Red, White and Orange: Laura Hurff Blogs from Trinidad
4/3/2016 5:36:00 PM | Field Hockey
March 26, 2016 was the day I had been working for since June of 2015. I was finally in Trinidad for the Pan Am games, the tournament that would determine the future of the U21 team for 2016. All the hours of training and traveling were finally paid off. It was time to represent the USA in an international tournament.
Â
Being a part of Team USA and representing your country is a feeling not many get to experience in their lifetime. It is also an experience that is not just handed to you; it take months, even years of dedication and practice. Since June, my teammates and I have been traveling long hours and training several days to prepare ourselves for the Pan Am games. This tournament will determine if we make the Junior World Cup in November of 2016. I have been fortunate enough to train and travel for a USA team before, however, I have never participated in an international tournament while representing a USA team.
Â
For me, this is an experience I have dreamed of since I was young. Coming from a family of athletes, I was always involved in sports. In middle school, I always dreamed of going to college to play sports like my mother. As I got to high school, my dream became being a national champion like my mother. Sophomore year, I told myself that I wanted to one day go to the Olympics. Chasing my dream of the Olympics, I am more than thankful to be able to represent my country in Trinidad.Â
Â
One of the unique things about this team is how not many are from the same college. Though several are from North Carolina, we have girls who travel from Louisville and even California to train. Some girls are even still in high school, with one traveling all the way from Houston to train. Most other teams that represent their countries may meet several times in one month to train together. However, we have only been able to train once every few months for this tournament. Â What is incredible to me is the ability for our team to be able to connect and play together within one weekend after not playing with each other for over a month. This is also a difficult task when we have to come together and play a game on the same day. However, this has yet to affect this team: We are United.Â
Â
When we arrived last Sunday, I immediately broke into a sweat. The weather is consistently around 90 degrees but feels above 95 degrees each day, with a UV index around an average of eight each day. Acclimate: This was one of the first words our coaches gave us on the trip. Becoming acclimated to the weather would become our best friend for the trip. I have been here for five days and think I am just beginning to become acclimated to the weather. I no longer immediately sweat when I step outside, which is a bonus. Sunscreen has also become my best friend. No matter how much you put on, it is never enough in Trinidad. However, the thing that is more important than anything else is water and hydration. Without proper hydration, it is hard to perform at your peak performance. All USA teams take hydration very seriously. No matter where we walk, even if it is to a teammate's room, you will see each of us walking with a water bottle by our side. Â
Â
On March 27, we had our first team practice in Trinidad. Adjust: That was the second word our coach gave us. We would have to be adjusted to the turf, how they watered it, and the bumps and patches on the field. During our practice, we talked with a local about the weather. When looking at the forecast, it called for thunderstorms all week. When asked the local, her response was just laughing. She laughed and told us that it does not storm in Trinidad. The heat became a reality. We would not catch much of a break from it unless we got a little rain.Â
Â
For our second practice, we got the opportunity to play Chile. Connect: This was our coach's third and final word for us. It was now time to do we what do best. Unite. We were able to come together and beat Chile. After the game, our coach repeated the three words. Acclimate, Adjust, Connect. Those three words became a reality during the scrimmage and would be the three words that would help us throughout the tournament. We would need to be acclimated to the weather, adjust to the turf and the refs, and need to connect on the field every game.Â
Â
On our day off Tuesday, we were able to see more of Trinidad on the way to the Maracas Beach. The way the houses are built and structured are far different from most other countries I have seen. Some houses do resemble some Californian homes. The most beautiful part of Trinidad is the mountains. No matter how high the mountain may be, there are houses sitting on top and all along the sides. When driving to the beach, we got to stop at the top of the mountain and take pictures. It was one of the most beautiful sights I have been able to experience.
Â
On Thursday, we played our first official game for the Pan Am games as the 2016 U21 team. Being able to line up on the field and sing our national anthem is a feeling I will always remember. Being able to come out and win our first game 10-0 was our way of establishing ourselves here. We were sending a message to others that we were not here for just the experience. We are here to win the gold and go represent our country in the Junior World Cup.Â
