dal Molin #4 / Frenchie 2.0
Friday, July 8
I am lucky enough to write about what was possibly the most exciting and eventful day we have had on this unbelievable trip.
I woke up around 6:45 and made my way to breakfast. By now I know what I’m getting: rice, eggs, and easily the best pineapple I have ever tasted. I got onto the bus at 7:15 and immediately knew it was going to be a great day when I saw Joe Gonnella wearing his beloved Big Bang Theory t-shirt, which he only whips out for big occasions.
It was a day for people stepping out of their comfort zones and facing their fears. Pierre was feeling reckless and decided not to eat “something sweet” at breakfast, while all of us had the privilege of going zip-lining in (and over) the jungle, including Juanra, Simond, and Guil who are terrified of heights. The zip lining was absolutely unreal and ended with an adrenaline packed 600-meters that took us to our finish line. Matty Cannady took a day off from terrifying Costa Rican defences and was easily the fastest on the zip-line, most likely due to his adoption of the fetal position to protect himself from a potential crash, which proved to be a brilliant tactic when trying to build up speed. Dr. Lampe’s composure on the zip-line was unmatched by anyone, looking like he might be on his morning commute to work on the metro.
Once we were all safely with our feet on the ground we got back on the bus which took us 8000 feet above sea level, as we were going to see the Poás Volcano. Walking off the bus it was instantly clear that the climate had changed. It was a lot colder, and as we marched up the mountain the thinning air made it harder and harder to breathe comfortably. Once we got to the top, we were only able to properly make out the volcano for a couple of minutes, as a thick cloud soon covered it. However, our attention was soon diverted when Coach Giffard saw a lady wearing identical heart-shaped glasses as YouTube celebrity (and VCU Soccer player) Travis Cooke wore in one of his viral videos, so we naturally had Travis put them on. Chants for “Big T” or “Sweet T” quickly ensued, which made the journey to the top entirely worth it.
At this point we were famished, so we got back on the bus and made our way to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens where a delicious buffet awaited us. Joe Rice went a little overboard and loaded up as much food as he could fit on his plate, and now owes Cedric $100 who bet him he wouldn’t come close to finishing it…which he didn’t, after a very poor attempt.
At the Waterfall Gardens we got to see some incredible animals kept in captivity. From different kinds of monkeys, snakes, birds, poisonous frogs, to an absolutely breathtaking jaguar. After having wandered freely around the park for about an hour, our tour guide Max led us to the waterfalls, which was a spectacular sight.
As we made our way back to the hotel in the bus we were tired but also incredibly thankful for everything that we’ve had the opportunity to do on this trip.
Hasta Mañana!
- Francesco Amorosino
Saturday, July 9
Saturday morning brought our fifth and final game day in Costa Rica. Kick off was set for 9:00am against CF Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR). Last season, UCR finished fifth in the Costa Rica Primera Division, two spots behind Cibeles Belen who we played two days prior. After an early breakfast, we departed for Coyella Stadium at 7:30am.
Another sluggish start to the game put us behind 2-0 early. We found our way about fifteen minutes in to the match, and started to string together some good attacks. Greg and Francesco started to link things together, and we were able to play through them a bit more. A very questionable penalty call (their second of the match) put us down 3-0. With five minutes left in the half, Luc Fatton scored a brilliant goal. The goal marked Luc’s third strike in five games.
The guys were flying to start the second half, and within ten minutes Rafa tallied his second goal of the trip with a screamer from 30 yards out. Unfortunately, we conceded a soft goal on a corner before UCR added another before full time. However, the score line was not nearly indicative of the match. The entire group gained another 90 minutes of experience against a first division professional opponent.
Following lunch, the team had the afternoon off to rest. Before dinner, some of us walked from the hotel down to the central market in San Jose to pick up some souvenirs. The central market consisted of all local vendors selling everything from fresh produce to t-shirts. There were also many name brand stores in an outdoor shopping mall around the market.
Sunday marked out last full day together in Costa Rica. The guys got to sleep in and eat a late breakfast before we left for Heredia to attend a coffee tour at Café Britt. With the Euro final beginning at 1:00pm, the team had the option to attend the coffee tour or watch the game from the open-air restaurant. The staff and a few of the boys enjoyed the coffee tour, which was very informative and entertaining for all ages.
With the Euro final heading to extra time, our two Frenchmen grew even tenser. It did not help Steven or Pierre when the restaurant requested that we limit outbursts of celebration or frustration. Following the final, we were dropped off at Saprissa Stadium where Saprissa were taking on San Lorenzo in a preseason exhibition. San Lorenzo finished second in the top professional division in Argentina. Saprissa got out to an early lead after two great goals – one from a counter attack and another from a well worked sequence down their right side. Although the stadium was only half full, the atmosphere was fantastic. The game ended 4-2 in favor of San Lorenzo.
Later that evening, our hosts, FC Tours arranged an excellent farewell dinner. When everyone was through with dinner, we were surprised with a comparsa dance routine. Their entrance immediately livened the banquet room with the banging of bass drums and their flamboyant hot pink and lime green outfits. The highlight of the dinner, and certainly one of the funnier moments of the trip, was having Joe Gonnella show us his best dance moves in his “Air Teachers”. We leave for the airport mid-morning to fly back to the RVA tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for the unforgettable memories Costa Rica!
Pura Vida, indeed.
- Assistant Coach Matt Cannady