Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Even if it may have snowed somewhere in Hawaii last week, who wouldn't want to escape Edmonton for the Aloha State right now?
Lucky ducks, those Griffins women's soccer players. On Thursday, they will leave the polar vortex behind and hop a plane for Honolulu – their latest Reading Week destination in what's become a tradition for the program.
"It's five years running over Reading Week. It really breaks up our season," said head coach Dean Cordeiro. "I think it's a great cultural experience, which is a big reason why we do these trips. These programs have been great hosts in wanting us to stick around after games to have a bit of a cultural experience.
"We're looking forward to it and we're looking forward to some nice weather as well. Hopefully Hawaii won't let us down in that regard. But a lot of preparation and work and time has been put in to make this happen. It's exciting."
Hawaii 2019 will mark the fifth-straight year the Griffins women's soccer team has travelled internationally in February. They first went to Italy in 2015, following it up with trips to Arizona (2016), England (2017) and Holland/Belgium (2018). The players pay their way through a lot of extra hard work fund-raising.
Each time, the Griffins play a series of exhibition matches against professional or university squads and this trip is no different. While in Hawaii, they will play twice against the University of Hawaii-Pacific on Feb. 17 and 20, meet Chaminade University on Feb. 18 and close out the trip with the capper – a meeting against NCAA Div. 1 University of Hawaii on Feb. 22.
"We're really excited about the opportunity to play against some really great universities down there," said Cordeiro. "Our marquee matchup will be against the University of Hawaii on the final day of games. They're D1 for a reason. They're going to be a top program.
"I'm sure there are a couple of players on these teams who will become future professionals, so it's a little bit different than our Europe trips (when all the players are professionals), but it's going to be very challenging and we've got to be at our best."
The Griffins come into the trip with a ton of winter season success, including winning last month's University of Alberta Snow Cup with a 2-0 triumph over the host Pandas in the final. Competition for playing time in next fall's Canada West season has already begun.
"These trips, and what winter season is really about, help shape the team for next fall," said Cordeiro. "It's different than in season where points mean everything. Everyone's going to be given a lot of opportunity to go out and show us where they're at and there's going to be some steep competition.
"It's part of that process of starting to plan and see where you're at for next season."
So far, they're doing pretty well in the process, exhibiting top form in posting a 4-1-1 winter season record, including a win and draw against Canada West finalist Calgary.
"We just came off playing our sixth 11 v 11 match just this past Saturday, so to be able to play six games with the weather we're dealing with right now in the facilities that we have has been remarkable," said Cordeiro. "I think it's really got us set up for success here going to Hawaii. Often, we go on these trips and we really haven't played a lot of 11 v 11 and we'd be in a little bit over our heads.
"The girls have worked really hard. We had our final session on Tuesday in preparation and then we're off on Thursday. We're excited."
