I write to you out of sadness today because at this very moment, I expected to be playing in our final semi-final game. A win today, would have qualified us for the finals and extended the season two more weeks. The unfortunate truth is that we were a little unlucky in yesterday’s game and after a series of strokes, the scoreboard indicated that Junior FC won by one goal. It’s always hard to lose, especially in stokes, but when it puts an end to a year spent with a group of people, it’s even more disappointing.
After the game, the team stayed at the club and enjoyed a very long lunch together. We sat for 3 hours and talked, knowing that when Tuesday rolls around, we will not get to see each other. It was nice, especially because the restaurant overlooked the Polo field and the club was playing a very important match that day. Polo is a pretty boring game if you don’t know all the rules. But, watching the horses run is a beautiful sight. Additionally, it’s always fun to watch the parents bring their kids all dressed up in their ‘Sunday’s best.” They could not be more adorable. People watching is quite an event sometimes. You never know who you might see!
I am now sitting on the couch enjoying a nice cup of coffee. It’s nice to have a day off to relax and reflect. As disappointed as I am about the lose, I am looking forward to having an exciting and adventurous last few weeks in Spain. My parents will arrive on Wednesday and you can guarantee it will be a busy week. I can’t wait! I also have plans to run around Barcelona with Rachel and Sarah Dawson, who are coming into town for a few days. And, my last adventure will be to fly up to Germany for a few days. I have a very good friend from Heidelberg that I must see before I depart Europe for the summer.
After arriving back in the states, hockey is going to consume my days. We have the National Championships in Virginia Beach in June and then it’s off to host Field Hockey Life summer camps. We still have many slots available for all the camps, so don’t hesitate and send in your registration.
Time to get outside and enjoy this wonderful weather! “Hola” to all in the states and Happy Mother’s Day to everyone!
Best,
Keli #13
How quickly time is passing! We finished the regular season last week and now focusing our energy on the playoffs. Four teams out of the top division make the post season and we are ranked 2nd going into the final weeks. We are all very happy with our performance leading down the back-stretch. We won the last two games, against top teams, 3-1 and 5-0. Let’s hope we can maintain that momentum into the coming weeks.
Keli Smith (RC Polo de Barcelona) fights for the ball against Carla Rebecchi (Club de Campo, Madrid)
Hockey has been keeping me active, but our revolving door of guests has been keeping me busy. Fortunately for us, many friends and family have made the trip across the ocean to visit. With visitors, comes travel and lots of sightseeing. Our trip to Mallorca was amazing. The seven friends survived the small boat quarters and had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The boat’s captain taught us the basics of sailing. The views from the water and the deserted islands that we explored were something that words cannot describe. I will be certain to post some pictures soon.
Besides entertaining, playing hockey, and coaching my team, I am also getting prepared to move back to America in June. It is unbelievable that the summer is quickly arriving. The change of season also means that it’s CAMP TIME. We still have slots available for each camp. The deadlines are approaching, so send in your registration form or contact us to reserve a spot. We want to see you guys this summer and share our hockey life.
It is time to hit the gym. I will write again soon and in the meantime, enjoy the warm weather.
All the best,
Keli #13
Life continues to be busy and exciting here in Barcelona. I have been busy training, coaching, taking Spanish classes, and even finding time to travel with friends.
We are beginning to approach the final few weeks of league play. Only the top 4 teams advance to playoffs and my team is holding on to our 3rd place standing by a thin string. We recently lost a game that was titled an upset against Club Egara and since then, we have proceeded to win by only slight margins. As I mentioned before, our team is stacked with talent but we struggle to connect as a unit. I still have the hope that we will put the pieces together when it matters most.
With four games left in league play, the end of the season is nearing. This also means that summer is approaching the weather is warming. I love this time of year and enjoy spending my time outdoors. Last weekend after our game in the south of Spain, I took a 2 day vacation to Malaga with four teammates. We had a wonderful 48 hours exploring the southern beach city and relaxing in the sun. This city was very different then Barcelona with its relaxed way of life. The people move slower and take the time to smile when you pass them walking.
Malaga, Spain was wonderful, but I am counting the day for our next vacation. The week of Easter is very special here and schools and companies usually give the entire week off. I am fortunate to announce that my club, RC Polo, has given us the week off.
We have booked a four day vacation to the island of Palma de Mallorca. My boyfriend, 5 other friends, and I are flying to the Spanish island and enjoying the sights from land for a day. The next day, we board a sail boat that we rented and we’ll explore the area by sea. I am sure it will be a wonderful experience. With a captain driving and the wish for good weather, my chances of getting sea sick are minimized.
So, whether I am treading water off the coast of an island or kicking hard to simply make the playoffs with my team, I will be sure to write again soon.
Until then, train hard and have fun!
Keli #13
As I wrote to you on the 23rd of Feb., I was feeling a bit tired from spending so many hours traveling. Since my last blog, I can say that my time in the airports has not been minimized.
I had nine days in Barcelona to try and readjust. During the short trip, we played two games. The second match was against the #1 seed in the league, Club de Campo from Madrid. We traveled west to play them on their home turf. It is normally a 5-6 hour drive, but with the low prices of the commuter flights, our club flew us there. I am not sure if they wanted to make the trip more convenient or add to my frequent flier miles. Either way, I was happy to arrive home a few hours earlier, especially because we lost the game. It was a disappointing match because our side played great hockey that day. We had some unfortunate breaks in the circle that allowed them to capitalize on a stroke and a corner making the final score 2-0.
That Sunday, I flew back to Barcelona with my club team. I ran home to pack my bags and grab 5 hours of sleep because it was back to the airport in the A.M. I had to catch a plane to NYC in the morning. I hopped in the taxi as the sun broke over the horizon and looked at my sagging eyes. I had a moment of uncertainty while questioning why I had to get back in a plane. The reality was that I was heading back to my hometown in PA to receive an award; The Adam Smith Award from the Economics Pennsylvania Organization. I was honored to be the recipient! Excited to attend the banquet on Thursday! And, slightly nervous to give a short speech. Nervous? It is no secret that public speaking can give anyone some butterflies, but I was typically pretty calm when asked to speak. The near thought of getting up in front of this crowd gave me some nerves. But, that was the exact reason that I was getting on that plane.
The organization creates educational opportunities for schools to help prepare young people for the ever changing economic world. The opportunity that they provide students is something that I believe in to be so necessary in today’s world. The importance of their work is no secret and that is why so many honorable individuals devote their time to working with EconomicsPA (www.economicsPA.org). For this reason, I was nervous to speak. The room was going to be filled with the likes of Andy Russell (famed Pittsburg Steeler’s Linebacker), Honorable John Gordner (R-27), Honorable Russ Fairchild (R-85), and many others.
The day ended up being wonderful! I was fortunate to meet exceptional individuals, including some of the brightest students and teachers in the region. My family attended and other special people from the community that I otherwise would not have had the time to see on my short trip. You can read more about the awards ceremony at http://www.dailyitem.com/archivesearch/local_story_065003108.html
I am not back in Barcelona, of course via another flight and long day in the airports. But, one thing is for certain, the trip was worth it!
Until next time….
Keli #13
After an extremely busy week, I find myself writing to you from Barcelona. The past week has been full of ups and downs and relaxation time only happened in the air. I spent many hours in airports and flying the friendly skies.
The Pan American Cup concluded a week ago with a disappointing loss in the finals to Argentina. I was pleased with the performance from our side, but we were not able to capitalize on our many opportunities in regulation. This led us to overtime and concluded in sudden death penalty strokes. We walked away from the experiences a little discouraged, but these feelings are part of sport. We will learn from our time in Bermuda and ensure that our next chance at qualifying for the World Cup (which will happen next year), will be a victorious one. Regardless of the outcome, we were lucky to play in such a beautiful country.
An entire day hoping from airport to airport finally landed me in the backseat of my parent’s car on Monday night. I was excited to see my family and spend the next few days at home with my niece and nephews. I needed some “down time” after Bermuda, but last week was not the moment to get that perk. My agenda was full of meeting and social events. On Wednesday, I spent the afternoon speaking to a crowd at Susquehanna University. It was a nice program and I was happy to see many familiar faces from the community. My presentation was a trip down memory lane from the Olympic Games.
On Thursday morning, I again boarded a plane and headed to Espana! It was nice to return and especially wonderful to eat Spanish jamon and other specialties only found in this country. After landing, I took a quick nap, put on my shin guards, and grabbed my stick. I had to get to practice that afternoon. It was vital that I attend because it was the final training run before our game on Sunday, which marked the first time I played with the new international rules (by the way, I like them). We won the game that day and will look forward to playing in Madrid next weekend.
As promised, I will stay committed to writing my blog often. The next few months are sure to be action-packed and I look forward to sharing it with you.
Until then,
Keli #13