Colorado State University Athletics
CSU women's basketball blog: Scandinavian Tour 2015
8/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Colorado State women's basketball program, back-to-back defending Mountain West regular-season champions, embarked on a 12-day tour of Scandinavia, spanning Aug. 3-14. Follow along at CSURams.com as head coach Ryun Williams and his squad tour these beautiful countries, and represent CSU in competition.
Blog 11 and 12: Back home after a long, memorable journey
By Taylor Ely | Sophomore | Guard
Hey everyone!
Well, our two week adventure has finally come to an end. It was such an amazing opportunity we all had to play and visit three different countries. This is definitely a trip I will remember forever!
All of the countries were unique and fun in their own way. In Norway, my favorite part was hiking multiple mountains. In Luleå, Sweden my favorite was kayaking (I can proudly say I did not fall in). We wrapped our journey up in Denmark where I enjoyed the sightseeing cruise the best.
To end the trip with a bang, during our seven hour layover in New York, we went exploring! We took the subway to Time Square and walked around. We ate at a delicious pizza restaurant and made our way to Central Park. It was a lot of fun seeing New York as a bonus!
This was such a memorable trip and I'm so glad I got to share it with my teammates. It was a fun two weeks filled with lots of laughs, walking, selfies, and memories we will all share for a lifetime!
-Taylor
By Myanne Hamm | Sophomore | Guard/Forward
Today I woke up in Denmark, and tonight I will be going to sleep in Colorado. It's crazy to think that this AMAZING trip involved traveling to three different countries, but it's even crazier to think that it is actually over.
This Scandinavian trip has been my first experience of traveling outside of the U.S., so needless to say I was pretty nervous. From the airports to restaurants, to what the houses looked like to how people drove around; I didn't really know what to expect (I was pretty much going in blind).
Not only did traveling in a big group help make me feel comfortable, but having our own "personal tour guides" and teammates along the way made everything so much easier. Having teammates from these countries was so nice, and it was great to see where they came from and to see what they are used to.
There wasn't much of a culture shock, but when you’re used to eating cereal or french toast for breakfast; one thing for sure that I wasn't use to was eating bread and cheese for breakfast (Personal opinion, it was good, but not my first choice).
Of course knowing my parents they will ask, "What was your favorite part?” But honestly, I don't think I can pick just one thing. The hiking we did in Norway was worth every step when we finally got to the top, I fell in love with my host family in Sweden and wanted to spend more time with them, and Denmark was just so beautiful, especially from the boat ride. And of course doing all of this AND getting to play basketball! What more could I of asked for?
I am truly just so thankful for this experience, and so happy I got to spend it with this amazing Ramily!
Watch out Moutain West, we swept Scandinavia, now we are coming for you! Go Rams! :)
-Myanne Hamm
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Blog 10: Sunny day in Copenhagen cappred by big win
By Sofie Tryggedsson | Freshman | Guard
Today we had the opportunity to sleep in since we were not leaving until noon. All of our bodies needed the extra recovery, so it felt good to catch up on some sleep.
The first thing planned for the day was a boat tour around beautiful Copenhagen, where we, among other things, saw the Opera, The Black Diamond, and The Little Mermaid, which are some of the things Copenhagen is known for. The sun was out and we enjoyed the nice weather, which we have not had much of on this trip.
After touring beautiful Copenhagen in the great weather, we went to Amalienborg, which is the Queen’s Palace. We got pictures with the guards, before they said we were too close. Since sightseeing demands a lot of walking around, we were lucky to find some bike cabs. We visited a nearby church, which was very quiet and it was nice for us to see it.
After the church we walked to a park in downtown Copenhagen called Kongens Have, or the King’s Garden. Since the weather was so nice, it was great to just sit in the grass and enjoy the sun. Emilie and Gritt brought us all sandwiches and drinks that we enjoyed in The Kings Garden.
After enjoying the sandwiches in the sun, most of the team went to the main shopping street in Copenhagen to buy souvenirs, while Myanne and I stayed in Kongens Have and enjoyed the weather.
Next up was the game and since we were playing a Danish team (and my sister), I – and the rest of the team of course – really wanted to kick some butt. We started out good but played a close first quarter. From there, we just increased the lead and ended up winning by 30.
Recap of Game 4 vs. Stevensgade Basket here
It was great to end this trip with a win against the Danish team, and even better to call ourselves undefeated on our Scandinavia Trip!
- Sofie
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Blog 9: On to Copenhagen, Denmark
By Hannah Tvrdy | Junior | Guard
and Callie Kaiser | Freshman | Guard/Forward
We woke up at 4 in the morning in Uppsala, and we headed to the airport to fly out to Copenhagen, Denmark. We arrived at the hotel and went straight to breakfast because we were starving and had been up for 5 hours without eating. The breakfast buffet was delicious with some Danish pancakes smothered in peanut butter and Nutella. It reminded us of the crepes at the frozen yogurt places in Fort Collins.
After practice we jumped on the train while trying to avoid all the crazy bicycles that were trying to run us over. We Americans are not used to having a specific bike lane where they all ride 100 miles per hour.
Then we arrived at an old and beautiful church with a tower overlooking the city. An Interesting story from Gritt (Ryder) was that the builder of the tower had the stairs built counter-clockwise but the king wanted them clockwise so he jumped out from the top of the tower and killed himself. But don't worry it was a myth; he didn't kill himself. Back to the climbing of the tower: we all climbed the 398 stairs to get to the top, but when we got there it was all worth it. The view was amazing! (Side note: One thing we noticed from this whole trip is that all the churches here in Scandinavia look like castles compared to the churches we have back home in the U.S.)
The coolest part of the day was when we walked around in a little society inside of Copenhagen called "Christiania". It was kind of like a mini city/society covering two blocks of apartments and streets, where they had their own little shops and food places, and it was very culturally diverse. They had strict policies, and we couldn't take any pictures but it was still cool to see.
JEG VIL DANSE, JEG VIL DANSE - DEJLIG DEJLIG! (I want to dance, I want to dance - delicious delicious!)
Natti Natti
- T-Bird (Hannah) and Cal-Pal (Callie)
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Blog 8: Sightseeing in Stockholm leads to third victory of tour
By Stine Austgulen | Sophomore | Guard
and Kincso Kelemen | Freshman | Guard
Today we woke up bright and early, ate breakfast at the hotel, and then jumped on a train to downtown Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. In the city we split up; some of us went sightseeing while others went shopping. Sightseeing consisted of a trip to the Vasa Museum, the King’s castle and the changing of the guard, and Riksdagshuset, the parliament house of Sweden.
After a few hours downtown we headed back to Uppsala and the hotel. Most of us got a quick powernap in before we headed to Rosendalshallen, the homecourt of the Swedish team Sallén Basket. After a slow start to the game, we stepped up our defense and ended up winning by 31 points. This means that we have won three out of three games so far on our Scandinavian tour. Not bad!
Recap of Game 3 vs. Sallen Basket here
After the game we had dinner in the gym. On today’s menu was a delicious Thai casserole that was extremely spicy. This resulted in a massive use of napkins to wipe tears out of our eyes and sweat from our foreheads.
Tomorrow we are heading to Denmark and our final stop on our trip, Copenhagen. We are excited to go to a new country and experience more fun stuff!
Go Rams!
- Stine and Kincso
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Blog 7: Travel day and sightseeing in beautiful Uppsala
By Elin Gustavsson | Junior | Forward
Hej Hej from Uppsala!
Our Swedish journey is continuing, and after an hour flight from Luleå, we landed in the Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Uppsala is very close to Stockholm, so it only took us 18 minutes to get there by train.
After checking in at the hotel, we all went to a small food stand to satisfy our hunger. I'll tell you something, it's not easy to order 23 different orders that change every other second...BUT we made it! Everyone got food and the two guys that were working at the food stand were happy as well! So I shook the guys hand and we both smiled and said good job to each other.
With food in our stomachs we were ready to practice! When we got to the gym, someone was saying that Uppsala (the team) got a little bit nervous when they heard we won against Luleå Basket TWICE. Yessssssss! That made us even more excited about the game tomorrow! Practice went well and we headed back to the hotel around 5:30 p.m.
For some people that don't know, I played in Uppsala the year before I got to CSU. I would not say that I'm super familiar with the city, but I knew some places that I wanted the team to see. However, first up on the sightseeing agenda - FOOD! The weather was amazing, so we decided to go to a pizza place and sit by the river. I walked into the restaurant and asked the guy, "Are you ready to make 23 pizzas?" He responded by laughing and saying, "Of course I am, welcome!" So after getting all 23 pizzas and an extra one for "just in case" as he said, I also shook his hand with a smile and we both said good job to each other.
Now the sightseeing can begin for real! We went to a Cathedral called Uppsala Domkyrka which was consecrated in 1435. For more history click here.
Unfortunately we couldn't go inside due to our late visit, however, we walked around it and were amazed by its size and architecture. After that little visit, we got to explore Uppsala on our own. Some people went to get ice cream, some went to the castle and watched the sunset, some went to the candy shop to get candy, and some people did everything!
Uppsala is a really pretty city! You get a "cozy" (as the Scandinavian people would explain it) feeling when you see the river running through the city, flowers in different colors and all the old buildings. I'm glad that I could show my team this part of Sweden, and that they are experiencing the Swedish life.
On my way back to the hotel, I still had the extra pizza in my hand. I saw a man playing on his guitar for all the people that were passing by. I asked him if he wanted my pizza, and he said, "For me?" and took it with a big smile. As a thank you he gave me his CD "Divino Oliveira."
Today, I would say that I collected a lot of smiles and laughs, which made my day even better. My team is awesome and I'm having the time of my life. Now, it's time to go to bed and recharge for tomorrow's activities, including our GAME!
"Kindness is free, sprinkle that everywhere."
-Elin
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Blog 6: Leaving Lulea with another win, farewell celebration
By Veronika Mirkovic | Sophomore | Forward
and Amanda Kantzy | Freshman | Forward
Hello Rams!
We started off the day just like yesterday, with a big and delicious Swedish breakfast.
After eating smörgåsar and filmjölk we headed to the Arena to play our second game against Luleå Basket.
We were aggressive from the start which gave us a big lead at the beginning of the game; you could tell we all wanted that second win. For me, Amanda, it was really special to play in Luleå because all of my high school friends were in the audience cheering for me. Although that was fun, it was also sad because I know I'm not going to see them in a really long time (1 year boo hoo).
Anyways, our rebounding and aggressiveness helped us take that second win, and even though we have a lot to improve upon, this game was one step in the right direction.
Recap of Game 2 vs. Lulea BBK here
After taking a quick shower, we went down to the docks where the boat was waiting to take us to Ellen's family's summer house in the Archipelago. All the host families were waiting for us so we could spend one last evening together.
Svante and Ulf got the party started with some traditional Swedish music. After listening to their swinging tunes, we got some smoked salmon with knäckebröd as an appetizer. Then, we put our bathing suits on because we were ready for the sauna and hottubbing! The brave ones (including us), even took a swim in the very cold sea.
For dinner we had hamburgers and afterwards we had FIKA (a Swedish word for when you have coffee and cookies). We had cinnamon buns and chocolate balls, it was delicious!
We finished up the evening with some volleyball before we hopped on the bus back to our host families.
It was a long but very exciting day that included a lot of laughter and team bonding.
Now it's time for bed because tomorrow we fly out to Stockholm! So exciting!
XOXO Veronika and Amanda
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Blog 5: Great win followed by fun day kayaking, team bonding
By Ellen Nystrom | Junior | Guard
Hej Hej Bloggen (Hi hi blog).
Saturday in Luleå we started out the day by playing one of the top teams in Sweden's highest league (without their American players). They had won the Swedish Championship the past two seasons. As the game progressed we started playing better together and with more energy and great defense. We played in front of a solid crowd, 600 people, and the game ended up going into double-overtime where our intense defense got us up by eight when the buzzer blasted. For me, it was a great feeling playing in front of the city I have grown up in and showing them what our team is about, even though we still have a lot to work on.
Recap of Game 1 vs. Lulea BBK here
After the game, we went to a little kayaking club and got divided into three teams with four instructors for each team. Each team had an hour to prepare and practice for the one kilometer race that we were going to compete in later. There were different kinds of Kayaks, with different speed and stability. The most slender kayaks were the toughest to handle since they were harder to keep balanced, but they had the best potential to be really fast. I think we had three players who finished the race without falling into the water. It's easy to say our players and coaches spent more time in the water than in the kayaks! Overall, we had lots and lots of laughs together and I think it was a great team bonding experience for all of us, although I do believe we should stick to basketball in the future.
After the Kayaking we had an amazing dinner at Bistro Norrland, where they served typical Nordic Swedish dishes. A lot of us tried Reindeer for the first time and it truly was a success! On the way home to our host families we stopped and got Swedish candy since we Swedes have bragged so much about it in the USA. It's safe to say we really enjoyed the candy after a long day.
Overall, the day was very fun and filled with different activities, leaving us all a little tired, happy to go to bed, and excited for the upcoming day and the rest of our Scandinavian trip!
"God natt" (good night) from the land of the midnight sun.
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Blog 4: Early morning en route to Sweden
By Alana Arias | Senior | Forward
Hello, my name is Alana Arias, some call me "Double A" and I will finally be a senior this fall! I'm here to tell you all about our somewhat exhausting day!
Rise and shine, our day started early. The team had to meet at the airport at 5:30 a.m. to catch the flight to our next destination, Lulea, Sweden! At the airport in Lulea, Ellen Nystrom's parents were there to greet us. They are the sweetest!
After a long and tiring trip we finally made it to this awesome basketball facility, Lulea Energi Arena where we had lunch and then practiced.
Following practice, the players met our host families. I honestly loved my "family." They have two horses, two cats, a snake, a tarantula, chickens running around, and a dog that is more like a bear!
After today's, as I lie in bed and reflect about all the animals in the farm/house, and this giant ant colony that my host family and I exploded, I've been officially thinking about going to vet school! #JustKidding
Stay tuned to our next blog. We have many more adventures coming on your way!
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Blog 3: Off day in beautiful Bergen, Norway!
By Emilie Hesseldal | Senior | Forward
Hi everybody!
This is senior Emilie Hesseldal writing about our third day in beautiful Bergen, Norway!
So Bergen is, as stated, beautiful, and that would be the one word I would use to describe this amazing city. I'm so excited to finally be able to introduce Scandinavia to all of the Americans, not only our city differences but also our food differences.
After two intense practices we had a day off, and it sure turned out to be somewhat a different off day than what it normally is in Fort Collis. Today, we got up early to catch the train that was going to transport us through the mountains of Norway and eventually drop us off for a boat trip that that turned out to be mind-blowing, just when we thought it couldn't get any better.
The size of the mountains were overwhelming and with their outstanding color differences from the snowy mountain tops all the way down to the colorful grass at the base of the mountains, where some even had houses. I couldn't help but think of Horsetooth in Fort Collins for a second, as the mountains there are also amazing. However I have to admit, the Norwegian mountains are something special.
After the 2-hour boat trip, we got off for lunch, which took us back to the States for a minute, as we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The Americans were happy, the Europeans not too excited. Nonetheless, a jar of Nutella saved the day for all the non-Americans on the team.
Once again, we jumped on another train followed by a view that was almost as stunning as our boat trip. We made a quick pit stop at a huge waterfall, and we had to get out and get a closer look. Can't miss a thing when we are finally here!
I'm sure this is the best off-day I've had in a while!
Thank you for following our trip, it's so exciting for us to be able to share a little piece of our trip with you!
Go Rams!
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Blog 2: Quiet morning leads to busy day of practice, youth clinics and team hike
By Keyora Wharry | Senior | Forward
This morning I woke up at 8 a.m. for practice. The previous morning I woke to a full family at the table eating breakfast but, this morning I woke to quiet and calm. The kids spent the night with their grandparents. So I woke to a calm household and Sophie making breakfast for us. I had oatmeal and a few breakfast sandwiches (European style).
After breakfast we walked to the tram and took it to the gym. We had a competitive practice for 2 hour, then following practice, we had a basketball clinic with children and that was really fun! We had three different stations and I was at the shooting station helping assistant coach (Rebecca) Alvidrez with others.
After the clinic we went to the lake and Myanne (Hamm), Hannah (Tvrdy), and Stine (Austgulen) jumped in. After some time at the lake, we geared up for climbing the mountain.
The mountain was a huge climb. Everyone on the team, including coaches, made the climb up and then down. This mountain climb was a journey; when you think it's done it's not. But as long as you put your head down and keep going, you're fine. And then it was so worth it once we hit the top. The view from the top was more than beautiful. You could see Bergen from the top with the sea next to it.
Next we went to Stine's house for a chill time. We had delicious food. We had chicken, salmon, salad, fish soup, lasagna, bread, shrimp, and that isn't even all of it. Then we finished with best dessert ever: Oreo cheesecake, and some sort of fruit cream pie and ice cream. So good!! And then we finished with thanking Stine's family before we left.
And now, I'm enjoying spending time with Sophie and DuRell''s family. While beating Karen at NBA 2k15.
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Blog 1: Rams reunited after long day of travel to Bergen, Norway
By Jamie Patrick | Senior | Guard
Editor's note: The Rams left DIA 11:30 a.m. on Sunday and arrived in Bergen, Norway at 1:35 p.m. local time on Monday. Several of the Rams' players who hail from Europe met the team in Bergen after traveling from their respective homes.
Hello, this is Jamie Patrick, and I'm and a senior this year, which is crazy! I hope you enjoy our Scandinavian trip blog!
To start it off, traveling to a different country is exciting, but the flying part is dreadful. By the time we arrived in Bergen, Norway, we had been awake for almost 25 hours with a few naps in there along the way. Sleeping on a plane is uncomfortable and doesn't last long. We all found that out, and the jet lag quickly caught up to us. Once we arrived in Bergen it was morning so we had the whole day to relax. Of course most of us could barely keep our eyes open, but we were excited to finally be in Norway.
After resting, we woke up Tuesday and practiced together as a whole team for the first time. Going from a few girls working out in Fort Collins to our whole team made a huge difference. Assistant Coach Brooke Atkinson commented that it looks like we have an army, and we do.
The Rams have one practice under our belts and many more to come, each taking us one step closer to the season. When all our "business" (practice) was taken care of, we got to be tourist and sightsee in downtown Bergen. It was breathtaking and so beautiful.
That's how I felt being a fellow Kansan exploring the world. This time was special because it was spent with teammates, old and new. Building on old relationships and establishing new ones, on and off the court, is very important.
After walking around downtown, we found a nice restaurant to eat, and once our tummies were nice and full, we were hit by jet lag. Hard! The table was quiet, some of the girls were zoning off and ready for a nap. A quick trip to an ice cream shop helped that before we split up and headed home to our host families. Our host families are the kindest people, and have been treating us like family. Now it's time for bed.
I hope that hope you all enjoy our blog and are getting excited about the upcoming season!
Go Rams :)
