Following a very short Halloween acknowledgement (a quick pumpkin carving and spontaneous face painting; no treats), family Wayling had to pack their bags the first week of November and head off in two different directions – Greece and Belgium!
Chris and Greg were the lucky ones going to Athens for Greg’s ISSTs (International Schools Sports Tournament) and Brianna and I were packing to take the train to Brussels for her ISSTs. Both of played for the Volleyball teams this year and so at the end of the season they leave on a Wednesday and play volleyball in another country until the Saturday against school teams from all over the world ranked in different divisions. Greg’s team was in the ‘A’ (top) Division so it had some heavy competition. Brianna’s team was Division B but still had very impressive teams because they change year to year, with all the international turnover.
BRUSSELS: Brianna and I took the train with her team and the soccer teams to Brussels on the Wednesday at noon. It was a 2 hour train ride and when we arrived at St. John’s school we had to wait a couple of hours for all of the teams to arrive (from Greece, Israel, London etc.). Once every team was there, the Athletic Director of St. John ‘s gave a welcome to the girls and then paired them off with their ‘housers’. Brianna was with a very nice family that had 2 teen boys her age. They didn’t have a player on the Brussels team but they ‘housed’ to help with all of the girls in town for ISST’s. Her and her friend Ashley went home with this family after an Italian dinner catered at the school.
I went with the coaches to the hotel and had a beautiful 5 course dinner that was all arranged in a private restaurant for the coaches of all the teams. I was assisting Brianna’s coach for ISST’s so it was a fairly stress free situation. 🙂 For the next 3 days we played all of the different teams and ended up coming in 5th in the finals. It was a very busy game schedule with little downtime for the girls. In between games, they rested in the foyer or ate in the school cafeteria (lunch was provided for them). On the last night they provided a dinner and movie night for all the teams to go to. After the final ceremony, it was back on the train and home by 9pm Saturday night.
GREECE: Very early on Wednesday (4:45am) Chris and Greg got up to leave the house for 5:30am and meet his team at the school in order to bus to the airport. They had a very rough flight into Athens, where they literally thought the air masks were going to drop and people around them were praying for about 20 minutes. The plane would drop and shake and bank and drop repeatedly in a violent way. Chris and Greg said it was very intense. These international kids fly ALL the time and they all said it was the roughest flight they’ve ever been on. However, they made it to the ground safely and enjoyed the warm weather of Greece in between tournament games!
When they go to ISST’s like this, the students/players, board at the houses of the host country’s team. So they stay with the Greece team in pairs. Greg and Pierre (injured ankle in photo) stayed at a players team who lived in the countryside and they had to take a bus to get to and from the gym for their games. Apparently it was a mansion; a large villa with a gorgeous pool and amazing scenery, so despite the distance from their games, they experienced a unique hosing arrangement. The coaches stay at a hotel with all expenses paid and don’t have to worry about the players with this housing arrangement. They just meet at the gym every morning. However, because Greece was a longer stay than normal, the players did stay at the coaches hotel the last night before their flight and they all went into Athens together to see the Acropolis all lit up and have dinner together. The old city centre is unique and quaint with great food and drinks. I was there last year for ISSTs with the girls team.
The boys fought hard and came out 5th overall, which was an impressive result since these are the strongest Senior teams from around the globe. Greg was captain for ASP and had a great tournament. Overall, it was a fantastic experience (despite another rough patch in the plane over the Alps on the way home). lol
C M G B Overseas 