May 31 - June 7, 2000

May 31-June 1
- The team left Detroit on time and left Newark airport ahead of schedule. However, it didn't take long for a delay. All ready to taxi off the runway to Amsterdam the passengers were informed by the captain that there had been a medical emergency. The plane taxied back to the gate and deplaned the unfortunate passengers and their luggage. After nearly two hours in the airplane, it finally was airborne. Upon arrival at the Amsterdam airport, Dutch customs agents were called into action. Sophomore middle Nikki Allen thought that her entry into the Netherlands would be routine, but she found out that, unlike her passport, most U.S. passports are supposed to be laminated (apparently the laminater was taking a break when Nikki's passport was processed). Assistant Coach Laura Abbinante talked to the border guards, and they decided that Nikki probably wasn't a threat to Dutch national security. The team bussed through the countryside to a small Dutch town we they had pasta with chicken marinara in a little restaurant called The French Café (talk about multiculturalism!). After lunch the bus drove everybody to another town for practice, followed by a more traditional Netherlands meal of salad, chicken, and (to everybody's delight)-french fries (served with Mayonnaise).

June 2 - Lichtenvoorde, The Netherlands
Happy 20th birthday Erin Hartley! The Spartans played in a round robin tournament against three teams - two Dutch and one German. The format consisted of a best-of-three games to 25 points using rally scoring. In the first match, MSU defeated Pelgrim Volco, Laura Abbinante's former team, 25-17, 25-22. Match two was another win, 25-19, 25-21 over Buter. In the third match the Spartans, subbing liberally, won game one 27-25 but couldn't hold on in either games two or three, losing 23-25, 21-25. The evening was spent at a resort hotel where the team once again experienced multicultural food with an authentic Chinese meal. The resort had a giant swimming facility with saunas and hottubs, mini-golf, indoor tennis and movie theaters. It was a well-earned treat after a hard day of volleyball.

June 3 - Travel Day (Holland to Denmark)
After a large, delicious Northern European breakfast (meat, cheese and bread) the team set off for a long trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. The bus driver, Tony, found a shortcut which allowed us to arrive much sooner than expected. After a ferrry ride across the North Sea (bus and all) they had their second customs experience. The Danish border officer had been pleasant until he examined Tammy Vonderheide's passport. Suddenly he asked where she was going and the whole bus went silent. She meekly replied "Denmark". He told her "not likely…unless you sign your passport". The Danish must be smarter than the Dutch. The team arrived at a hostel in Fredenborg, just outside of Copenhagen and right next door to the Queen of Denmark's summer palace. Still refusing to eat regional food, the group had pizza. The biggest discovery of the day was the great Danish ice cream, "The Big Soft Mama".

June 4 - Holte & Copenhagen, Denmark
The team spent the morning practicing in the town of Holte then played a match against Holte IF, the local club team. The Spartans were dominant in defeating the team 25-21, 25-17, 25-14, 25-13. After the match the team drove to Copenhagen for dinner and a walk around town with two of the Holte team's members as tour guides. After more Danish ice cream, the group headed back to the hostel and for cards and sleep.

June 5 - Copenhagen
A morning off from practice led to a morning in the great city of Copenhagen. The team split into smaller groups and saw all the sites - The spiral staircase, a canal tour, The Little Mermaid and the Queen's castle to name a few. More Danish ice cream later (this was really good stuff!) the team climbed back onto the bus and headed to Holte to win again, this time playing a game, set, match format - best of three games to win each set and best of three sets to win the match. This is the standard Danish league format. The Spartans won 21-14, 21-14 to take set one, and 21-8, 21-18 to win set two and the match. That night the team stayed at the Sports Gymnasium in a big dorm room as one group and the rest of the group traveled back to the hostel for a final night.

June 6 - Travel Day (Denmark to Germany)
A long drive and a long ferry ride across across the East Sea took us from Denmark to Germany. This ferry ride was much different from the first. The first was more like a cruise ship. This was like a large cattle car on water. The passengers all sang and danced and smoked as an accordion player added to din - a very German experience. A German bus driver sure is handy at border crossings. Because of Tony no one had to show passports. The ride continued to East Berlin where the group stayed at a downtown hotel in small apartments. The meal was typically German with garlic cheese soup, salad and a chicken stir fry with spaetzle, a tiny German potato dumpling.

June 7 - Berlin
After hiring a tour guide who spoke English (a big plus!) the group bussed around Berlin to see all the famous sites and learn about the sometimes turbulent history of the city and country. It was a very powerful experience. The guide showed the team where the wall had fallen in 1989. After a couple of hours of free time it was time for more volleyball. The Spartans scrimmaged the German Junior National Team at the Olympic Training Complex in Berlin. The tall German team defeated the Spartans. MSU suffered a further loss when Angela Morley dislocated her right thumb (Mom and Dad, she's sore but fine.). A quick thinking Brad Heers ran to the ice rink next door and had a hockey player shave some ice for him (the team has found that ice is not as commonplace in some parts of Europe as it is in the United States). Angela and athletic trainer Tory Lindley found that German hospitals tend to be more efficient as they were in and out in less than two hours.