After months of planning and a considerable amount of effort from all involved, the CAPS 18U Girls team finally set out on Friday, January 14th for its big trip to participate in the 2005 Martin Luther King Kickoff Classic at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.  Their final showing was not exactly the finish they had been hoping for, but the overall experience was one that none would soon forget.

The convoy of Edwards, Luecke and O'Doherty Chevy Venture vans set out just after 9:30 on Friday morning under clear skies to begin the 8 hour trip south of the border.  With walkie-talkies providing an audio hookup and portable DVD players the entertainment, it seemed that nothing would come between these 17 members of the CAPS family and a really good time.  Even the unfortunate circumstances which brought about the absence of Becky and the Lauks' would not dampen the spirits of The Capital Crew.

The trip down was relatively uneventful this time around - no snow squalls or hour-long waits on turnpike overpasses to punctuate the journey.  No one got lost until we had an actual 'visual' on the hotel.  The Edwards van did a loop or two to get back to where it needed to be, and... well we have no idea where the Luecke van went to, but they did materialize after a few false turns.  First order of business was reservations at TGIFridays and a good pre-tournament feast (sans Bob and Matt who opted for a 76ers/Raptors tilt at the Wachovia Center in downtown Phillie).  As the photo above shows, it was someone's special day, so a little Happy Birthday humiliation was on the menu.  Not to mention those delicious combos - thanks for the potato skins and communal cheesecake Luc!

The actual volleyball played on Day One was pretty uneven.   One team didn't show, so a unique 3-team pool format was devised which saw us beat Valley Forge (NY), who proceeded to defeat NYC, who then defeated us.  Fortunately however, we had won the chase to the top of this mini pool and, after a playdown which saw Valley Forge once again defeat NYC, the CAPS proceeded to hammer 'The Forge' once again to take the first day's pool.  Throughout the day's 3 matches it was evident that something was amiss in the CAPS game.  Service errors, inconsistent passing, and a few mental lapses would need to be eliminated if the CAPS were to be ready to handle the bigger guns that would surely materialize on Day Three.

Time to eat (again!).  This time it would just have to be those scary Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches this city is so famous for.  The Crew stood in that very pungent lineup for a good half hour in order to sample this local treat.  Jessie found the strength to confront the Steak Nazis and placed her order with confidence and flair.  We're not sure how much everyone actually enjoyed these sloppy submarines, but that's likely not the point.  When in Phillie...

The afternoon was spent walking off the grub and airing out our onion-scented clothing in downtown Phillie.  The girls took their opportunity to browse the music spots, poster shops and clothing stores of this very eclectic district of the city.  Some dropped their fair share of greenbacks (Kate) and some didn't (Tess), but everyone seemed to get their fix of  the funky Phillie fare.  That evening the gang headed back to the Red Roof Inn for our favourite Papa Sam's Pizza (6 for the price of 3, no less!) and a few 'beverages' for the older crowd.  NFL division semis were the big ticket for the adults.  We're not too sure what the girls were watching and perhaps that's for the best.  Off to bed for another early 6:30 trip to Temple.

Day Two saw the girls grouped with three respectable but slightly overmatched opponents in MetroWest (Boston), Maryland Juniors (Baltimore), and LIBA (Long Island Big Apple).  These three teams were no match for the CAPS, and did not seem to bring out the best in the girls' game.  The victories were never in doubt, but the CAPS had still not found their rhythm.  They had made their way through to the round of 8 from a field of 38 teams, despite Kate's bleeding nose and our gal Becky's absence.

After the day's play we all headed over to Villanova University to check out an invitational tournament which was being held the same weekend.  It was clear that there was some serious talent coming out of the woodwork all over this huge country because these teams were very big and very good.  After a match or so of that, the girls headed off for a little mall-hopping while a few of us stayed behind for a tour of the Villanova campus and volleyball facilities.  Then the gang gathered themselves together yet again to score some more chow.  This time the scene of the crime would be Appleby's Restaurant.  While Kate very poignantly lamented the passing of the playoff aspirations of her sweetie Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, the rest of us dug into all manner of ribs and steaks and burgers and salads.  The gang was showing some fatigue and seemed to welcome the by-now familiar surroundings of the Red Roof Inn.  "Meet the Parents" and "A Few Good Men" on the tube were not enough to keep us awake and another day was done.

Day 4 began with a stone cold excuse for breakfast at International House of Pancakes ('IHOP' somewhere else next time) followed by an even colder, mad dash up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to do as Stallone once did in 'Rocky'.  However no one would be raising their arms in victory on this bonechilling day - they were frozen at our sides!

So it all came down to a match that really should not have been - two of the top 4 teams in the tournament meeting in the quarters due to an unexpected loss by Downstate (NY) to a weaker team in the second day of pool play.  Downstate was big and seemed ready to use their extensive array of weapons against these marauders from the Great White North, but the CAPS' game was about to return and the best battle of the weekend was ready to unfold.

Set #1 found the girls in catch-up mode for most of the game.  Moments of brilliance were balanced by costly mistakes and the CAPS lost the game by a score of 21-25.  In set #2 the CAPS took the early lead but then faltered to fall behind towards the end of the set.  Some timely defensive saves and quick kills from the middle, followed by a clutch string of nasty serves by Ashley, drew the CAPS back and then over the top to take the set 25-23.  Set #3 started well, with a 4-1 lead, but the girls let Downstate back into the match and trailed at the break, 7-8.  Downstate continued to pull away  to a score of 11-14.  Despite the CAPS rallying back once again, the final outcome was a heartbreaker, albeit an exciting one, by a very tight 13-15 margin.  Full credit to the very big Downstate team for a well-earned victory and, although the final result was a frustration, we congratulate our girls for mustering up a really gutsy, high-end 5th place performance at this big US event.

Many thanks go out to the O'Dohertys for organizing this huge enterprise and for ensuring that the trip was problem-free.  Thanks as well to Dan Wolfenden for coming along for the ride and providing an unlimited supply of Werthers for the trip.  And of course, we must thank the weekend's entertainment, one Mr. Luc Luecke, whose shenannigans kept us in stitches for most of the weekend.  Great job girls and great job to The Boys as well.

Some other memorable Phillie moments:

As the first National Capitals team to venture off, literally, in our three Venture vans to the United States for a tournament, we were a very excited and honoured bunch.  We headed for the border, vans filled with countless movies and constant giggles.  We arrived at the famous, not-to-mention luxurious, Red Roof Inn and created many new team memories.  Since this was our first hotel sleepover, we were all excited to hang out and tell secrets!!  Yet when it came right down to it, we were there on a mission and that meant business.  So we, as dedicated athletes, were in bed, fast asleep before any of our crazy, wild, partying parents - parents who were at times our noisiest neighbours.  Each morning we would wake up at the crack of dawn, prepared for a morning full of volleyball.  We had our ups, and we had our downs, but overall I think this tournament really helped us as a team.  We bonded like 'Super Glue'.

Some highlights that will be remembered forever include our adventure to downtown Philadelphia.  Some of us ordered our first real Philli Cheesesteak, which is quite a stressful process, I must say.  With lineups out the door and around the corner, you have to give your order at the speed or light - or else -"NO PHILLI CHEESE STEAK FOR YOU!"  Due to our late start on Monday morning, we decided to have a team brunch at a nearby IHOP.  Considering the name stands for "International House of Pancakes", we decided we should try their namesake product.  Let's just say, we've all seen, smelled and definitely tasted better pancakes.  Since we were in the States, some of us decided to take advantage of this prime opportunity to trade shirts with the American ladies.   Many girls were surprised to hear we were from that far northern country - Canada - and asked us how we say 'about'.  After a brief clarification 'aboot' our pronunciation, we headed home, disappointed after a hard-fought loss.  We had such an amazing time in Philli, no one wanted to leave, especially after a surprise visit from our favourite billet friends, Yuri and Aldona, who put a smile on all our faces before we left.  We were so fortunate to have had such an extraordinary experience, one that I'm sure no one will ever forget!