I am Number Four!

So I know this blog post is a bit delayed, but I got back to Israel after Amsterdam, and went straight into finals and even more lacrosse so I've not had enough free time to blog my experience. I will just start off by saying it was AMAZING! It was a world wind experience, but so much fun, so rewarding and something I am so happy that I got the opportunity to be a part of! I still can't believe it's real sometimes. I was a part of the first EVER Israel Women's Lacrosse team!


I mean mere weeks before we were meant to leave for Amsterdam we were questioning would this trip really happen, would we really be able to pull it of?! Well we did way more than that! We had 3 teams in Amsterdam and the men and women's team swept the festival tournament and the men's national team placed 8th in Europe! Israel, FESTIE CHAMPS!!! :) I'd say that's a pretty damn good showing for the first international play by team Israel!


So I left for Amsterdam on June 23rd. It was pretty warm in Tel Aviv, but I knew the weather in Amsterdam wouldn't be the same. So I dressed comfortably, but prepared for both. I am one to travel nicely dressed, but always comfy. Being dressed nicely always makes you feel good too, and I was so excited about this trip that I figured starting on the right foot only made sense. Looking good, feeling good, only good things to follow, right?! I think my positive attitude helped in the airport too. I did get my usual extra search by security, but this time it didn't take 3 hours and I didn't have to do a full body search, I'd say that's a big score for me in my Ben Gurion Airport experiences thus far!

Airplane Chic! :)

So my trip to Amsterdam wasn't the greatest on my flights I was surrounded by screaming babies, but whatever I was still excited to be there once I arrived. I got there and Tash was waiting for me at the airport seen as we'd expected to arrive around the same time considering we'd departed 30 mins apart. Well it turns out she landed way before me and was waiting for me to arrive for a while, I felt bad, but it was good to see a familiar face at the airport. So we got some Starbucks, a must considering there is no Starbucks in Israel, and then went to our meeting point to wait to be picked up. Scott finally arrived to get us from the airport with a few others and Sara ended up arriving around the same time too, so we all piled in a van and headed to where we were staying for the week.


We were all staying at a campsite in the Amsterdam Bos. Thankfully we weren't staying in tents, there were actually some teams literally camping. We were staying in cabins, not the nicest place I've ever stayed, but honestly not the worst either. It was just a bit tight with 5 girls. We made it work though. See the pictures below, it doesn't look so bad in pics because it's empty and these are before 5 girls moved in the space. By the time I actually arrived at the campsite it was quite late though so most of the girls were getting ready for bed so I didn't really get to properly meet everyone until the next day.

Anyway the true start to my lax life for the rest of the week. We had our first team practice. It was not nice weather, it was cold and during practice it started pissing with rain, cold and wet is never a good combination. However, we finally got to meet the other girls. Only about 8 of the players on the team actually live in Israel so it was nice to finally meet our other teammates.

• Liz: Goalie, played at Georgetown, but is now coaching at a High School in England and the only player on our team to know where Benenden is (my old high school). 
• Sarah (aka Ha): ex-Franklin and Marshall basketball and lacrosse player 
• Steph: One of the Israeli girls and team manager/coordinator extraordinaire 
• Carrie: Another Israeli girl with a top secret job that made her miss the beginning of the tournament. So glad she made it though! :) 
• Jess: Played at Muhlenberg, fellow Scorpio, and generally cool chick
• Caitlin: Played at Tufts, she's one of the coaches daughters, and her brother also played on the men's team (roommate)
• Alyson: Played at Hopkins, sister of Caitlin (roommate)
• Molly: Played at Columbia, oldest sister to Caitlin and Alyson (roommate)
• Mia: Goalie extraordinaire, plays at American 
• Miri: Another Israeli player, studied here for the semester, but plays at Chapman in Cali 
• Alicia: Lives in Israel, med student at Sackler. 
• Tash: Played at Uni in England, currently living in Tel Aviv doing her Master's (roommate)
• Sara: Played at Yale, lives in Jerusalem
• Rachael:  Israeli (whose goal is to make the entire team move to Israel)
• Felisha: the baby of the team, current high school player, and scorer of the winning goal
• Taylor: Plays at Wheaton College (Mass.), and always down for a fun time
• Jenna: Played at Yale player, definition of FUN 
• Kim (Dubs): Played at Hopkins 
• Coaches: Bonnie Rosen (Temple) and Peter Freidensohn

Introducing the First Ever Israeli Women's National Lacrosse Team. Photo Credit: Larry Palumbo

Most of us had never played together, some of us hadn't played in years, but we came together and made one kick ass team! 

After practice we watched the men's team play and then headed back to camp to get ready for our program wide dinner (players, trainers, coaches, directors, supporters, etc). It was nice because my friend Sarah from High School just moved to Amsterdam and she lives kinda nearby so I got to hang out with her the whole week too. So after my practice Sarah met me at the campsite and it was my first time seeing her in a while so it was awesome to hang out again. We had such a fun time! :) Sarah came to dinner with us and hung out with the team. This is where my reversion back to 21 began and the drinking commenced. I have not consumed so much alcohol and partied so hard in such a long time as I had with my Israel lax peeps! Lots of liquid calories were consumed from this point on, lots of fun was had, some shameful moments, but nothing I regret! It was a great time and an experience I will never forget. 


Monday we all got up early and head to the fields for the 1st day of play. WE WON both of our games; 10-0 and 14-4. To be 2-0 on the 1st day of play was awesome! We were all so happy. This is an amazing accomplishment for the program, for our team who'd only played together for the 1st time that day, and individually for each player. 
After we were meant to go to the Anne Frank House as a team, but we had a bit of a issue with mini-van. So instead we all went out to dinner at a near by bar/restaurant. I was so hungry by that time that I ordered a steak.

First time in my uniform! I am number four!

At dinner, with Miri and Alicia

After day 2 we were 4-1. We lost our last game by 1 goal. We all headed back to the Bos and got ready to head into Amsterdam for some dinner, a trip to the Anne Frank House and the European Premiere of Crooked Arrows in Rembrant Square. It was quite a long day, but the Anne Frank House was a pretty awesome experience. A little emotional, but nonetheless amazing. The house was empty, there were TV screens around explaining the story of Anne Frank and her family, and there were some photos and diagrams so that visitors can get an idea of what the apartment looked like when they lived in it. 

Miri and I on the way to the Anne Frank House.

Jenna and I, me singing loudly. Can you tell we were having fun in  Amsterdam? 

Wednesday we ended the day 6-2. We lost to blasted Global by one goal yet again! So annoying! 8 games in 3 days is rough on the body. My knee starting hurting me on Monday and got progressively worse over the course of play.... my age is starting to show. :( I went to the medical tent at the tournament and got my knee taped, but it wasn't really helping. I tried to play through the pain for as long as I could. 

Playing through the pain. Photo Credit: Larry Palumbo 

Go Jess! Playing Team USA. Photo Credit: Larry Palumbo

Thursday we had 2 more games. We ended 7-3 which means we have a definite spot in the championships. I didn't play today though, I wanted to give my knee a break in hopes of playing in the championships. Finally our games ended early, so after games were done we changed at the fields dumped all of our stuff in the vans and headed into Amsterdam. The boys team had their last championship game that day though so a few of us waited to head into Amsterdam until after their game was done. 

Holdin' the Israel Flag at the Men's game! 

Miri, Tash and I got on the bus headed into Amsterdam and got off at the Van Gogh museum, but by the time we got their it was closed. So we got waffles and ice cream as a snack and walked around a bit, got some dinner and then took a canal tour. I had a yummy authentic Chinese dinner, so good, I ate so much! Y'all know how much I love Asian food and there's not really a good Chinese restaurant here so I had to indulge.  We also got a mini dose of how prostitution works in Amsterdam. We were walking around the streets and came upon women standing in windows in Lingerie waiting for their next client. It was quite interesting to see. It was a beautiful evening overall! 

Hanging out on top of the A & M of the I AMsterdam sign.

Mazel Tov to Team Israel! Walking around Amsterdam before dinner.

Beautiful canals

On our gorgeous canal tour

It's finally Friday! The last day of the tournament. Which means its Championship day. I woke up feeling great. I was positive and kept telling myself we're going to win. I was singing "we are the champions" in my head. I even put my hair in FroHawk. My theory is - look good, feel good, win championships! And it totally worked! We won our semi final game. Then it was time to face Global for the 3rd time after they'd already beat us twice before. We were determined not to let them win again. It was interesting both the men and women's festival teams were playing the same teams in the championship. The men won their game in regulation. However our game was tied at the end of regulation.The refs at first didn't want to do an overtime, but thankfully they changed their minds. We had a 3 minute overtime first to score wins. After that they were going to do Braveheart. If you don't know what that is, it's one-on-one play with goalies. We were in the last few seconds of overtime play, I was barely breathing and literally biting my nails, the game was so intense, and Felisha, the baby on our team scored! It was an unbelievable moment. We won!!!! We all rushed the field! Amazing, Amazing, experience! 

In between games. 

The ladies ready to celebrate our victory! 

We are the Champions! :)

Of course we had to celebrate after! This night was the true revival of my 21 year old self and that's all I'm going to say about that. All you need to know is we like to party! :) 


Kol A Kavod Israel Lacrosse!!!