The end of an era

This weekend marked the end of our regular season in the Quebec League, and since we failed to qualify for the playoffs, it was our last trip to Canada.

I must say that looking back over the last two and a half years, the trips to Quebec have been some of the real high points of my time with the National Team. Stuck in a van for 5+ hours each direction, the trips themselves were a time for bonding with teammates, having discussions (sometimes funny, sometimes poignent, and a few times even heated), and taking time to reflect. As uncomfortable as the physical van ride could be, I always looked forward to these weekend trips. They were a time to "get away" from everyday life in Cortland, as well as a time to put practice into action. There is nothing better than having the opportunity to play games to see how you improve.

This weekend I completed my third season in the Quebec League, and am proud to be one of the few people who has been there to see, and be a part of, the recent evolution of this team. I recognize the faces of most of the girls we play against, can visualize each gym we play in, and know how to find my way around the neighborhoods where we usually stay. I have my favorite restaurants and favorite radio stations, and while the three seasons of games sometimes blend together, my favorite moments on and off the court do not.

Driving back this Sunday, I felt a hint of sadness as I realized this chapter of my life was closing. The van was quiet, and as the familiar landscape passed by outside my window, the sight of the snow melting and the spring emerging was itself a reminder that when one thing ends, something new begins.

As we drove out of Montreal for the last time, I took a few moments to reflect on the last two and a half years. I thought about some of my favorite memories- going to Brazil, beating Champlain and Canada, eating with the team at Pacinis, visiting a sugar shack for the first time, and nearly dying in the old handball van and living to laugh about it. These are the memories I enjoy revelling in with my old teammates and telling stories about to my new ones.

I wish that my last season in the Quebec League could have ended on a different note- maybe with a Championship trophy and a chance to say we beat the league. I am disappointed that our individual and team improvements did not reveal themselves in our recent scores. But I hope that the experience we gained this weekend, along with the lessons we learned from the countless weekends that came before, will come together when it really matters.

In less than two days we head to Mexico, the first of the major international events we have coming up in the next few months. This is what we've all worked and practiced for over the last several years. These games matter more than anything else we've done since I've been on this team, and now it is time to lay everything on the line. It's time to bring it.