Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Say Arrivederci to Italy
9/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sept. 8, 2010
Throughout the Northwestern men's basketball team's tour of Italy, a different Wildcat player checked in with his thoughts on the journey. Senior co-captain Jeff Ryan has the chance to wrap up the trip with a recap of what was a memorable opportunity. If you missed any of the player blogs, photo galleries or videos along the way, please visit the Italy Tour Central Page
I look up at John Shurna to see if he's heard them too -- the wails of the baby seated just one row behind us on our nine-hour flight back to Chicago. At the moment, they seem more piercing than the car sirens of the Italian polizia. John shakes his head and rolls his eyes and I know that even his noise-cancellation headphones aren't doing him much good. Two empty seats to my right (we've found solace in the extra leg room) John is working on the second-to-last installment of our team's blog, typing away about our last day in Italy. Let's just say that Lake Como left many of us scrambling to create space on our camera memory cards. Picturesque would be a bit of an understatement. I, on the other hand, am typing a draft of the final blog -- a wrap-up of our trip, our last Arrivederci...
The Italy tour's long-term effects remain to be seen, but the impression it has left on our group is unmistakable. For some, it was our first time overseas. Others were making a return trip to Italy. But for each and every one of us, this journey was once-in-a-lifetime. It was the remarkable chance to travel as a team, represent our university, enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of a foreign country, and, of course, play basketball. A highlight for many college students is studying abroad, something that is nearly impossible for us athletes to do because of the year-round nature of Division I sports. This trip went beyond filling that void in our collective college experiences because of basketball. As many of you know, basketball (or any collegiate sport for that matter) is practically like a part-time job, given the enormous time commitment in addition to school. But we put in the long hours and work hard every day because it's what we love to do. We've grown up dreaming about being in this very position. So naturally, the opportunity to experience Italy as a team was very special to all of us.
The last few weeks were another big step in the right direction for Northwestern Basketball. The progress we made in our pre-Italy practices and the game experience we gained overseas feel like worthy preseason accomplishments. More importantly, our team is returning home closer than ever, ready for the ups and downs that every team inevitably faces each season. It's the teams with the strongest bond that can succeed when the minor bumps in the road arise.
Drew Crawford (my roommate in Italy) and I both agreed that the trip actually exceeded our expectations. On every front, it was truly incredible. When all is said and done -- 30 or 40 years down the road -- the practices and some of the games, I'm sure, will become a blur. But I will certainly remember the 12 teammates I took this trip with, and what it meant to all of us to go through something like this together.
For me personally, this trip has turned out to be part of the silver lining in missing out on last season because of my injury. And although I couldn't play in Italy, just being part of the game atmosphere and watching us play the way we did made me even more eager to get back on the court (soon hopefully). There is no doubt that we are all excited for this year.
I'd like to say another big 'thank you' to everyone who made this trip possible. It is your generosity and support that makes us all proud to be part of the Northwestern family. Another special thanks goes to our wonderful tour guides, Dave and Sara. Their efforts over the last ten days (coordinating foreign travel for such a large group is no easy task!) made the trip even more enjoyable.
The trip has gone by really quickly, but as I look through my pictures on the bus to Evanston I remember the dozens of little anecdotes that I'm sure will be recounted for years to come. As we near Welsh-Ryan, we discuss what our first meal will be back home. The consensus for many is a cheeseburger. In a few short days, I'm sure we'll all be craving the amazing cuisine we experienced in Italy, but for now it's great to be back. Thanks to all of our followers; it has been our pleasure to share this wonderful journey with you. For the tech-savvy blogging and all the great pictures at NUsports.com, we'd like to send a big shout-out to Nick, our media and communications director. Now it's back to work as classes and preseason workouts start shortly. See you all in November!
Go 'Cats!
Jeff Ryan #5
