Two varsity volleyball players at CHS also play for a local club team, SoCal Volleyball Club. Over the summer they took a trip to Spain, however they were not just relaxing by the beaches. Kelley Jacome and Alea Gladstein practiced their skills for volleyball against clubs from Spain. This trip not only helped team bonding , but inspired them to play harder and adapt to different ways people play volleyball. Coach Aimee Asebroek of the 15-1 team elaborates on how they got this opportunity.

“Our sister club, CVM, is a part of a super passionate network of clubs in southern Spain,” said Coach Aimee Asebroek. “They work tirelessly to give girls the opportunity to play when they otherwise can’t afford it.”

The trip definitely was not handed to them, it was a team effort to make sure everyone could be apart of this once in a life time opportunity. The team was not as interested in sight seeing as they were in playing volleyball. They made volleyball their main priority on this trip.

“We all put together money for the girls who couldn’t pay, and it was a really long traveling day,” Jacome said. “But it was totally worth it. Everyday we went straight to the beach and played volleyball. Then after if we were still up to it, we went down to the gym and played some tournaments or just practiced on the court.”

Some may think playing volleyball everyday would get repetitive, but the SoCal team set up different tournaments and played against different people.

“Sometimes we would partner up with the girls from Spain and do little beach tournaments,” Jacome said. “But one day we had this huge court tournament, where all the clubs from spain came to play. And we ended up getting first in that. The girls from Spain were better at beach than we were, but we were better at court because in Spain they focus mainly on Beach, and we only do court for our club.”

Going to Spain to play against their teams helped the team realize their strengths and weaknesses. They know there is always room for improvement, now they just know what they need to improve on. The SoCal team not only noticed the differences in their playing but also the differences in their overall energy on and off the court.

“There are a lot of different techniques taught over there, but one thing that’s really cool is the culture of their teams,” Asebroek said. “They are extremely energetic and fired up and have all kinds of exciting cheers that keeps everyone motivated. It’s exciting to see and our volleyball could use more of that.”

Gladstein thinks that going to Spain helped her team understand that other teams have different backgrounds and culture influence, but both teams respect the differences they have.

“The teams from Spain are a lot different in many aspects such as their techniques and practices,” Sophomore Alea Gladstein said. “We also just approach things a lot differently. I don’t think we are more skilled, but we have better technique and we are more advanced in court.”

Coming back from the trip, the SoCal team is more bonded and feels a closer connection between their teammates.

“Spain definitely helped our team bonding, because we were with each other all the time just having fun,” Gladstein said. “The experience was the best thing i have ever experienced in my life.”

The trip helped the team realize that when the differences are put a side the two teams have many similarities.

“The trip broadened the girls’ perspective about volleyball on an international scale, and also just that the world doesn’t revolve around our country,” Asebroek said. “They met girls their age that have the same struggles and goals as they do and created amazing long lasting relationships and memories that they’ll never forget.”