By David Goldman, Sports Editor
Gettysburg volleyball stepped up their summer training trip by going overseas to Athens, Greece on a week long excursion. The Bullets took in all the ancient sights and beautiful views of Greece and had the opportunity to compete against some international talent. Here is how the squad spent their once in a lifetime training trip.
Late on August 8, the Bullets arrived in Athens, and they hit the ground running the next day. After spending the morning hiking the Acropolis and exploring the beautiful town of Plaka, the Bullets suited up later in day for their first match against a team from Papagou, a small town east of Athens. They successfully won the match and had to adjust to the different playing environment.
“Having the chance to play against a team from a different country was a huge learning experience,” said Izzy Lugar ’24. “There are different rules, we could not understand what they were saying on the other side of the net and we had to adjust to the speed of the game.”
(Photo Courtesy of Chelsea O’Leary)
On August 10, the Bullets departed for an excursion to the island of Paros. The team spent the next few days exploring beaches, cities and all that the island had to offer. Seniors on the trip managed to carve out bonding time just for themselves and went on a boat trip to different parts of the island.
The Bullets headed back to Athens on August 13 and prepared for their second game against Papagou, this time a bit more comfortable with their new environment. They split sets this time, but after the game, got to mix in with the other team to play triples.
“The casual play after was a super cool experience because we actually got to talk and play alongside these athletes from a whole different country, not just against them,” said Chelsea O’Leary ’24.
On their last full day in Greece, the team headed to the center of the city to visit the national parliament building and watch the switching of the guards. After this, the Bullets took a stroll through the national gardens before touring the Panathenaic stadium, which was home to the first modern Olympics in 1896 and is made completely out of marble. Dinner that night was at one of Athens’ many rooftop restaurants, which offered stunning views of the Parthenon building on top of the Acropolis. The squad departed early the next morning to return back home.
This trip was not only a vacation for the Bullets but bonded them in a way that can be reflected onto the court.
“Being able to spend time in unfamiliar surroundings fosters a strong sense of unity, as we learned to rely on each other not just on the court, but also in navigating new environments and sharing memorable moments,” said Lugar.
O’Leary shared her appreciation for this opportunity and thinks that more teams at Gettysburg should be able to participate in life-changing trips like this one.
“I hope that our team continues to give our athletes this experience, and I also hope that other teams, from Gettysburg College and even elsewhere, see the immeasurable value that trips like this gift student-athletes with,” said O’Leary.
It is certainly hard to pick just one part of the trip that ranked amongst the rest, but Brooke Lauletta ’24 mentioned how much she enjoyed exploring the cities in Paros.
“I especially loved navigating the streets of Naousa, which were so beautiful and unique, and offered so many fun things to do,” said Lauletta.
Gettysburg volleyball certainly had themselves an unforgettable week this past summer. The team came back closer and with a greater appreciation for other cultures.
This article originally appeared on page 19 of the October 2023 edition of The Gettysburgian’s magazine.
