First Road Trip! By Marissa Miles

I woke up on Friday morning full of excitement (well technically I guess the first thing I could think about upon hearing my alarm was hitting the snooze button- but then after that, like I said, total excitement.) I knew it was going to be a great day for me, better yet, a great weekend. I was about to revisit a city that I knew pretty well. We were off to Pittsburgh for our first overnight trip of the season to team up with CMU in an effort to triumph at the annual UAA-OAC Challenge. Not only was I going home, I was about to experience my first ever real road trip with the team- something that I now know, thanks to Erin Hollinger, involve the three best things in life- basketball, sleep, and food. After this weekend, I can honestly say that I agree with Erin one hundred percent.

It all started as we boarded the bus, complete with fifteen girls, a load of Subway, our new travel bags (side pockets included!), and a selection of movies. The activities that took place on the bus ride were pretty typical… sleeping, studying (on a Friday, I know, typical Case students), eating, listening to music, sticking gum on a teammate's forehead- you know everything you would imagine it to be.

Soon enough, we were in Pittsburgh and ready to battle John Carroll for the rights to “Own the Beachwood Cheesecake Factory,” as coach put it. Well, we did that- and after the game there was even more excitement to come. A home cooked meal, something that I have learned is a rarity for a college student, awaited us upon arrival at the house of Chelsea Peck. Dinner was amazing! From there we were headed to our hotel, where, after a quick team meeting, we were free to hang out, enjoy each other’s company, and get some rest- we had another big day ahead of us.

Breakfast was served at the hotel in the morning, followed by a trip back to campus for a quick practice. We had enough time to grab some Panera Bread (more food!) and get focused as tip off was quickly approaching.

A few hours later we stepped on the court ready to win another basketball game. We weren’t battling for Cheesecake this time, but what we were about to do was make a statement that CWRU Women’s Basketball would be a team to beat in Ohio, which was why we were determined to defeat Marietta. Again, we came away victorious, and were off to have another warm meal on our plates (I know two in one weekend, it’s incredible I’m telling you!!) at Ashleigh Tondo’s house.

After stuffing our stomachs to their fullest capacity, we were back on the bus en route home to Cleveland. Looking back, it was a great trip- 2 games, 2 victories, a ton of food, and a hotel bed that puts my shabby little dorm room mattress to shame. I had a great weekend with my teammates, and I can only imagine what else is to come!

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Last Friday the Spartans continued our tradition of a Halloween costume contest at the beginning of practice. The turnout this year was phenomenal and is really going to force bigger and better things for next year!

Coach Blade and Coach Halicki dressed as twins as they pulled off the Thing 1 and Thing 2 look. Coach Reimer dressed as “the Golf of Mexico” complete with a sombrero and a golf club.

The freshmen, in true team spirit, dressed as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Emily Mueller found herself a head taller than everyone as Snow White after finally having her costume shipped to Case earlier that day. Let’s just say double checking the zip code is a good idea before trying to ship things from out of state! The other seven freshmen found their personalities matching up with their characters from Bashful Nikki D’Amico to Happy Marissa Miles.

The sophomores continued the teamwork trend as the three blind mice followed by the junior team dressing as Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and of course, a microphone to fight over.

The seniors stood as individuals as Kristyn Atkins dressed as a Christmas tree completed with lights that she could plug into the wall and brighten our practice. Ashleigh Tondo dressed as Coach Reimer from the short blonde hair to the whistle to the folded paper sticking out of her shorts. It was a rather frightening imitation that won first prize along with the freshman group.

Soon after determining a winner, we all changed back into practice clothes to get down to business. Practice was difficult and challenging as we look to improve each day and prepare to take on Cleveland State this coming Friday. It is going to be a fun challenge and we are all looking forward to playing some basketball and starting the season!

And so it Begins! by Chelsea Peck '12

For some, the changing of the leaves, the bitter cold breeze, and the shortening of the day means the beginning of the winter season, but for the members of the Lady Spartans Basketball Team, it means only one thing… the beginning our official season (basketball season that is). (Chelsea pictured on right w/ Sarah Milligan)

When you step out onto the floor on the first day of practice, the atmosphere is something that you really can’t put into words. Each player contains so much energy and excitement. It is essentially the day that you have worked for since the end of the previous season. New faces, new talents, and new skills all come together to create a new team, our team. The first day is full of expectations, some of nerves, joy, excitement, and even fear.

As a second year player, I had a lot of expectations for this season based off of last year. The first three practices of last season were definitely the most difficult practices that I had experienced thus far as an athlete. Therefore, when I stepped out onto the floor this year, the memories of the sore body and the conditioning came flooding back. As a team, we all had the common understanding that practice was going to be difficult, but in the end, we all knew it was definitely worth it and that no matter what, we were going to get through it.

Practice started with the usual jump roping and stretching. With the resounding word “team” echoing through the gym, our huddle dispersed and practice officially began. We ran through a series of competitive drills that stressed the importance of teamwork and pushing one another to get better. By the end of the two hour practice, our bodies were sore. It was an effort to make it through the last five minutes of conditioning, but we knew, together as a team, we not only could do it, but we had to do it. Our practice ended the same way it began, with a huddle.

The second and third days were similar to the first day. We started practice off with a huddle and ran through a series of difficult drills that pushed our limits. Although it was a struggle to get through each drill, we went through it together, as a team. Our wills were tested and our bodies were sacrificed as we made it through each drill. After the last ten minutes of conditioning were completed, a sigh of relief came across the team. Well, it could have been a sigh of relief or just catching our breaths but either way, we had made it through our first three days of practice. These first three days have set the bar and the expectations for the rest of the season and although they were difficult and a struggle to get through, we made it through, all together, the 2009-2010 Spartans. (Pictured left, members of the team jump rope to begin warm-ups.)

Case Athletes Give Back by Ashleigh Tondo

Case for Community Day is an annual event in which Case students give back to the community. Case Association of Student Athletes (CASA) organizes a sports clinic for inner city schools in the area where the students can play volleyball, soccer, track, football, and basketball with our student-athletes. The athletes and coaches from these specific teams volunteer their time to lead the kids through drills to make a day of fun and learning.

Our team was split into two groups, with help from Coach Reimer in Adelbert gym and Coach Blade in the Veale Center. I was stationed in Adelbert gym with Coach Reimer, some fellow teammates, and members of the softball team. Although we had to play in the dark, due to malfunctioning lights, it was a fun experience and it is always great to teach the game of basketball.

The stations consisted of passing, shooting, ball handling, and rebounding which were lead by Caitlin Henry, Sydney Berry, Erica Iafelice, Marissa Miles, Sarah Milligan, with our softball players, Mary Kruszka, Kayla Lang, Anneliese Fetterman, Lauren Wolz and Katie Slivar. Mary and I were in charge of the ball handling station where the kids learned how to properly dribble and protect the ball.

I thought I was doing a good job of keeping their attention, but soon realized I couldn’t compete with the volleyball pole sticking out of the ground. I guess the kids had more fun swinging around that then learning how to dribble. Needless to say when that plan fell through we decided to do dribble relay races—that seemed to be a hit.

I think my favorite part of the day was when we watched three of girls sing while doing a step dance. Each girl was called out during the song and did a split or cart wheel as the steps and clapping persisted. I believe it went something like, “we so fly (stomps), we so fly

(stomps), Shakira so fly (split)” and this continued for a few minutes until each girl was able to do their own pose. It was really comical to watch and put a smile on everyone’s face.

After numerous drills, water breaks, huddles, and a couple bruises, the day soon came to an end. We were all tired and our energy was spent, but it was a satisfying experience knowing that each of us made an impact in their lives and provided them with a day of fun.

Spartans Race for the Cure!

This past Saturday, we laced up our running shoes and headed downtown for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. It was a beautiful day for running—the sky was clear, the sun was shining and there was a nice cool breeze.

We all met up at Starbucks to walk to the RTA Rapid station, but we ended up sprinting! We were walking leisurely under the bridge on Euclid, and all of the sudden we heard the rapid above us. Kristyn was leading the way—she dropped into a dead sprint! We all followed suit and bolted around the corner, up the stairs and onto the platform. Miraculously, we all made it on the train and it ended up being a great warm-up for the race!

When we finally got downtown, we met up with Coach Reimer and Coach Blade. We ended up splitting into two groups so that some of the girls could register for the race. We didn’t think about how hard it would be to find each other again among thousands of people! When my group was looking for Coach Blade’s group, we were drawn to the main stage area. Little did we know we were about to get a real warm up! Island music started playing and the announcer introduced a jazzercise instructor! Immediately, Caitlin, Erin and I jumped up and joined in. We shaked and shimmied our way to a sweat doing the Zumba moves. After the warm-up, it was time to start the race. (Erin Hollinger, Caitlin Henry and Sarah Milligan pictured left to right.)

The streets were crowded with people, and we still couldn’t find the rest of the group. When we got the front of the pack, we realized that the race had already begun for the runners! We quickly started running and began playing catch-up. We figured the rest of our teammates were at the front of the group, so it was our goal to find them. Somewhere in the middle of the race we caught up with a few of our teammates. It was great to find them and have some extra encouragement during the race! As we ran around Cleveland and past the Browns Stadium, the finish line was in sight. Everyone who finished early was waiting at the finish line to cheer the others on. It was a great to have so much support! We finished up with some ab-work and then found the free ice cream! The race was a great team bonding experience, and it was for a great cause! I can’t wait to participate again in the years to come. (Marissa Miles, Ashleigh Tondo, Coach Reimer, Awesome Pink Dude, Erica Iafelice, Erin Hollinger and Kristyn Atkins pictured left to right.)

The same afternoon we all drove out to the Farm to have a cookout with the boys’ team. We had a little difficulty finding the Farm, but after turning around about 4 times on the same road we finally found it. It was a fun afternoon of eating, playing cornhole and catching up with each other. It was a great day filled with the best teammates—I can’t wait to see what this season has in store for us! (Spartan men's and women's basketball teams pictured below.)

Meet our First Year Spartans--Caitlin Rudge

Hi! My name is Caitlin Rudge, and I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Even though I am a huge Steeler/Penguins fan, and of course, despise the Cleveland Browns, I am very excited to spend the next 4 years of my life at Case Western.

When I visited Case last year, I quickly realized it was the place for me after talking with Coach Reimer and meeting the team. In addition, the academic reputation that Case has also made my decision that much easier.

I’ve had an extremely hectic and fun summer. I started it off by traveling to Punta Cana, Domincan Republic where I enjoyed 7 days of pure laziness while I layed on the beach. Just a week after I returned, I was then off to the Outer Banks, North Carolina. As for the rest of the summer, I worked a little, played some basketball, and spent some more time by the pool. Now, I am doing all of the last minute things before I move in on Sunday.

As my summer comes to an end, I am very excited to come to Case where I will be majoring in Nursing. I hope to one day become a Nurse Anesthetist, and I know that Case’s Nursing program will certainly prepare me for this.


See you all soon! Can’t wait to get back playing some basketball!

Meet our First Year Spartans--Carrie Orcutt

Hi. My name is Carrie Orcutt (pictured on far left) and I am 18 years old. I have lived in a small town in Florida for my whole life. Making the decision of which college I was going to attend was definitely the hardest decision that I have made so far in my life. My mom and I visited over twenty different campuses, but somehow, Case just felt different.

Everyone was so nice to me while I was on campus. I could see myself spending the next four years of my life in Cleveland. I was looking for an excellent academic school that was located in a big city. Case was everything I could ask for. I knew right then I would probably end up at Case for my college career, but I ended up drawing my decision out to the very last minute.

Most of my friends did not want to leave the warm Florida weather, but I had different plans. I wanted to experience winter weather, instead of 80 degrees on Christmas day and over 100 degrees in the summer. When someone would ask me why I wanted to go to Cleveland, the answer for me was simple. I had an opportunity to get a great education and still be able to play basketball. If that meant coming to Cleveland, then that was what I was going to do. Coach Reimer was so helpful throughout the whole process and that just made my decision so much easier. She didn’t just want to know how interested I was, but also cared enough to ask what I was doing with myself and how our season was going. Knowing that I would be able to learn from someone like that was an amazing feeling.

This coming fall, I will probably be majoring in biology, with possible minors in music and sports medicine. I am very excited to start school and leave behind the hot weather of Florida. Hopefully I will not freeze in the winter!!!

Meet our First Year Spartans--Emily Mueller

Hello! My name is Emily Mueller (I’m on the left next to my friend Maggie at my graduation). I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and yes, I’m a HUGE Steelers/Penguins/Pirates fan (I hope that doesn’t upset anyone too much). And even though I’ll be in the same city as my sworn enemies, the Cleveland Browns, I’m so excited and happy about my decision to come to Case Western Reserve University.

I chose Case for a number of reasons. There’s no getting around how great of a school it is and that drew me in at first. I plan on majoring in civil engineering, and Case is a fantastic school for that major. Then, I took a tour of the campus of few summers back, and I really liked it. What sealed the deal was coming last fall and meeting everyone. All of the players were so nice and made me feel comfortable even though they didn’t know me. And of course, the coaches were great and made my decision very easy. What really pleased me (and my parents), was on the day I visited, I sat in on a practice and was told that one of the players was unable to attend practice because she had a lab. A lot of girls I know who play in college would be forced to skip their class for practice, and that showed me how much the coaches want us to be successful students as well as successful basketball players.

My summer has been kind of crazy. It began with my brother graduating from the Naval Academy. We saw the Blue Angels fly over us, and President Obama was the commencement speaker. It was a beautiful (extremely hot) day in Annapolis, Maryland, and a truly memorable experience. After my brother’s graduation came my own in June and then my graduation party which was a blast. The biggest event of my summer came on July 18 when my brother got married. I was a bridesmaid and the wedding was beautiful! I love my new sister-in-law and I’m so happy for her and my brother.

Now I’m starting to get everything together for my move in next week and I can’t wait to be a Spartan!!!

Meet our First Year Spartans--Nikki D'Amico

The first time I visited Case I knew it was where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. However, that didn't stop me from waiting till the last minute to make my decision, or from torturing myself with pros and cons of many different schools.

The decision for me, however, was a no-brainer when I considered the unique basketball program, the people I met (especially Coach Reimer and the team) the great education I'd receive at one of the nation's leading research Universities, and the atmosphere on campus.

So I'm preparing to make the trek north (one whole hour!) to Case where I will be a Spartan for the next four years. Though I've had a lot of fun this summer spending time with friends and vacationing in San Diego (you've never seen a bigger mass of costumed people until you've seen San Diego during the Comic-Con), I am so excited to begin my life at Case studying Biochemistry and Cognitive Science.

Meet our First Year Spartans--Evy Iacono

Hi! My name is Evelyn (or Evy as I’m called by family and friends) Iacono. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio about four hours south of Cleveland. Growing up as the youngest of 4 I’ve had to hold my own. My very tight knit family also had many opinions on the dizzying question of where I should spend my college years.

I decided to attend Case after checking out several schools and basketball programs. My first campus impression was one which highlighted the quality of academic programs, not too surprising considering it’s reputation in academic circles. I was also very excited about the enthusiastic basketball staff and team who are focused on being competitive. After meeting Coach Reimer, Coach Blade, and the rest of the team I felt the team dynamic was right for me. I loved the family aspect of the team where one can tell everyone cares for each other. And of course the academic reputation helped make the decision of Case Western that much easier.

After all the pieces fell into place for where I would be spending the next four years of my life, I had to decide what I should do for the rest of my life! As of now I am going into biology with the hopes of becoming an exotic animal vet taking care of everything from horses to elephants. This summer I was fortunate enough to work with a horse vet where I was able to observe surgeries, grind teeth, and of course shovel horse manure. I also took care of our two horses Rocky and Extreme.

I took a break with a trip out west with family. There we saw the incredible Grand Canyon and made our way up to the Rocky Mountains in Estes Park. Other than that I have been enjoying my summer with friends and family. I’m looking forward to the next chapter at Case Western and competing for a Spartan Championship!

Meet our First Year Spartans--Erica Iafelice

The first time I walked around Case’s campus I noticed that the weather was rainy and overcast, the students and staff were focused and friendly, and there was something strangely unique about the basketball program. Oddly enough, I felt right at home. As a soon to be incoming freshman, I had endless questions about the campus, student life, the basketball program, and most importantly what the university could offer me academically.

All of my worries were soon put to rest after meeting and chatting with Coach Reimer, her staff, and her fun and talented athletes. They shared with me the countless opportunities a degree from Case can offer and the quality of people I would be working with both on and off the court on a daily basis.

As I reflected among the many experiences I would encounter while attending one of the nation’s leading research Universities, the choice as to where I should spend the next four years of my life was quite obvious.

Luckily for me, I am used to rainy summer days and snow-filled winter nights as I live a short hour-long car ride south of Cleveland in the beautiful dogwood city of North Canton. While at Case I plan to major in Biology with a minor in Sports Medicine in hopes of one day becoming a Sports Medicine Physician. This career choice would not only give me the opportunity to work with athletes, but would also help me understand the countless injuries I seem to come by while on the court.

It would be fascinating if I were able to tell you interesting facts about myself such as jumping out of planes and swimming with sharks, but unfortunately, I cannot. I can, however, share that I once competed in the Soapbox Derby (if you know what that means, then yes, it is quite embarrassing) snuck backstage to meet Colbie Caillat, biked down an active volcano, and am completely confident, thankful, and excited about my decision to not only attend Case but to be a member of our exceptional basketball program.

Meet our First Year Spartans--Marissa Miles

Hello. My name is Marissa Miles and for the last 18 years of my life I’ve grown up in a small rural town about 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the City of Champions, and arguably the best spot in the entire continental U.S. For some odd reason however, I’ve decided to pack my bags and move to Cleveland (and no, this is not a joke.) As unbelievable as it seems, Cleveland will be my home for the next four years, and I will be a proud Case Western Reserve University Spartan. I’m excited about my future at Case, and relieved to now have some sort of plan for the upcoming years of my life.

After many months of struggling through the college selection process, weighing the pros and cons of different schools, and walking through numerous campus tours, I now finally have a plan. Although it may have changed since my more naïve days when my career path was aimed at baking cakes on Food Network (finding a culinary school with a basketball team became a bit of a problem) I figured why not attend Case Western and attempt to become and engineer?

Now my summer is wrapping up, and soon enough I’ll be an official college student. I have enjoyed my summer- went to the beach, worked at a golf course (which does entitle me to free golf although I promise I am not good!), and enjoyed time with my friends in what could be our final summer together. In just a few short weeks I’ll be at Case- I absolutely cannot wait!

Meet our First Year Spartans--Chelsea Lasky

Hello! My name is Chelsea Lasky (pictured on far right with my sisters and aunt.) As some of you know I will be a freshman here at Case this year. As of now, I plan to be a biomedical engineering major with no intention of going to medical school. What attracted me to Case the most was the reputation of academic excellence, especially in my particular field. I chose CWRU over my other university choices because it was the best for my intended major and also because I have the opportunity to play basketball.

This summer I have been incredibly busy with many different things. As soon as graduation was over, I was busy planning a baby shower with my sister. Shortly after, I left for a ten day mission trip to Kentucky where I helped an underprivileged community. We stayed in a run down church and tents, and lived the simple life. I did tasks such as paint tin roofs, weed in an overgrown garden, direct a leadership day for kids age six to ten, and plan/execute an outreach day for mentally underdeveloped adults. It was very rewarding to be there with just twenty-two others who were dedicated to serving the community. (Oh, and I became quite the champ at corn hole in our downtime ha-ha.)

As soon as I got back, I had my graduation party to prepare for in just one short week—if it were up to just my mom, we would be manicuring the lawn by hand, and if it were up to just my dad, we would be moving small boulders out of the walkway using only our muscle. Needless to say, it was a week of pure torture. However, it all worked out because everyone had a great time and I made a killing for college supplies and summer fun.

The next week was dedicated to the preparation of a retreat I worked for my younger sister the next weekend, as well as cleaning up from the party. Since then, I have had miscellaneous things every day. I work at Red Lobster as a hostess, went to the Vans Warped Tour as a birthday present to my little sister, played in a 6v6 soccer league, worked a day with Habitat for Humanity, went to countless graduation parties, and tried to make time to hang out with my friends. Oh and how could I forget the wonderful three day Case orientation!

In the weeks to come, I will be going to more graduation parties, shopping for college, and most exciting, going to West Virginia with my family for a three day trip to whitewater raft, hike and camp out. Those activities will lead me up to the week before coming to campus where I will finally be meeting all of you!

I am excited to be playing basketball this year because I cannot remember the last time I was not involved in sports in some way. After my successful season last year, I am looking forward to get back into the swing of things, and working toward another great season. Well, that is my summer in a nutshell—it has been crazy as usual!

Welcome!

Thanks so much for visiting the Case Western Reserve University Women's Basketball blog! As we look forward to the start of the 2009-2010 school year we are excited about the season ahead. We have a solid nucleus of players returning to the team and welcome a group of first-year players who will add to the depth and talent of our squad.

We hope you will visit this blog on a regular basis to meet our team, follow our success and enjoy learning more about Spartan Basketball! Stay tuned and GO CASE!