| Gwynedd-Mercy spent Monday team bonding in the form of whitewater rafting in Costa Rica. |
The Gwynedd-Mercy men’s basketball team spent time in Costa Rica over its fall break, where the squad took part in a pair of scrimmages against local professional teams and did their part in a community service project, not to mention had a little fun.
The entire trip was chronicled by junior guard Brendan Stanton through video and pictures on the team's travel blog.
The group flew into San Jose where they got to see the town, its marketplace, and its architecture, and to sample its local food specialties. The players got a taste of exotic fruits and its traditional delicacies along the way. From there, they took on two professional top division level Costa Rican teams Sanatura Desamparados and Escazu. The exhibition games took place in the National Training Center Gym, with Gwynedd-Mercy winning 78-67 and 67-63 in games played by FIBA rules with the international lane, three-point line and 24-second shot clock.
Away from the court, the Griffins visited a low-income child care center for single mothers, where they brought collected school supplies, books, stuffed animals, and t-shirts. The children even got a few basketball tips from the student-athletes.
The squad and staff also found some time to have a little fun, enjoying a day flying through zip lines in the jungle, checking out the waves at Jaco Beach, and taking a hike through the mountains. The group also partook in whitewater rafting trip and (some) did a little cliff jumping.
GMC coach John Baron said it was an experience of a lifetime. “The experience was a memory I think our guys will never forget. The trip tied together our preparation for the upcoming season as we did team bonding activities, learned a new culture, and had lots of fun. To go on the trip was the best decision I have made as a head coach here at Gwynedd-Mercy.”
Gwynedd-Mercy opens its 2011-12 schedule with 2011 national semifinalist Middlebury on Nov. 18 at Ramapo.