March 18, 2008

A spring break trip to Honolulu, Hawai'i turned into a successful one for the Carolina softball team as the Tar Heels finished 5-0-1 and were named the Hawai'i Spring Fling Invitational Co-Champions. Alyssa Francona had a chance to document the team's time in the islands and on the field.

Monday, March 10
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The Tar Heel traveling party got an early start Monday departing from Anderson Stadium at 4:30 AM. After picking up the tennis team we were on our way. A long security line and a sprint down to the terminal for our coaches, later we were in the air to sunny Hawaii. A short layover in Houston allowed us to find our legs again and prepare for the eight hour flight ahead of us. After twelve hours of flying we landed at Honolulu International Airport in Oahu. We dropped our bags off in our rooms and changed into our practice clothes, it was a workout on the beach for us. You would be surprised how many people stop to watch when twenty girls dressed in the same outfit are jumping around in the sand. Only a little bit embarrassing. Steve (Gisselman) led us in some stretches and exercises and then we had free time to roam Waikiki Beach. We are trying to stay awake as long as possible in order to get over the jet lag, but I don't know how well this is going to work.

Tuesday, March 11
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The team headed to the Rainbow Wahine facility this morning to get in a quick practice before a long, fun-filled day of Polynesian culture. The Polynesian Cultural Center is the most visited tourist attraction on the island of Oahu, and the coastal ride there was every bit as wonderful. At the cultural center we walked around visiting, learning, and participating in traditions of all the South Pacific Islands. We learned to throw spears with the Tongans, weave with the Tahitians, and climb trees with the Samoans. The day was capped off with a traditional luau and fire show.

Wednesday, March 12
Game day for the Heels! We opened the Spring Fling tournament this afternoon with a big win against Texas. Go Heels! See Dave's write-up for all the thrilling details! After the game we enjoyed some free time in which we went our separate ways exploring the island. I went to the storied North Shore, home of the famous pipeline, and it did not disappoint. We sat on the beach as the sun set watching the surfers ride (and sometimes crash) on the huge waves. We're all looking forward to tomorrow's field trip to Pearl Harbor.

Thursday, March 13
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It was an early morning for the Tar Heels, racing our way past the vets to line up first for the Pearl Harbor experience. The history buffs were in heaven at the WWII hot spot. We watched a short film featuring both side's histories leading to the attack. We then ferried to and toured the memorial of the USS Arizona, one of three ships never recovered from the attack, a solemn but inspiring experience for all. After the morning field trip, it was time for game two a win against Maine for the Tar Heels. We have a big day tomorrow playing two games against Texas Tech and host Hawaii.

Friday, March 14
Today was the last day of pool play and the Heels put together some big wins to take the top seed in bracket play. We beat Texas Tech this morning 6-0, and 16th-ranked Hawaii at night 5-1. The night game was one of our best all season. The Hawaii fans made it clear that they were the home team, thunder sticks and all. An impressive performance by Dani (Spaulding) on the mound was bolstered by a strong offensive effort up and down the line-up, a great win for the Tar Heels! The games were so far behind that we didn't leave the field until about 9:30 that night. We had a pizza party by the pool and got some rest for bracket play in the morning.

Saturday, March 15 It's bracket play time! As the No. 1 seed we were slated for a noon game against the winner of Maine and Texas Tech. We beat Texas Tech 4-2 for a spot in the championship game. The team stayed at the field and had a makeshift picnic in the shade while Texas and Hawaii battled for the other spot. Texas beat Hawaii 5-0 to advance to the championship. Due to Texas flight reservations the coaches agreed on a drop dead time limit on the game. The game was tight with only a few hits on each side. We scored a run in the middle innings and held the 1-0 lead until the top of the seventh when Texas stuck back scoring one of its own, leaving the game and the championship at a tie. Despite the tie, the coaches were happy with our play all week. The girls dispersed for dinner on our last night in Hawaii.

Sunday, March 16 - Monday, March 17
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Rise and Shine! The Tar Heels were up early for a team hike up Diamond Head, boot camp style. We failed to see the sun rise due to technical difficulties but it was quite a sight overlooking the city of Honolulu. We were up and down the mountain by 7:30 AM and raring to start our day off! The girls all did different things but the main goal was proof that we had actually been in Hawaii. Some headed to the North Shore to watch the surfers, some stayed by the hotel hung at the beach all day and the others headed to Hanauma Bay, a nature preserve, to snorkel. I went snorkeling in the bay with a few other girls. After a half day at the bay swimming around the coral we headed back to the hotel and right back on the beach. Some girls spent the afternoon shopping and getting last minute souvenirs. From 4-6 PM a huge parade shut down the road in front of our hotel and featured Hawaiian dancers and bands from area schools. We showered quickly, gathered our things, and headed to the airport for our red eye flight. Everyone had a great time exploring the island and soaking up the sun, and one thing was for sure we all had a little more sun than we were used to. After a long day in the air and a lay over in Newark we arrived at Anderson Stadium around 5 PM. The week flew by trying to pack in culture and playing. The trip was one we will remember forever. I wonder if they play softball in Aruba?