CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
Traveling abroad can provide a team with bonding opportunities and lifelong memories. Thorough planning and a flexible attitude are the keys to making a trip enriching both on and off the court.
By Nate Dougherty
Nate Dougherty is a former Assistant Editor at Coaching Management.
When players from the Augustana College men’s team donned their blue and gold jerseys for a game last summer, they may as well have been wearing red, white, and blue. Playing in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, they faced off against a Chinese professional team before a crowd of 6,000 under a banner that read “USA vs. China.” As they walked off the court following a hard-fought victory, the Augustana players were mobbed by fans seeking photos and autographs.
For a group of NCAA Division III student-athletes accustomed to playing before much smaller and less demonstrative crowds, it was the kind of attention they had only dreamed of. And for Head Coach Grey Giovanine, it was an experience that helped forge a sense of team unity.
“The atmosphere surrounding that event is something those players will remember for the rest of their lives,” Giovanine says. “During the pregame meal that featured a traditionally prepared ram, the lights were dimmed and we were surrounded by small fires. While we ate, we were surrounded by singers, dancers, and musicians playing traditional Mongolian songs. It was priceless.”
Giovanine is no stranger to international experience. In 2001, he took the Augustana team on a tour of Holland, Belgium, and France, and traveled again in 2004 to Ireland. “The entire experience lends itself to creating team cohesion and chemistry,” Giovanine says. “You’re going to face some challenges along the way, but any time a group does something that unique, it’s a huge benefit.”
Whether visiting exotic locations or simply crossing the border, international travel can come in many forms for both college and high school teams. It can be a long weekend in Canada facing new opponents or 10 days spent playing exhibitions and hosting clinics in Africa. In this article, we’ll discuss how to effectively plan an international trip, what activities work best to promote team building, and how to keep players on top of their game while dealing with the rigors of travel.
Scheduling The Trip
To start the process, you may want to find a basketball-specific travel agency to assist in planning the trip. These agencies will schedule games and tournaments, make flight and hotel arrangements, and sometimes even send a tour guide to help players enjoy the local culture.
For coaches traveling for the first time, it’s important to research different agencies to see what kind of trips they offer and what opponents they can line up. “If you haven’t traveled before, it’s good to talk to other teams about their experiences with travel agents,” says Lafayette College Head Men’s Coach Fran O’Hanlon, who took his team to Italy last summer. “You want an agent who has good relationships with teams in the region where you’re going to travel. When a coach meets with a prospective agent, he or she needs to find out if the agent will travel with you or if you’ll have a guide.”
It’s also important for coaches to identify what kind of experience they want before sitting down with an agent to plan the trip. “When you talk to an agent, you’ll need to identify the level of competition you want to face and how many places you’d like to visit during the trip,” says Clemson University Head Men’s Coach Oliver Purnell, whose team spent the 2007 Labor Day weekend in the Bahamas. “They should go over everything with you, from the flight information to what hotels you’ll be staying at along the way. Make sure to be very thorough in the planning stages, because once you’re on the trip it becomes much harder to change something.”
Chad Wilkinson, President of American International Sports Tours Inc., says there are many points for coaches to consider when arranging a tour. For instance, they should ask where the hotel is in relation to the team’s competition sites, whether there are any safety concerns in the area, if bilingual assistance will be available, and how meals will be arranged.
Coaches should also remember that some countries have laws that can restrict how far and often a team can travel once at the destination.
“There are many different laws and regulations regarding tour buses and drivers,” Wilkinson says. “You have to understand the amount of hours your drivers are allowed to drive and the distances and time it takes to get from one destination to another—this can be the most difficult part of organizing a tour.”
There are also competition considerations. Having spent more than 12 years in European pro leagues as a player and coach, O’Hanlon knows foreign teams come in a wide range of talent levels, so it pays to inquire about the type of teams that are available to play. Coming off a 9-21 season, it was important for O’Hanlon to schedule opponents that would be playing at a similar level as the Crusaders.
“We didn’t want to go over there and get blown out by teams that were much better than we were,” O’Hanlon says. “They have some good pro teams we could have played, but losing badly would have taken away from the team building we were trying to accomplish. So through our travel agent we targeted teams that would be competitive, and as a result we had some close games that really benefited our team.”
Sometimes, however, playing superior pro or semi-pro competition can be helpful for a team. When Augustana went 1-4 against stiff competition during its 2001 trip, Giovanine used it as a learning experience. “Those games give you a chance to try some things you wouldn’t normally do, like pressing more or playing different zone defenses,” Giovanine says.
For college teams, deciding when to travel is determined largely by the NCAA. Rules specify that trips must be taken during summer vacation or one of the school’s other vacation periods. Division I and II teams may travel once every four years, while Division III teams can go once every three.
The timing of when a team travels can also limit who may go. If the trip is taken during the summer, the NCAA mandates that players must have been eligible for intercollegiate competition during the previous year—therefore excluding incoming freshmen. Purnell prefers to take tours in the late spring or early summer because without classes to get back to, the trip can last longer and offer more educational experiences, but says last year’s four-day-three-night trip was beneficial because he could bring the freshmen along. Doing so gave them a head start on getting to know their teammates.
“We practiced for 10 days before we left, then played two games in the Bahamas and returned home,” Purnell says. “We took 10 days off after we got back and jumped right into practice. It was a great way to start the season, bonding and hanging out together at the beach.
“The shorter trips aren’t as much about cultural experiences as they are about basketball and practice,” he adds. “On longer summer trips, like when we went to Europe, there was a lot more education and sightseeing.”
Just because incoming freshmen are not eligible to travel on summer trips doesn’t mean they can’t be included in the experience. Giovanine makes sure to keep in contact with them during the trip and has veteran players share their memories once they’re back on campus.
“We like to go in late summer when the foreign teams are forming, but the downside is that we can’t invite our incoming players,” Giovanine says. “So while we were in China, I made sure to stay in touch with those incoming freshmen through text messaging and phone calls.
“When we returned, I told the players to discuss details of the trip with their new teammates just like they would with their friends,” he adds. “Once the semester starts, we don’t want any inside jokes that make freshmen feel excluded. By sharing in those experiences, new players already feel like they’re part of the team. It also creates a lot of excitement, because in three years they will take a trip and have a great time.”
Ready For Anything
For coaches used to having total control of their players’ practice and workout times, the unpredictability of a foreign tour can be jarring. For one thing, the expectation of games and practices starting on time goes out the window.
“You have to be ready for anything,” says Debbie Ryan, Head Women’s Coach at the University of Virginia. Ryan led her team on a trip to Senegal and the Canary Islands last summer, and found that itineraries are tentative at best. “You can’t be uptight or concerned that you’re not practicing on time. A trip like this teaches you to be patient and get the most out of any experience.”
It’s best if coaches let go of strict control and realize that unlike at home, there will be many surprises. When the Augustana squad arrived in China, it found the government had taken control of its schedule and the team would only be playing one of the five teams originally scheduled. Giovanine says there wasn’t much he could do about the situation, so he rolled with the punches and worked to keep his team focused and ready to play, no matter how the schedule played out.
“Most of the places I’ve traveled to, whether it was Mexico, South America, Europe, or Asia, do not have the structured timetables we’re used to,” Giovanine says. “If you have a game scheduled for 7 p.m. it might not start until 9 p.m. You might have a hotel that’s listed as a four star but you wind up sleeping on bunk beds. Those situations are part of the experience. Most American coaches can be such task masters and always have to be in charge, but when you travel overseas you have to realize that you won’t be able to control all the things you normally do.”
Unexpected setbacks can also become learning experiences. “These situations let you see how the team is going to come together under unpredictable stress,” says Nels Hawkinson, Executive Director of Basketball Travelers, Inc., an organization that arranges many trips for college and high school teams each year, including Clemson’s travel to the Bahamas. “It’s important to embrace the unexpected as a chance to work together and solve problems on and off the court.”
A coach’s responsibilities also expand during an extended trip. Jason Hynek, who helps high school teams play in overseas tournaments as a senior program advisor with People To People Sports Ambassadors, says coaches have to be willing to step outside their normal roles.
“I’ve had coaches who thought they were just going to go coach games and everyone else would deal with the problems that occur,” Hynek says. “You need to be prepared to be the nurse, tour guide, friend—anything you can possibly imagine. There’s a huge difference between when you’re responsible for athletes for three hours a day during practice and when you’re watching them 24 hours a day on a trip. Be prepared to go with the flow, because you’ll need to be an on-the-spot problem solver for many situations.
“Coaches who do this well accept the responsibility that comes with watching 10 to 15 teenagers for 10 days straight,” he continues. “They need to be willing to have their door open all the time and get by with three hours of sleep.”
Hynek suggests running through potential scenarios beforehand. “You need to ask yourself, ‘What am I going to do if and when ...?’” Hynek says. “There are a lot of logistics to consider, and I’ve run into all kinds of situations. I’ve had players arrested, players lose their passports, and stayed at a hotel with no phones. Those are all scenarios you should be mentally prepared for.”
While it’s good to be ready for potential setbacks, it’s equally important not to get bogged down worrying. “It’s much easier to enjoy the trip if you are not constantly concerned about the little things that come up while traveling,” Wilkinson says. “Don’t get frustrated with long lines at the airport or other incidents that may occur throughout your trip—just enjoy it and make the best of your experience. Things are much different than you are accustomed to at home, and you need to accept that.”
Rebounding For Play
After a long, grueling plane ride and the shock of time zone changes, the first day on foreign soil is critical for setting the pace for the rest of the trip. Some of the work starts before you leave and even while you are in the air.
For instance, keeping hydrated during the flight is important to fight
against jet lag. It’s a good rule to have players drink eight ounces of fluid for every hour they’re in the air.
Even though players may want to go to bed when they do arrive, it’s important they remain active and allow their bodies to adjust to local time. “One of the most important things is to not let players go to sleep until nighttime,” Hynek says. “If you let them go to sleep in the morning or the middle of the day, they’ll sleep for eight hours and be thrown off for days.”
To fight the urge to sleep, Hynek says coaches should plan something to keep players moving. Staying awake and active allows them to get a good night’s rest at the end of the day and prepare for the second day, when they’ll need to resume a more normal practice routine.
“Whether it’s a sightseeing tour or just walking, it’s really important to have an activity scheduled that first day to get their blood flowing,” Hynek says. “A bike tour is good because it keeps them active, but it’s a good idea to stay away from an activity like a boat tour because if they’re sitting down they might be tempted to doze off.
“The second day is just as important,” he continues. “There needs to be an intense practice that shocks their bodies and helps them adjust to the time difference. For the kids who had a hard time sleeping the night before, it will tire them out and let them sleep normally the second night.”
Before they leave the U.S., Giovanine has his players set their watches to the time at their destination. After the plane lands, he immediately begins using the players’ fatigue as motivation to help prepare them for the rigors they’ll face during the season. “We start challenging the players upon arrival,” Giovanine says. “We either schedule a practice or a game right away, and mentally refuse to acknowledge jet lag. We tell them there are going to be some long bus rides during the season and tough turnarounds from one game to the next, and we’re going to use this experience to prepare for those situations.
“The travel is fun and exciting, and by presenting it as a challenge, you can gain an advantage once the season begins,” he continues. “I talk often with players about being able to compete well under any circumstances, and this kind of travel represents the ultimate road challenge.”
But Giovanine realizes that players have limits, and after the team’s day-long flight to China, he eased off. “We had to be careful because it was such a significant change physically,” Giovanine says. “We had been on a plane 13 hours from Chicago to Tokyo, then had a four-hour layover and another four-hour flight to Hong Kong. I realized that while it’s great to get right onto the floor, in some cases it’s not going to be possible and you’ve got to do something else.”
During the trip, players will likely have to deal with long, cramped bus rides and uncomfortable hotel beds. O’Hanlon also uses these trials to prepare players for the grind they will face as their regular season drags on.
“Coaches and players tend to get into patterns,” O’Hanlon says. “This kind of traveling shows you don’t always have to depend on a set routine, and that it’s possible to just step on the court and be ready no matter what hand you’ve been dealt. For example, on this trip, one day we traveled six hours on a bus and then got out and played a game right away and still won. My players learned that as long as they are prepared mentally and physically and play as a group, they can win under any circumstances.”
A Trip To Remember
Preparing players for the culture shock that may await them is an important part of a coach’s pre-trip legwork. Taking time to teach them about the country they’re visiting not only helps them understand what to expect, but can also build excitement and anticipation.
“Before the trip, we sent the players to four different seminars for students getting ready to study abroad,” Giovanine says. “They attended three 90-minute presentations on the cultural highlights of areas we were visiting. It gave them a much better appreciation for the history and significance once we got there. I even had all the players come over to my house one night to watch a Discovery Channel program about Hong Kong and Beijing.”
It’s also important to remember that not every memory is made while exploring castles or during tours of historical neighborhoods. Hynek says players have some of their best experiences at the hotel, while unwinding and talking about what they’ve seen during the day.
“Sightseeing is great, but players often get more of a chance to bond when they’re just sitting around and talking,” he says. “That also battles homesickness, which is one of the hardest parts of overseas travel—especially for young players who haven’t been that far from home.”
To make sure players get a chance to bond with all their teammates, O’Hanlon changes the roommate roster every time the team visits a new hotel. And instead of eating every meal as a team, he leaves time for players to explore the local cuisine in small groups.
“Some teams want to always eat together, but I think it is also important for players to sometimes go out on their own,” O’Hanlon says. “Ordering off a menu and talking to waiters is part of the international experience.”
While Giovanine believes it’s important for teams to take in the historical sites together, it’s just as memorable for players to discover the culture for themselves. “You need the right mix of freedom and structure for your players and staff,” Giovanine says. “We made sure the team saw highlights of each place we traveled to, but it was also important for them to be able to go out and experience the culture on their own.
“I also told them to interact with kids their own age and just explore their culture,” he continues. “That means giving up a little bit of control as a coach, but allowing players to explore on their own helps make sure it’s a trip they’ll never forget.”
