SOPHOMORE SETTER REFLECTS ON WEEK SPENT WITH AIST VOLLEYBALL TEAM IN ITALY
ISU’s Loni Mackinson writes of her international experience during week long tour
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State sophomore Loni Mackinson was invited to play on the American International Sports Teams (AIST) volleyball squad that competed in recently. Mackinson was a setter on the team and reflects on her experience in the following.
May 25th - Day 1
After a long overnight flight to Italy, the group started with a tour of the Vatican City which included a visit to the Sistine Chapel and the world's largest church. We also saw various sculptures and monuments that all represented something different. The weather is around 25 Celsius with plenty of sunshine and I think most people from the tour would agree that the food served in Italy is definitely a highlight of the trip.
The AIST Italy tour consisted of four teams: two women's basketball teams, one men's basketball team, and a women's volleyball team. These teams are composed of athletes of Division I, II, and III from all over the United States. Throughout the tour, each team will be playing five games while traveling throughout Italy.
May 26th - Day 2
We took another guided tour of Rome and had a few minutes of free time after the tour. The group was able to see the Spanish steps and the Coliseum. On our free time we were able to walk around on our own and buy souvenirs.
Later that night, we had our first volleyball game of the tour. The team we played was an Italian club team and the girls' ages varied from 17 yrs old to 29. With very little practice together, it took some time for us to get a feel of how each individual players performs, but we got a handle on things after a couple points. We won the match in 4 games and the Italian team had a very nice meal prepared for us after the game. A majority of the teams we played in the tour were very scrappy and good defensive players.
May 28 - Day 4
We traveled to Florence where we received a tour of the city and had a large amount of free time to do some shopping and walk around. the tour guide presented us with information on the history of Florence and showed us the many beautiful buildings. It is definitely amazing to see all the art and detail that is put into every building that you see in Florence.
That night, we competed against another Italian team. This team was definitely more experienced and a better competition than the last team. Unfortunately, we lost the game but it was a tough and close game the whole way through. After playing two games with players I have never been on a team with before, it is very obvious that lots of communication and trust are needed to be successful on the court.
May 29 - Day 5
We traveled to a beach that was on the coast of the Adriatic Sea and had a relaxing day in the sun. The culture is much different here than in the Midwest as people are not insecure about their bodies at all. In the evening, we played our third match that was very challenging and came out with a win. We lost the first game but came back to win the next three and defeated the team in four games. As the tour continues to progress and we play more teams, the competition definitely increases and is much more difficult.
May 31 - Day 7
We traveled to our last city of the tour, Milan. Milan was a much more modern city and reminded me of New York City in some ways. We played our 4th game that night and came into the match knowing that our competition would be tougher. We put up a solid fight but came up short and lost to the Italian club team in four games. The Italian team came out very strong defensively and was smart offensive players. It was very obvious this team had more experience and was more mature than the teams we played against on previous nights.
June 1 - Day 8
The group took the day to travel to Switzerland and spend the day shopping or spending time by the lake shore. Switzerland was much like the other cities we traveled to and it was another place to stop and eat some famous gelato! An all around favorite flavor of gelato from the group was definitely Nutella Gelato.
Our last volleyball match was later that night, and we were more than determined to win and end the tour with a solid 3-2 record. With lots of confidence and hard work, we took the opponents out in five games. Out of all five teams we competed against, this was certainly one of the best teams we played against. The game was very exciting and everyone was making solid plays to fight and come out with the victory in the end.
This experience was definitely one I will never forget and I highly recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity to play with AIST. The tour was very organized and everyone got along very well. Lots of friends were made and everyone felt very welcome on the trip!
NOTE: Team AIST Volleyball is made of up an elite group of collegiate players that AIST invited to represent the USA. The team will play several exhibition games and a mini-tournament in Italy while also touring several Italian cities during the 10 day trip.
