Staff Writer/News-Journal
DAYTONA BEACH -- Erin
Forge't and her Concordia University teammates are leaving
their hotel balcony doors open at night, relishing the ocean breeze
and soothing sound of the surf.
That's a big change from the last two years, when the
women's soccer team from the rainy Pacific Northwest competed
for the NAIA national championship near Kansas City in frigid
temperatures and biting wind.
"We were pretty excited not being in Kansas again this
year, partly because it's the nationals and partly because
it's in Florida," said Forge't, a 21-year-old senior
at the Portland, Ore., school. "Last night, a lot of us took a
walk on the beach when we got here, and ran out in the water in our
practice gear."
No
school in the 20-team, 600-player field traveled farther to compete
in this year's tournament, which is being held for the first
time at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Play begins at 11
a.m. today and concludes Tuesday with the championship
game.
Even
Concordia's head coach, Grant Landy, who was raised in Southern
California, wasted no time diving into the warm Atlantic before
Tuesday morning's team practice.
"I got up and went bodysurfing, I'm definitely taking
advantage of it," Landy said of this year's tournament
setting. "This is more my style."
Those are encouraging words for Steve Ridder,
Embry-Riddle's athletic director.
He
said he hopes visiting players and their families leave with fond
memories of the area and that local residents enjoy seeing
top-caliber women's soccer.
"We love being the host. It brings greater exposure of the
university and soccer to this community," he said.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime
experience."
Embry-Riddle was the host of the men's NAIA national soccer
tournament the last two years. Ironically, this year the men are
playing in Kansas.
"We felt we wanted to do the same for the women,"
Ridder said of holding the tournament.
And
the women's teams, especially those from Oregon, Montana and
Michigan, couldn't be happier to be wearing bathing suits
instead of heavy coats when not practicing or
competing.
The
Cornerstone University team left 34-degree lows and Grand Rapids,
Mich., Sunday afternoon and arrived at their Daytona Beach Shores
hotel Monday about 2 a.m.
But
the young women warmed up quickly.
"Most of us had the doors open and listened to the
waves," said Judith Bates, the team's manager, recalling
that Cornerstone's players recently practiced in snow flurries.
"This is sweet. Real sweet."
Tickets each day are $8 for adults and $4 for students.
Children 5 and younger are admitted free. An all-tournament pass is
$30 for adults; $20 for students.
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