By Ed Moore. Leader Staff. Edson Leader, January 23, 2001.
One of the biggest challenges for the Parkland Composite Pacer girls
basketball team during their recent trip to Cuba Jan. 1 to 8 was the language
barrier.
But a lack of basketballs also ranked right up there.
"They (the Cubans) only had four balls (during practice sessions) - we
didn't have any," said Pacers head coach Rhonda Bartel, who got to run two
of the four practice sessions.
There was a change to the basketball format from the last time the team was
there two years ago, a change which was accepted well by the Pacers coach
players.
"Instead of formal games we had mixed training sessions," said
Bartel, adding she didn't mind as the Cuban girls usually hold a pretty big edge
in play.
Bartel noticed one thing during the practice sessions she ran - the Cuban
girls were really out of breath. The Parkland coach thinks the lack of practice
balls might have had something to do that, however, regardless, she did notice
her team was better conditioned than their Cuban counterparts.
Bartel also noticed her girls were better at outside shooting, while the
Cuban girls were better inside and a little better at the skill game.
Pacer players Melissa Jakubow, a guard, and Stephanie Donkin, who plays left
wing, both noticed the signs of poverty in the Caribbean nation, what with the
lack of basketballs, coupled with the use of the vintage 1950s automobiles.
"Just to see what they don't have and what we do have," said
Jakubow. "The difference is so huge to what you see."
The food was plentiful but it wasn't everybody's idea of a gastronomic
experience.
"I didn't like the food at all. They use gross spices," said
Jakubow.
Donkin noticed the people were "really nice." Jakubow agreed but
said the attention sometimes got a little unnerving, especially during their
first island meal.
"The first night we arrived there they sort of watched us - the second
night it didn't bother us," said Jakubow.
While there, the Parkland entourage had a chance to tour old Havana and had
a chance to check our Veradero beach, along the numerous open-air markets.
The weather was pleasant enough, although it wasn't exactly balmy by Cuban
standards.
Even though temperatures were in the mid-20s, it was windy the first few
days the Edson group was there, which didn't make it too pleasant for
beachcombing.
However, the Edson girls and their coach did draw some attention.
"They did find it funny we were walking around in T-shirts and shorts,"
said Bartel, adding most of the native Cubans were wearing jackets at the time.
However, the wind did die down and temperatures warmed up for the latter
part of the trip.
Ten Pacer girls made the trip, along with Bartel and a grandmother of one of
the players.
Copyright Edson Leader 2000 | 