Teams: Field Hockey: Press Releases

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

TUFTS FIELD HOCKEY TEAM SET TO TAKE OFF ON SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR

Tess Jasinski and 21 other members of the Tufts program will spend the last two weeks of May in South Africa

MEDFORD -- The Tufts University field hockey team will depart on Tuesday (May 20) for a two-week tour of South Africa that is sure to have a profound effect on the 22 members of the team's traveling party.

The Jumbos will visit three cities, play three games against international competition and experience South Africa as the "adventure capital of the world." Arranged by Victory Sports Tours, the team's itinerary includes a busy sight-seeing schedule that will allow them to enjoy the country's awesome natural beauty and wildlife, along with opportunities to participate in its rich culture.

After landing in Johannesburg, one of the first trips the Jumbos will take, appropriately, is to the Hartbeespoort Dam area to visit the Elephant Sanctuary. The team will also conduct a clinic for local high school and middle school girls at the American School of Johannesburg. Tufts will play their first game of the trip, a friendly against Hatfield/University of Pretoria's second team, on Thursday (May 22).

The team will make a quick stop in Zambia to visit Victoria Falls, widely recognized as some of the most magnificent waterfalls in the world. The team's third and final destination is Cape Town, where it will play matches against the Western Province Sports Club on May 29 and against Stellenbusch University on May 31. Cape Point Park, with some of the highest cliffs in the world, will be a highlight of the tour's third leg. The team will return to Boston on June 2.

"Taking an international trip will be an incredible opportunity for the team to experience a different culture and play top level field hockey," Coach Tina McDavitt said.  "Along with playing three international matches and running a youth field hockey clinic in Johannesburg, we're bringing supplies and toys to a local orphanage. Tufts is known for its internationalism and for its commitment to educating active citizens. The opportunity to visit a developing country will provide an excellent learning experience for the team outside of the classroom while teaching them the importance of humanitarianism."

The Tufts team fund-raised for the tour and covered any remaining expenses on their own. The team will be updating a blog throughout the course of the trip at http://tuftsfhinsa.blogspot.com/.

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