Anteaters in Guadeloupe

Monday, August 7

By Amelia Scharpf

From zip lining in the jungle to competing in an international 3x3 tournament, this Foreign tour trip to Guadeloupe was a once in a lifetime experience and one that I will never forget. We were given the opportunity to not only play against new competition but to inspire other young girls around the world to pursue their basketball dreams.

Starting off the trip we spent the day at a beautiful beach, spending time snorkeling, tanning, and enjoying the local fruit stands. Some of our teammates had never snorkeled before so it was a learning experience showing them how to breathe through the mouthpiece. Some people kept forgetting to breathe! Along with snorkeling we got to try tons of new fruits at the fruit stand including passionfruit and star fruit. We all quickly learned that we are not fans of star fruit.

Day 2 marked our first international game day! We started the morning off strong with some yoga on the beach where we learned some new breathing techniques. We finished the day off with our first game where we came out on top. It was a pretty incredible experience being able to play an entire game with a group of people who spoke a different language. The atmosphere was also something you can't find anywhere else, because Guadeloupe is an island, word spread fast that there was an American team visiting. It was a pretty big deal that we were coming to compete. They created a whole new Guadeloupe Women's team just for these games, and because of this tons of people came out to watch. It was one of the biggest crowds I have ever played in front of!

Day 3 started bright and early with zip lining through the jungle, and it was pretty clear that this activity was a group favorite. Getting over a fear of heights and helping each other through obstacles was such a unique team building experience. We got to see teammates really come out of their shell as we all challenged each other to do harder and harder courses. After zip
lining we finished the day at a more private beach where we went cliff jumping! Again people got over their fear of heights and jumped off one of the huge rocks next to the shore.

Day 4 was one of my personal favorites because we competed in the 3x3 tournament. This tournament is one of the best basketball experiences I have had in my career. The electric environment and the passion to compete that each person showed reminded me why I love this game so much. When asked about her experience, senior center Neveah Dean noted that “It was cool playing with the FIBA rules.” We were there for most of the day; if you weren't playing then you were cheering on the other teams competing. We ended up finishing with two UCI teams competing in the finals!

Day 5 was another fan favorite where we took boats to a private island! We had a total of three boats that took our team to a few different stops throughout the Caribbean. The island was something out of a movie with the white sand and crystal water. We spent time snorkeling and playing volleyball on the little strip of land while trying our best not to get fried in the sun! We
finished the day off with a fancy dinner on the beach where everyone dressed up and we ate Creole food while listening to some local music.

Day 6 marked our last game day on the island where we notched another win. Before the game we hosted a youth camp for girls all around the island. This experience was truly amazing, showing that basketball is more than just a sport but it brings people from all around the world together. We were able to lead and coach young girls who did not speak one word of English.
Basketball was our language, and it was all we needed to make connections with these young hoopers. When asked about her experience, junior guard Nikki Tom said, “My favorite moment had to be when I gave my jersey to the cutest little girl after our last game. I've never seen such a happy and genuine reaction to someone who they have never met before. It really made my day, and it ended our foreign tour with a super special moment.” We were all able to give our jerseys to different kids after our game and this really resonated with me. I saw myself in these little girls. That was me when I was a kid, asking for college players jerseys and dreaming about being them one day. For me it was a beautiful and fulfilling full circle moment.

Day 7 was our last day on the island and we finished strong with a day of jet skiing and tubing. We had competitions on who could stay on the inner tube the longest as we were pulled behind the jet skis. We learned that Coach T was really good at staying on and coincidentally really good at pushing everyone else off. This was a great way to finish off this unforgettable trip!

This trip has made this team closer than ever and puts us in a great position going into season. Junior guard Deja Lee put it perfectly saying that, “The trip overall was a good start to a new season and it will definitely help build the foundation for our team chemistry, on and off the court.” 

Thank you so much to all of the people who made this trip possible. You all gave us unforgettable experiences that we will take with us our entire lives!

Tuesday, August 1

By Caiyle Kaupu

Hey Caiyle here! 

Over the past few days we have done so many different activities that most people can only dream of! We started these past few days off with a boat tour to a private island which was absolutely beautiful! The boat ride was incredible when it came to the views and even the water splashing us and all the laughs that were shared. We made a few stops on the way - my favorite stop being the sunken ship which attracted so many different types of fish and sea creatures. 

The following day was game day and we had a kids clinic. The kids clinic was by far the most amazing and impactful part of the trip for me. To be able to interact with the kids and hear their dreams and hopes of playing basketball was so touching. They gave our jerseys to some of the camp kids and the looks, words and even love that was felt in that moment was so heartwarming! But after the kids clinic you know we had to end the trip off with a win and that’s what we did! 

The following day we jumped on some jet skis and got to ride all over and see different parts of the island which was super cool! We also got pulled on a tube and that was more fun than I think I could handle lol! This trip was full of laughs, smiles, tans and wins, but most of all this trip brought an experience that is once in a lifetime! Thank you Guadeloupe! 

UC Irvine defeated Team Guadeloupe, 70-57, Monday evening at Gymnase Laura Flessel. Déja Lee led the way with 17 points and eight rebounds. Shirel Nahum also finished with 15 points, while Nikki Tom had 13. Nevaeh Parkinson pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.

Monday, July 31

By Tarryn Ross

The adventures of Guadeloupe have been nothing but exciting and rewarding. We started off day three with ziplining, not knowing much of what we were in store for, but all very excited to do something new for a lot of us and no better place to do it than in literal paradise. Ziplining took a lot out of us for the day with different paths and challenges. Just as most won’t forget the path of Fou-Fou that had people slipping off monkey bars and questioning whether the ziplining was really worth it. 

Once we finished the crazy experience of ziplining we got a reward of finishing the day off at the beach where we were able to unwind and relax from the hard work we had just experienced. Being at the beach and being able to cliff jump got the adrenaline racing even more than ziplining. The adrenaline soon was met with relaxation as we switched to the scenery of snorkeling and wandering the clear waters to find different fish. Being able to unwind and enjoy one another’s company has been something I have been extremely grateful to experience throughout this trip no matter what we are doing whether it’s on the beach or something as difficult as an obstacle course before getting the reward of a long zip line path. 

Having a full activity day in the books, the next day was right back to basketball as we were playing in a 3x3 tournament that took place for the whole day. Going into this tournament I was very excited, but still kind of unknown of what the day would look like for these games. Playing in the 3x3 tournament was such a fresh air of new basketball for me that I really enjoyed; although it was competitive, it was still really fun to compete and also cheer on my teammates on the the other teams as well. Before we knew it, hours had passed where we had been met with the final game which we were fortunate enough to have two of our teams playing in for medals. It was a very intense and exciting game to watch and being part of the atmosphere was something else and really nothing like I have ever been a part of. Hours had passed by of playing basketball and just having fun of being out in the atmosphere and culture of Guadeloupe basketball. To me the 3x3 tournament has maybe been one of my favorite days here so far as we were able to play the game we love while also catching some sun and enjoying the overall experience of this trip as well. 

After an exciting day of basketball it was time to unwind again as we were set for a boat day to a small private island. The day started off at 10 a.m. as we took a 45 minute boat ride out to the island. The boat ride was calming as we cruised the water of Guadeloupe and saw the change of scenery this island has. However, before we hit the island we made a quick pit stop to go snorkeling at a sunken ship that is in the middle of the ocean. It was very cool to see the boat and swim around for a bit as we had been on the boat for a while. Once we got back on the boat it was time to hit the final destination, the private island. 

Getting there was so nice to finally just relax and swim around for hours in water that I have only dreamed of seeing. The water was so crystal clear and the island was small, but was something you could only imagine or see in a movie. It was nothing you would ever actually expect to see in real life. After hours of good music, lots of swimming, and lots of fun it was time to head back to the hotel after what felt like another mini vacation being on the island. 

Thursday, July 27

By Nevaeh Parkinson

Hey, it’s Vaeh and I’m here to tell you a little bit about our trip in Guadeloupe so far! First off, this island is beautiful! There is so much to see and so many new things to try and experience. The first day we arrived, we went on an amazing beach where the water was the bluest I’ve seen and it felt amazing to be in. I’ve gotten to try so many new foods that I have never even heard of and most of it tastes amazing!

Today we played our first game against Guadeloupe. It was different and physical! I loved the atmosphere of the fans and it was kind of fun to be the underdog in a sense. I liked the physicality so it was fun for me and just being able to play again felt good. I’m looking forward to the next couple games.

I have had an amazing time learning and seeing what the island has to offer so far and I’m excited to see what our trip holds for us next!

UC Irvine defeated Team Guadeloupe, 59-45, Thursday evening at Gymnase Laura Flessel. Caiyle Kaupu finished with a team-high 12 points. Nikki Tom reached double figures as well with 10 points. Nevaeh Parkinson added eight points and nine rebounds, while Déja Lee had eight points and eight boards. Nevaeh Dean also pulled down eight rebounds.