2009 golden gopher volleyball
Touring the Globe
Team
TRAVELS
Minnesota has had the opportunity to visit a diverse selection of locations recently. In 2008, the Golden Gophers played in Puerto Rico as part of their spring schedule. Minnesota also got a chance to play in Hawai’i as part of the Waikiki Beach Challenge last season. It marks the fourth time in 10 years the Golden Gophers have played in Hawai’i. In the summer of 2006, the Minnesota volleyball program had a unique opportunity to go on a tour of Eastern Europe. The tour provided an opportunity to compete against some of the top teams in the region, a chance to gain appreciation for a different culture, an opportunity to learn the rich history of the countries they visited and a chance to bond off the court as a team. Minnesota went 4-2 on the European Tour, but an even bigger part of the story was the experiences they had off the court as a team and as individuals. The Golden Gophers competed against teams in Prague, Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic and in Maribor, Slovenia. Minnesota also took one-day trips to the historical European cities of Vienna and Venice. The trip was a once-in-alifetime experience for everyone involved. The NCAA allows for International Tours once every four years. The Golden Gophers took advantage of this opportunity in 1998 as well when they traveled to Japan to play some exhibition matches. The philosophy of Minnesota Head Coach Mike Hebert regarding these events is that they are great life experience and often help foster stronger team chemistry.
13 * Minnesota Volleyball