Editor's Note: The George Mason women's basketball team looks back on their 10-day foreign tour of Italy. Each day, a different class will reflect on their experience overseas. Today's blog features the thoughts and experiences of the sophomore class.
Devyn Wilson | Forward | Smyrna, Ga.
Basketball has taken me many places in this world but I would have never imagined it would have taken me this far. To be able to go to Italy and have the trip we had was amazing and truly special for me. Not only did it help the team grow on and off the court, it has given us an advantage many other teams do not have. I am beyond thankful for this experience and opportunity and believe it was the best trip of my life.
This trip was my first international trip ever and it set the standards very high for the next. Every city we went to and got to tour was super special and it taught me a lot. Through sights and being around other people, I learned a lot about different cultures and how different two people's worlds can be, which has helped open my eyes. Also being able to witness the history and the many amazing sights of Italy was so cool and was like no other experience I've ever had. From the Colosseum in Rome to boat rides in Venice and Lake Como, every part of this trip was so special. I just want to add the food was also very phenomenal and although it wasn't what I expected, it was unique and good.
Not only was it special personally, it helped the whole team and basketball family as a unit. This time really helped me get to know people that help us a lot that I have never really got to talk to like Ms. McKay and Meghan. It also helped build stronger bonds and chemistry between the team as well as the team and players. Being able to do these things before the season even starts is very special as it gives us such a advantage that I am so appreciative of. This trip also helped me build one on one relationship with all of my teammates, and even though we all talk and hang out it really helped us get closer on a personal level.
Basketball wise I feel this trip gets no better. This trip allowed us to experience games and adversity far before the season which will help us later on. It also allowed us to see how different cultures play and how basketball around the world is so different. Personally, I think the experience basketball wise was super cool because it was also neat to see that what you do is not the only way, there are always other people who do it differently. To be able to see a different way the sport is played will help us build on the way we play and get better.
Overall this trip was the best trip of my life and an experience like no other. I would do this with the same people 1,000 more times! The country was beautiful and amazing and allowed us to see parts of the world we have never seen.
Livija Kaktaite | Guard | Sveksna, Lithuania
The trip to Italy was amazing. First of all it allowed me to bond with my teammates and get to know them better as people, which is going to help and strengthen our team chemistry. During the 3 games that we have played we have grown as a team, we were able to improve our communication on the court. For me it was very fun to be back again in Europe and play because the style of game in Europe is different than in United States. There are only 24 seconds on the shot clock and the game is more physical, the referees let you get by with way more things. I am very proud of my teammates who have adapted to it and showed toughness and I hope we will be able to carry on that toughness to the court just without getting fouls back to the U.S. Also Coach M made sure that every single player went to starting 5 during these 3 games which was amazing. It always feels special for me to start and it was a great experience for the players because some of them won't be able to start when we start playing official games. I think this trip was great for our 5 freshmen because I remember my self being nervous before my first game so now they will be able to be a little bit ahead of the game and be more confident when we start the season.
Even though we are a basketball team and the main focus is to get better on the court this trip also helped me to enrich my history knowledge and widen my worldview. I am a big fan of history and being able to see the Rome, Vatican, Florence, Venice was just amazing. Italy was the heart of Renaissance and an opportunity to see all the art and architecture created by famous artists, hear the history about those pieces of art and some things that were "behind the scenes" was beyond awesome. I wouldn't be able to find those things in the textbook. I am glad that I was able to get a taste if Italian culture, get better on the court, get closer with my teammates and coaches, see them in a different light. Italy was definitely one of the highlights of my life and I am very thankful for this opportunity that Mason gave us. Now I can't wait to get back on campus, put in the work and continue to pursue our academic and athletic goals! Go Pats!
#AndiamoMason
