The Road to Athens: Off The Court

While the departure time was adjusted just a bit following the final practice of the week on the UNF campus, the Ospreys were ready and eager to hit the road for the final non-conference weekend road trip prior to conference play. Vans were loaded up with the majority of the newcomers in Van 3 with Athletic Trainer Charlie Sayles and myself, while the majority of the returners in Van 1 with the coaching staff.

We made our only stop for food about 90 minutes from Athens at the local Ruby Tuesdays in Milledgeville, GA. The team sat together at a long table, while the coaching staff, along with myself sat a few tables away as both groups enjoyed a much needed meal for all involved.

The journey from Jacksonville to Athens is just over 360 miles to the home of the Georgia Bulldogs and the trip was filled with eclectic music from hits of today to 1990’s classics that were released prior to some of the team even being born as I noticed.

            While the trip is just beginning I’ve already noticed something that seems essential to any road trip. The amount of times that the team has to bond, whether that be in route to a destination or together at a dinner table is essential to team chemistry both on and off the court of competition. With this team being filled with newcomers, including six freshman and two transfers it’s a lot of fun to see them interacting with each other. As I sign off our first installment of “Roadtrippin’ with the Ospreys” it will be exciting to see how this team translates that team chemistry that they’ve built off the floor onto the floor of competition this weekend and throughout the 2013 season.