Aug. 3, 2001
Bond Shymansky, Assistant Coach
Another beautiful, sunny day broke over the Berlin skyline and the team started the morning with a vigorous training session against the German Junior National Team. We played fast paced side-out drills for an hour straight and our team showed great fortitude and spirit as they defeated the German team, 4-2.
After the team lunch, several of the staff took a sight seeing tour of the Berliner Dom which is the largest church in Germany. The Berliner Dom is situated in the heart of the city and was part of the original Palace grounds of King Frederick I in the 17th Century. Its’ main Cathedral is an awe-inspiring feat of architecture and artistry. Ornate carvings, mosaic tiled ceiling murals, and gold leafing covered every cornice, crown and cranny of the main chapel. We sat in the center of the church for an hour gazing at the spectacle of magnificance.
In the cellar of the Berliner Dom was the crypt of Kings. The entire royal family was entombed in separate caskets, each one beautifully carved and decorated with symbols of royalty, life, and death. The history was fascinating and the reality was silencing.
We ended the day with our final match of the Germay tour. We faced the German Junior National team was again, and signs of fatigue set in as we dropped the three-game set. The intensity of the match was fierce, and the level of play was relentless. It was a great competitive environment for our team and they thrived.
The team is looking forward to another journey into Berlin city-center as our trip winds down. Every player made great strides during our tour of Germany, and we expect to be in pure form when the season opens in three short weeks.
