Day Three - 31st Dec 2009

Daylight lets the team see the University of California Santa Barbara properly for the first time. The uni caters for 20,000 students and the facilities are top notch. The campus is parked on cliffs right on the sea and the views are spectacular.

The rec centre area at UCSB contains a couple of 25m pools, about a dozen tennis courts, a gym containing 3 basketball courts, an artificial turf about the size of two rugby fields and an enormous weights room. There is also a stadium on campus where the UCSB basketball and volleyball teams play. Harder Stadium, where we will play the US team seats 11,000. Very impressive place.

After the rain of yesterday, the weather is clear and warm and the boys tear into their two training runs. The morning session is held on a grass pitch and the afternoon one on the artificial turf. The enthusiasm and skill levels are very impressive.
Meal time
Downsey getting the boys to lie about the place in an orderly manner
Catch and pass
Willy T modelling the always fashionable polka dot jersey