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Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham sophomore right side hitter
Natalie Martinez recently completed a very special experience as she returned home after touring parts of Europe as a part of USAAI (USA Athletes International) in the Bavaria to the Beach Volleyball Tour from June 7-16.
Martinez played matches in Munich, Germany, Innsbruck, Austria, and Venice, Italy, during her time in Europe.
Martinez was part of a 10-player squad, coached by Margot Royer-Johnson of Providence College.
The event was an excellent opportunity for athletes to foster international goodwill and friendship among nations, while also promoting the game. With the exception of the US Olympic program, there are few opportunities for athletes to experience the competition, history and culture of other countries on an international level.
Established in 1992, USA Athletes International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving amateur athletes such an opportunity. You can find additional information about USA Athletes International by visiting
www.usaai.org.
Here is Natalie's recap of her trip:
Now that I'm back in the US, I can't stop pouring over pictures and videos from my time in Germany, Austria and Italy. Before the opportunity to play volleyball with USA Athletes International, I didn't even think I was interested in traveling the world. After my time in Europe, however, I've realized that I'd love to travel overseas more often. What made this particular experience unique was that I got the opportunity to play the sport I love at the same time!
My journey technically began at JFK, where I met my teammates for the very first time, as well as the men's volleyball team that we travelled with. Comprised of players from collegiate programs around the country, everyone had different experiences and stories to tell while getting to know one another. What really helped us bond, however, was the shared experience we had exploring Europe together for the first time.
Once we arrived in Munich, we had the opportunity to explore the city center on our own, before playing our first match against a German team. While both the men's and women's teams came out victorious, the best part was enjoying dinner with the opposing teams afterward, and hanging out at the restaurant for hours with new friends and amazing food. The next day we visited the former concentration camp Dachau, which was informative but also heartbreaking to learn about. Leave it to Germany, however, to brighten the mood with its amazing people! We played another game of volleyball that afternoon (and won), before having more free time to explore Marienplatz in the city. When it came time to leave Germany for Austria, we had seen the dancing figures atop the Marienplatz Clock Tower, walked through the famous Englischer Garten, visited the old Münchner Residenz palace, goofed off in old-fashioned "Lederhosen" and "Dirndl" outfits, and eaten the
best sausages and soft pretzels.
On our way to Austria we stopped in Hohenschwangau, Germany, to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the castle that inspired the Walt Disney castle, which definitely set the stage for our time in Innsbruck, Austria. Innsbruck felt like something out of a fairytale. All the buildings sported different bright colors, and instead of flags there were often streamers jutting out from the walls. The city is famous for its ski slopes, but since the snow had melted, it was clear of tourists: This allowed us to see the real Innsbruck, a quaint and cobblestoned treasure. We played [and won against] two Austrian teams during our time in Innsbruck. Both matches were located outside the city, but many of the Austrians were happy to spend time with us Americans back in Innsbruck! One of the last things we did in Austria was to take the Hungerburgbahn funicular (a newly designed vertical railway) up the mountains for breathtaking views of Innsbruck and the surrounding areas!
Then it was off to Italy on a bus — a four hour drive that kept me awake with its beautiful scenery. Even the pit stop was picture worthy, parked in the middle of nowhere right next to a giant lake and a gelato shop. Our last game was against the Italians in Fiume Veneto, which we won, leaving us undefeated! As per usual, we joined the Italians for lots of food and lots of laughter before packing it in for the night. While we didn't have time to explore Fiume Veneto, we made up for it the next day in Venice. It was a jam packed day, starting with a private tour through the world famous Murano Glass Factory. One of the glass masters even demonstrated glass blowing for us, creating two beautiful Venetian glass pieces right before our eyes. From there we visited Piazza San Marco, and the nearby Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark before being set loose to explore Venice on our own. After getting lost in the maze of picturesque alleyways and canals, I found my way back to the group in time for a Gondola ride near the Piazza. Finally, we enjoyed real Italian pizza before returning to the hotel, exhausted. Our last day in Italy was a beach day to ourselves, from which we returned to the airport sufficiently sunburnt, and sad to be leaving.
If there is one thing that I'll take back with me from this trip — besides some touristy t-shirts and no storage space left on my camera — it is that sports are really a universal language. Our team could not understand a word of German or Italian that was said through the net, but we were all playing the same game of volleyball and building the same camaraderie among our teammates. It's truly amazing to me that I could make friends on the other side of the planet, based on a mutual love for the game that is such a big part of my life.
