Post #8 - Going Home
When all was said and done, it took 22 hours for me to get from my hotel in Munich, to my house in Connecticut, all of which was completely worth it, considering the magnitude of the last 10 days of my life. After sleeping for nearly 12 hours, I woke up today completely refreshed, as if I have been home for days. The rush of a tour well done is still there.
My reactions to my first tour were very clear: Was it completely exhausting? Yes. Am I happy to be home? Of course. Did I love this experience more than anything I have ever done professionally, and am I anxious to get on another tour as soon as I possibly can? Hell yeah!
When I began working with Student Athlete World USA almost a year ago, my goal was to continue my professional passion of working with young athletes, but on a different stage than college athletics. I had toured as a coach a few times earlier in my career, and loved the experience, so I knew this position would be a good fit.
Little did I know that this position would become the perfect fit. After nearly a year of around-the-clock planning, there was something about this journey to the United World Games that impacted me in a way that few people get to experience with their jobs. There were days on tour that I woke up still exhausted, but would not have gone back to bed if that were even an option. The areas we visited experienced a historic heat wave for most of the tour, and Europe is not exactly known for an abundance of air conditioning. I am the type that sweats during the dead of winter, and there were a good number of packed bus rides and meals at non air conditioned restaurants – to go along with a lot of basketball in sweaty gyms – during the United World Games without a hint of air conditioning … and somehow I found it all fun.
And, yes, there were some bumps in the road here and there, because it is almost impossible to pull off a tour for hundreds of travelers to perfection. But, we figured it all out. And, the tour was amazing.
A huge part of the success of this tour was the people. This group began as a group of ‘my travelers,’ ‘my coaches,’ and ‘the staff’ … but 10 days later, I have a bunch of new friends who I miss already. There were parents on this tour who I have texted with already today. There are athletes who have already asked me about touring with us next year, so I am pretty sure I will get to see them again. The coaches … I want them all back with us next year. And, the United World Games staff were first class in every way, including our two tour coordinators, who were complete rock stars.
In other words, 10 days later, it’s like I have this who new SaWUSA family. And, it’s just so awesome.
The truth is that the United World Games tour is/was my job. This is what I do for a living. Me having the time of my life, and loving this experience, is really not important. My job was to do everything I could to make sure our travelers had that kind of tour. But, nonetheless, here I am, screaming to the world how much I loved this experience. That is what it means when you job becomes your passion. And I am eternally grateful to do this.
So, to wrap up the 2023 United World Games tour, what I really want to do is say thank you:
– To the athletes who competed at United World Games … as I said during our last meeting in Munich, there is no group anywhere in the world that representing their nation as well as you represented the United States at United World Games. You competed and battled, won a bunch of games, stood out with your passion and enthusiasm, and got a lot of attention because you did it the right way. You were a first class group of people, first. And, it showed. Thank you for making this experience so much fun.
– To our traveling parents and guests, I have dozens of new friends from all over the country. The many of you who I bonded with, I miss already. Thank you for your support, your patience, and your kindness. This was my first tour for SaWUSA, and it was an overwhelming success because of how many amazing travelers I had the pleasure to work with. Keep in touch!
– To Coach Stansbury, Coach Johnson, Coach Rice, and Coach Mulhern – you guys had a few zoom meetings, a long flight, and then two practices to put a team together, and look how well we did. What you did was not easy. But, you were great. I am so happy to have had this experience with you!
– And to the staff on the ground in Europe – this was an amazing experience for all. The United World Games was a world class event. The tour itself was even better. Thank you for showing us the world.
That’s all for United World Games 2023. I will have more blogs and more social media videos during the year as we prepare for our 2024 tours. For now, I am taking a few days off to get back into my routine at home, but I will soon be back at it, gearing up for our 2024 tours, in order to make them even bigger and better. The countdown to UWG 2024 is on, and I can’t wait to be there!
Post #7 - Salzburg and Saltmines
Post #6 - Italy!
Today, the United World Games tour visited one of the most historic and beautiful cities in the world, as we spent the day in Venice, Italy. As a first-time European traveller, I can tell you that it was everything I expected it to be.
One can rarely ‘love’ a long bus ride, but this one was just awesome. First, we passed through the Austrian and Italian Alps, which was an amazing ride, and once the land flattened out, and we got deeper into Italy, we drove passed miles and miles of vineyards. It was yet another long bus ride on this trip that seemed to go by in a flash.
We took a short boat ride to Venice, from the moment we left the boat, it was an immersion into the kind of architecture I have never seen before. From the churches, to the city square, to the alley ways full of shops and cafes and restaurants, Venice was just breathtaking.
We took a tour of the world famous glass factory, which surpassed my expectations by a mile. I was floored at how quickly the process works, and how amazing the results are. Then, we walked across town for a Gondola ride, that was just incredible. I had the chance to ride with the Weltlin family from Florida, who became one of my favorite families on our tour, so it was neat spending some time as a member of their awesome extended family!
We then had some free time in the city, and I took full advantage, going into shop after shop. Finally, I stopped in a restaurant, and had a chance to experience some real Italian pizza … and it was delicious! As a New Yorker, I am very particular about my pizza, but Venice pizza held its own.
A little later, we met for dinner, where we enjoyed a delicious Italian meal. All in all, a great day!
The only thing I missed was some real-deal gelato … a reason to come back!
Tomorrow is the final day of our tour, and it is a busy one! We visit Salzburg, and the famous Salt Mines, before heading back to Munich for one final banquet.
It will be a bittersweet day. I miss my home and my family very much, but I have absolutely loved this tour. By this time tomorrow, I will have said goodbye to a number of people who have made my first tour at SaWUSA unforgettable. Hoping I get to see these amazing families again real soon.
Time for bed … Ciao!
Post #5 - The Games
With the exception of one final BBQ, the 2023 United World Games are now officially behind us, and what a tremendous and amazing event it was. It really was everything I expected it to be, and then some. I had the chance to meet people from all around the world, make some amazing new friends, and see four SaWUSA basketball teams do some amazing work on the court.
Ultimately, three of our teams fell in the Quarterfinal round, all close, tough, emotional kinds of games. The common theme I saw was our teams really giving the games everything they had. A couple of our quarterfinal losses were real heartbreakers, and our players were exhausted. They left it all on the court. A lucky break here or there, and I would be writing about several medal-winning teams.
Our U19 East team – coached by Quin Rice – gave us quite a treat to close United World Games. They finished pool play 3-0, won their quarterfinal game, and then advanced to the Gold Medal game with an overtime win late Saturday night. That game was just incredible. Back and forth, lead change after lead change, and then just as it seemed like we were going to be eliminated, Scott Weltlin nailed a buzzer-beating jumper to tie the semifinal game, and send us to overtime, where we won.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get the Hollywood ending. Our U19 team lost by six points in the final round, but what a game it was. Neither team ever had a comfortable lead. SaWUSA had a four point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but could not hold on, losing by six.
To me, it’s an honor just to be here. To advance to the medal round is quite an accomplishment. To be one of the last two teams standing is truly remarkable. To say that this team was literally a bounce or two away from a gold medal makes them quite a special bunch. It was a pleasure to be alongside this group for the United World Games. In fact, this trip with these families and teams was one of the highlights of my professional career.
The United World Games itself was a first class event, and I would like to think I’m going to do this regularly, as my predecessor at SaWUSA did. Aside from the competition, there have been a few amazing events the last couple of days. The players’ party on Saturday night sounded like a blast. I didn’t bother going near it because it was way too loud, and crowded, but from the looks of things, there were like 5,000 athletes dancing at the same time.
In about an hour, we’re off to the farewell BBQ, which will give me an opportunity to finally checkout the lakefront area of Klagenfurt. Then, the United World Games will be over. It went by way too quickly.
Since I last wrote, I finally had the chance to take a long walk around Klagensfurt, and I have to say I love this town. It’s just street after street of shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, etc., but it’s all put together in a way that makes it all so enjoyable. Walking around in a NY Rangers hat yesterday, and wearing the USA colors, I got stopped too many times to count to talk about America.
I also had the best hamburger I’ve ever eaten in my entire life in Klagensfurt (Jack’s Hamburger) if you’re ever in town. I spent a ton of time with our families at night (who do not seem to require any sleep whatsoever), and really made some great new friends. I miss home, but as this trip enters the home stretch, I have to say that my job has really turned into a passion. I have loved everything about this experience.
Above all, I want to give my biggest shoutout to our teams here in Austria. It wasn’t that we won a heck of a lot more games than we lost that makes me proud, it was the way our teams and families came together, so quickly, and played as teams that really stood out to me. These kids have made memories on and off of the court that will last a lifetime, and I have a feeling there are friendships that have begun that will not end anytime soon. For me, there are a number of people I am going to miss seeing every day. I also think our coaches were just tremendous during the tournament, and I am eternally thankful to them.
The tour continues: BBQ tonight, and then Venice, Italy tomorrow. I cannot wait!
Post #4 - Opening Ceremony
It says an awful lot about how amazing today was when our four basketball teams went a combined 7-1, and that was not the best part of our day. But, on this United World Games trip, we are enjoying the kinds of experiences that transcend sports, and goes into a total group bonding, almost family kind of feel.
When it came to basketball, our teams were just awesome, in large part because we really have a special group of coaches. Every game was a different story from one another for each of our teams, but no matter what, our coaches were out there teaching the game, adjusting, motivating, and trying to push the right buttons, start to finish. They may have only met their teams four days earlier, but they treated them like these were late-season games with playoff implications. On top of that, this particular group of coaches are good people, who care about our kids. I am quite proud of them.
Later in the evening, we were treated to the event of a lifetime as the United World Games hosted its opening ceremony. I am still in awe. We were ushered to the underbelly of the stadium to wait for our moment to enter the stadium, and the atmosphere was downright festive. Each country seems to have their own unique chant, and boy did they practice celebrating it! It was loud, and rowdy, and so much fun.
When the gates finally opened, we marched into the stadium, to the delight of thousands of adoring fans. When the USA was finally announced, there was a roar from the crowd that lasted for minutes … one of the proudest moments of my career. Watching our kids celebrate the moment was special. It was amazing to be a part of. I’ll never forget it. The videos I posted on our social media do not do justice for what was one of the best events I’ve ever been to.
Afterwards, several parents told me how they cried watching the joy on their children’s faces. I know if my son ever participates in this event, I will feel the same way. What occurred to me afterwards was that for those within this group who don’t live their basketball dreams, they will always have tonight, and it’s always going to be special. I just hope these kids took a moment to soak it all in, because it was such a cool event.
Tomorrow we continue with United World Games play as the preliminary round ends, and the medal round begins. We’re in the home stretch of this tour, and I can tell you that – as much as I miss my home and my bed and my family – I am going to miss this group. I have made hundreds of new friends from all around the country, and the world. June 28 will be a very bittersweet day. Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about that yet!
Check out our Instagram – @StudentAthleteW – for a lot of coverage of today’s events!
Post #3 - Oktoberfest
Post #2 - Transfer to Austria
Here is a riddle:
When does a five-hour bus ride really feel like a matter of minutes? The answer is … when making the commute from Munich, Germany to Klagsfurt, Austria. Today, we did just that. Over five amazing hours, we were treated to some of the most breathtaking views that I have ever seen. It was literally like living in a post-card for five hours. The way the Alps dot the countryside heading towards Austria was just beautiful. It made the trip relaxing to say the least, and the time passed quickly. I actually am excited to do it again.
Once we arrived in Klagsfurt, our teams went right to work, engaging in two-hour practices. Considering how busy the last couple of days were, our teams looked solid. The practices were positive, energetic, and up-tempo. One thing I can say for certain is that we hired a fantastic coaching staff for this summer. All of our practices featured the perfect balance between teaching/learning, and teamwork development. It was fun to watch. In fact, so much fun that both of the courts we were lined with members of youth teams from China, who loved watching our teams play. After our U19 teams practiced, they posed for pictures with their new friends from China.
While practices were happening, I took a few minutes to sneak into the main stadium to check out the site of the opening ceremony for United World Games.
This was like standing in an empty NFL stadium with a perfect view of the entire facility. It was awesome! I can’t want to see the place in action this week! This evening featured a banquet for teams who travelled from other countries to compete in the United World Games, and our teams were treated to a delicious dinner, and spent even more time bonding and getting ready for the competition ahead.
All in all, we’re two full days into our United Word Games tour, and everything is amazing. Our families and athletes are having fun, our coaches are just amazing, and the tour itself is so much fun … and we haven’t even started the United World Games! Meaning, the best is yet to come! Tomorrow is a low-key day as we have practice, and then an Oktoberfest sponsored by the United World Games. Looking forward to another great day! Go SaWUSA!
Post #1 - Arrival in Europe
Hello from across the pond!
When I was given the option to oversee whichever SAWUSA tour I wanted for my first year with the company, I wasted little time choosing United World Games. Two days into our tour, and I am proud to report that I might not ever want to oversee a different tour. Between an amazing itinerary filled with really wonderful stops, visits to three different countries, and participation in the coolest youth sporting event I’ve ever heard of, this trip is awesome!
We arrived in Munich today, and immediately visited the Dachau Concentration Camp. It was easily the most powerful experience of my life. The Holocaust was an important chapter in our history, and to see an actual concentration camp in person made all that I had learned about the Holocaust growing up that much more real. While I can’t say the experience was fun, it most certainly moved me. And, I saw it have a similar impact on our other travelers.
After Dachau, we headed to Munich City Center for an afternoon to explore one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe. I absolutely LOVED Munich. It is beautiful, fun, clean, easy to navigate, and there were countless awesome shops and places to eat and explore. Despite the fact that it was 90+ degrees outside, and most of us had barely slept from the flights to Europe, when we reconvened for dinner, it was all smiles. Everybody had a blast in Munich. I’m just not sure anybody had as much fun as I had!
For dinner, we dined at the world famous Hofbrauhaus in City Center Munich. All I have to say is, “Wow!” For appetizers, they had these massive Bavarian pretzels that were larger than my head, and big and thick enough to feed a family. Dinner was incredible! Pork Belly, that was the perfect balance of crispy and tender. It was absolutely delicious. And, for dessert, we were treated to Kaiserschmarrn, which is a super delicious chopped up dessert pancake.
My philosophy behind world travel is to eat everything, try anything new, and live every minute. I did it today, and I am exhausted. On top of the amazing dinner, I also tried curried bratwurst, which was terrific, and even had a slice of Munich Pizza that certainly held its own as a snack!
What’s making this trip especially wonderful are our travelers themselves. Just a fantastic group of athletes and families. Tomorrow, we leave for Klagenfurt for the United World Games. Considering that most of our teams only met each other for the first time during the last couple of days, you can see and sense the teams coming together. Our coaches are first class, and I think our athletes are going to have a wonderful experience. I know I am!
I plan to add much more content to our social media feeds as we get closer to United World Games, hoping to spotlight our athletes and teams.
For now, it’s time to get some sleep, but I can’t wait to update you some more once we head into Austria tomorrow!