The Coastal Carolina women's basketball team will be providing daily updates of their experiences in Cuba, so please continue to check back to GoCCUsports.com every day this week to follow the Chants' progress and see what they see. Each day will feature a different member of the trip describing their experiences.
Day 6 - Our Last Day
Today's blog is brought to you by...
#14 Kaylin West
Junior - Guard
Bethlehem, Pa.
Today I woke up a little sad when I realized that our trip to Cuba would be slowly coming to an end in 24 hours. But on the bright side, we were blessed with another amazing day to add to our memories. We woke up at about 9 am and headed to one of our last breakfasts at the buffet. After breakfast, we loaded the bus and headed to the excursion for the day. The weather was perfect! It was the perfect breeze for an enjoyable morning of boating and jet skiing on the ocean. This was definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip! We rode around the ocean and visited a secluded area where we were able to swim as well as feed and touch fish, stingrays and baby sharks. It was an experience to remember! After that, we rode the waves back to the dock, loaded the bus, and headed back to our resort.
When we got back to the hotel, we headed straight to the pool together and kicked off the afternoon with some pool aerobics. We had quite the afternoon of exercise considering the fact that we played team water polo right afterwards. It is always fun and competitive for any type of game played by us Chants! When we were done playing a few games, we headed to the buffet for one last lunch together. After lunch, we went down to the beach full of white sand, where we had the opportunity to paddle boat, canoe, row boat, sail or simply just enjoy each other's company out in the crystal clear ocean water. It was the perfect final afternoon with my sisters. We ended the night with a group dinner that was cooked in front of us. The food was amazing, but the laughs were even better.
Overall, this experience has been nothing other than humbling. I am feeling eternally grateful for every single day this week, and even more blessed to have been able to spend it beside my Coastal family. For me, it was an eye-opening view into a new culture that was different than my own. It is not every day that you get to experience something like this. For that, I will never forget these seven days, and will continue to explore the world in the near future.
Looking ahead...
Coastal is scheduled to fly out of Havana at 3 p.m. on Saturday and arrive in Fort Lauderdale around 4:30 p.m. The Chants will then fly into Charleston and make their way back to campus.
Boating
Jet Skiing
Swimming With Stingrays and Sharks
Swimming at the Hotel Pool
The Team at Dinner
One Last Group Shot
Day 5 - Life's A Beach
Today's blog is brought to you by...
#4 Tiarra Davis
Junior - Guard
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Hello everyone! It's
Tiarra Davis here, No. 4 on Coastal's women's basketball team. Day five in Varadero, Cuba, has been amazing. We started our day with a snorkeling excursion. We arrived at the marina around 9 a.m. and boarded a large catamaran that held around 50 people. It was awesome. We sailed across the clear blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and arrived at our first destination to go snorkeling. We threw on our life jackets, goggles and breathing tubes and jumped into the clear, salty water. We were able to see many different types of fish and cool oceanic creatures and plants.
We then got back onto the boat and headed to a private island named Cayo Blanco. It was jaw dropping and so surreal. Clear blue waters, white sand, crispy coconuts and delicious lobster. We stayed on the island for about two hours or so, enjoying the music, swimming, food, views and each other. Little did we know that there was another exciting experience coming our way! Dolphins!
During the last part of the excursion we were blessed with the opportunity to interact with dolphins. It was wonderful! They're such beautiful and intelligent mammals. We were able to pet them and watch them perform some cool tricks. Everyone had a great time. After that we all boarded the boat and headed back to our resort.
Overall, today has been absolutely amazing and an unforgettable experience. Cuba has been so good to us Chants. Throughout the week we have been able to view and analyze such a different atmosphere and culture that is so different from our own, as well as taking part in international play to help us prepare for this upcoming season. I'm so proud to be a Chant and a part of this Coastal family!
Looking ahead...
One more full day of fun in Varadero on Friday before departing Cuba on Saturday.
Lounging On The Catamaran
Arriving At Cayo Blanco
Gearing Up For Snorkeling...
... And Off They Go
Enjoying Some Swimming
Petting The Dolphins
Day 4 - Thank You Havana
The Coastal Carolina women's basketball team and the Cuban national team played their third and final exhibition game at the Havana Sports Complex on Wednesday, Aug. 14. In the loss, senior guard
DJ Williams led Coastal in both scoring (11) and rebounding (6). Sophomore center
Aja Blount scored nine points while senior center
Naheria Hamilton added eight points and four rebounds.
In the afternoon the Chants left Havana and took a two-hour bus ride to Varadero, a resort area located on the island's northern coast, about 100 miles from Key West and 200 miles from Miami. On the way to the Iberostar Hotel Varadero the team visited
Saturno Cave, where the players went swimming and diving inside the cave during an hour-long stop.
Note: The planned trip to the U.S. Embassy in Havana unfortunately had to be canceled.
Today's blog is brought to you by...
#23 Caitlin Roche
Senior - Guard
Montvale, N.J.
Our last day in Havana was more than humbling. After three days exploring the city, trying new food, meeting new people and partaking in salsa lessons, it was difficult for us to leave.
An early morning for us today started with our breakfast buffet before heading off to face the Cuban national team for the third and final time. As we entered the gym, we were reminded again of how blessed we are to be here and able to not only compete against a very talented team, but also give back to some of the most friendly people and children I have ever met.
The past three days I have been able to watch my teammates compete at a very high level against a very strong and talented Cuban team. The game started off again with a very high tempo, something we had adjusted to well in our second game. Coastal went up by four at the start of the game, but the Cuban national team fought back and took the lead. At one point we were able to cut their lead to 38-30, and we continued to fight until the end with great effort. Although we did not come out with the win today, these past three games have all been great learning lessons. I believe this experience is one that has helped us all come closer as a family and better as a team. This is the type of experience that will especially count down the road.
The Cuban team impressed me very much. Their players were all extremely quick, athletic and skilled, and I got a sense that they were all so knowledgeable. Their understanding of the game and how it should be played was clear. Not one player on their team was selfish. I was watching a team with great chemistry, one that could find each one of their players at the exact right moment.
After the game we packed up and said our farewells to Havana. Then we headed to the swimming caves! The team climbed down into the cave and jumped right in. It was a super fun experience and the team had a great time swimming, jumping off the rocks, and even doing some racing (I won!). This was something I definitely want to do again. After that we headed to the resort to finally relax.
For me, the last day in Havana meant the most to me. Before the game, I spent time with the boys and girls who came to watch us play. I have never been humbled more than when meeting these children. We gave them tennis balls to play with and in those moments I had never seen a child smile so big for something so small. I always knew that we as Americans are beyond blessed in ways we do not even realize. This trip has reminded me how lucky I am as a person and as a basketball player at Coastal. Giving back to the people of Cuba was by far the best part of this trip and any experience I have ever had before.
Looking ahead...
The Chants will be spending their last two full days, Thursday and Friday, exploring the Varadero area.
Game 3: Senior Guard DJ Williams Shooting Free Throws
Postgame Interactions With Fans
Swimming at Saturno Cave
Day 3 - Salsa Cubana
Coastal enjoyed a day full of activities in its third day in Havana, Ciudad de las Columnas (City of Columns).
Coastal played its second of three games against the Cuban National Team, and suffered a close 64-62 loss at the Havana Sports Complex. The Chants trailed 33-27 at halftime, but came out strong in the second half to take a six-point lead in the fourth quarter. Cuba rallied down the stretch, however, hitting several clutch 3-pointers late in the game to escape with the two-point win.
Janae Camp paced the Chants with 15 points and five rebounds.
Janeen Camp also grabbed five rebounds as the sisters led Coastal to a 28-25 advantage on the boards.
DJ Williams added 12 points while
Naheria Hamilton tallied nine.
Prior to the game, the Chanticleers held a basketball clinic for around 50 local children. The attendees were taught various passing, layup and other basketball skills. At the conclusion of the clinic, the Chanticleer student-athletes presented the kids with a variety of Coastal Carolina apparel and other gifts.
After lunch, the team went on a guided tour of Havana and explored a craft market in the heart of the city. Later in the evening, the student-athletes and coaches participated in salsa dance lessons led by a group of professionals.
Tiarra Davis was voted the best dancer among the players, while
AJ Jordan claimed the title among the coaching staff.
Today's blog is brought to you by...
#21 Aja Blount
Sophomore - Center
Northampton, Pa.
First Impressions
This is my first time out of the country and it's been an awesome experience. I enjoy seeing how different we live from the Cubans. It's cool seeing the classic cars and how people live here. I've also enjoyed interacting with the Cubans and trying to speak Spanish with them, using what I've learned from my classes. Everyone here has been so kind and polite.
Kids Clinic
This was another great experience for us. The kids had such great energy and they were happy the whole time. I loved being able to give back to the Cuban community and show them a few of our Coastal drills. At the end we gave them the gifts we bought for them in America, and the excitement they showed was so cute it filled our hearts.
Playing Against Cuba
Playing against the Cuban National Team has been really fun. I like seeing how different their style of play is from ours, and it's cool playing with a few different rules. As a center, one of the first things I noticed was how much bigger the paint is. So far, the games have made for really fun match-ups because the Cubans are just as competitive and aggressive as us.
Walking Tour
The sights we saw on our walking tour of Havana were beautiful, and we got to see many of the famous historical landmarks such as the
Havana Cathedral,
Plaza Vieja and
Plaza de Armas.
Salsa Dancing
This was my first time learning how to salsa. Simply put, it was awesome. The instructors were very patient and sweet to us and made it a lot of fun. Also, not a big deal, my partner and I made the top five dancers.
Looking ahead...
The Chants play their third and final game on Wednesday. The group will then make their last stop in Havana at the U.S. Embassy before departing for Varadero for the remainder of the week.
Kids Clinic
Havana Walking Tour
Joining In With Some Street Performers
Visiting the Havana Craft Market
Salsa Dance Lessons
Day 2 - Gameday Surprises
Coastal played its first of three games against the Cuban National Team at the Havana Sports Complex on Monday. The Chants kept the game close early before the more experienced Cubans pulled away for the win.
Sophomore center
Aja Blount led the Chants with 13 points. Senior guard
DJ Williams followed with seven points while junior guard
Kaylin West and freshman guard
Alana Denson contributed five points apiece.
Janae Camp led Coastal on the boards with six rebounds.
During the postgame meal at the hotel, head coach
Jaida Williams introduced a surprise guest to the group. Brooke Weisbrod, a former CCU multi-sport athlete and member of the Coastal Carolina Sasser Hall of Fame, had made the trip to Havana and joined the team for dinner. Weisbrod congratulated the players on the being the first Coastal Carolina women's athletic program to travel abroad. Currently a college basketball analyst for ESPN, Weisbrod told the team the key to a successful season is to encourage one another and continue building team chemistry. She also announced she will stay with the team for the remainder of the trip.
Today's blog is brought to you by...
#3 Torrie Cash
Senior - Guard
Pittsburgh, Pa.
My first impression of Cuba was that it was as beautiful as expected! It feels like we are going back in time with the style of the cars and taxi's. On some of the roads there are train tracks and it kind of makes me think of old photos my grandmother would show me back home when she was growing up. Most importantly, Cuba makes me appreciate everything back home so much more, just from seeing and walking down the streets and exploring! I was surprised to see Puma and Adidas stores and other things that I thought they wouldn't have here when we were out walking.
Our first game against the Cubans was a great experience as far as finding out the strengths and weaknesses of our team early on, and I think we did well with handling adversity. We were told going in that the game environment would probably be hotter than what we're used to, and luckily we were prepared for that. We also had to adapt to playing by international rules instead of college rules, which was weird but cool at the same time. For example, we played with a 24-second shot clock and could only have three players lined up during free throws instead of four. Overall though, it was a great experience and definitely a fast-paced game, which is how we like to play.
Finally, it was a pleasure to have our alum Brooke Weisbrod out here with us! It really shows how much pride she has in the University, the team and what this basketball program means to her!
Looking ahead...
The Chants play their second of three games against the Cuban National Team on Tuesday. The rest of the day will include a visit to the craft market and salsa lessons.
Game 1: Senior Guard Torrie Cash Getting Taped Pregame
Game 1: Pregame Huddle
Game 1: Senior Guard DJ Williams
A Surprise Visit From Brooke Weisbrod at Dinner
Day 1 - Arrival
Today's blog is brought to you by...
Jerry Rashid
Director of Communications and Marketing
Coastal Carolina Office for Philanthropy
The Coastal Carolina University women's basketball team arrived in Havana, Cuba on Aug. 11, the day before their first of three exhibition games against the Cuban National Team and a week full of cultural experiences on the island.
"We are so thankful to be here and that our trip to Havana went well," said CCU head coach
Jaida Williams. "The hospitality in Cuba has been amazing so far and our student-athletes have not stopped smiling, being curious and getting used to their new environment for the next week. We are looking forward to game one versus the Cuban National Team tomorrow."
The Chants began their journey on Aug. 10 when they left Coastal's campus around 4 p.m. and traveled to Charleston in preparation for an early Sunday morning flight. Before turning in for the evening, the team enjoyed chicken parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs, and various other Italian dishes at Fratellos in North Charleston.
The team left its Charleston hotel at 4:15 a.m. on Sunday and arrived in Cuba around 1:30 p.m. via Fort Lauderdale. The players and coaches were greeted on their tour bus by Lee Frederick, president of Sport Tours International and trip organizer, and Dalia Henry, president of the Federation of Women's Basketball in Cuba, who extended a warm welcome to the CCU group.
A brief stop at Revolutionary Square was followed by a visit to La Triada, where the team learned about three things Cuba is most known for – cigars, coffee and rum. Following dinner at the team hotel, Parque Central, the players and coaches spent the evening exploring Havana by foot.
Looking ahead...
The Chants play their first of three games against the Cuban National Team on Monday morning. The afternoon will include a walking tour of Havana
Team Dinner at Fratellos, Charleston, S.C.
Arrival in Havana
Revolutionary Square
La Triada
