Basqueteball in Brazil

Lady Tigers Experience Brazil Through Summer Missions Trip

A unique partnership between Christian institutions provided members of the Campbellsville University Lady Tiger basketball team an opportunity of a lifetime, as they were unable to travel to Brazil on summer mission trip. Lady Tiger head coach Donna Wise, assistant Shannon Wathen, ten Lady Tigers and ten people very close to the program made the trip that ran from August 2 through August 11, 2001. The trip came about thorough an international partnership that Campbellsville University has with the Brazilian Baptists and was paid, in part, by funds raised by the Lady Tigers.

We were able to visit and share with the youth of churches and schools, conduct clinics and experience that Brazilian culture in a very up-close and personal way, “Wise said of the trip. “I think it was a tremendous experience for our young ladies to see young people from another culture that are a genuine in their faith and share a love for the sport of basketball. From an educational standpoint I know that we have a deeper appreciate of people from other cultures.”

While in Brazil the Lady Tigers were hosted by two Brazilian Baptist churches/schools, one in Natal and one in Sao Paula. In Natal, Beriana Batista hosted the Lady Tigers and in Sao Paulo Colegio Batistra hosted them. A big part of the garten through grade school, of the host churches and the surrounding community.

Coach Wise felt the trip was rewarding in many ways. She feels that her team truly recognized the value in serving, and also the educational value of experiencing another culture. Wise and her young ladies also saw their team grow closer during the trip.

Lady Tiger Kelli Stamper was among those who saw the experience draw the team together. “The trip was great. I had the opportunity to get to know my teammates outside of the sports atmosphere, “Stamper commented, Teammate Crystal Judd called the trip an “experience of a lifetime” that gave her unforgettable memories and impressions.

While it was not even a considerable for the trip, the Lady Tigers landed a recruit out of the “basketball hungry” country. While in San Paulo, a local pastor brought a young lady, Georgia Feretti (6’2 guard), who wanted to go to college in the United States to one of the clinics to meet Wise. After viewing the young lady in some pick-up games Wise was impressed, as was Feretti. Feretti committed to the Lady Tigers.

Wise said that throughout the trip she saw evidence that sport really is a universal language. She saw that in the way basketball brought these two cultures together and she also saw it in the way her players bridged the language barrier through facial expressions, body language and demonstration skills common on the sport of basketball.

The Lady Tigers hope to do this kind of thing in the future. Additionally, plans are already in the works for a group of Brazilian basketball players to visit Campbellsville this next summer to do something similar in the Heartlands of Kentucky. Excepts from Coach Wises’ journal of the trip are provided in the following paragraphs.

Day One: The greeting at the airport in Natal, Brazil for our group of 22 after a 13-hour flight was warm and welcomed. The youth of Pastor Elcy’s Berianan Batista Church/School showered us with gifts as we got our first glimpse of Brazil. Our hotel, Imira Palace was on the beach and had a magnificent view of the Atlantic.

Day Two: At 8:30 a.m. we conducted our first clinic. Numerous coaches and players throughout Northeast Brazil were in attendance. Several of our group played a pickup game with club and select players of the area. The physical play of the international players was very evident. Our group dines at a local steak house known fir sunshine beef and Amazon side dishes. Can you believe they put fried eggs on their hamburgers?
Day Three: An early morning boat ride along the coastline of natal and snorkeling was fun. We encountered donkeys and cows grazing along the highway-no fences. You could buy a donkey for one real (the equivalent of 40 cents). George (Coach Wises’ husband) was impressed and plans to buy six of them if we buy property.

We spent the afternoon by the pool where we played some friendly three-on-three games in the water. Several of us learned the samba while others elected for seven-dollar pedicures. That evening Pastor Vandeson Ximenes, our group director conducted a worship service at the hotel for us then be boarded our bus to share in fellowship and worship with Pastor Elcy’s youth group. It was a wonderful experience for all.

Day Four: A number of activities were available for us in the morning including dune buggies, dune surfing and camel rides – yes camel rides. The roller coaster rides on the sand dunes of Natal in dune buggies proved to be the most exciting.

A much larger group, including the President of the Basketball Federation of Northeast Brazil, attended our second basketball clinic that afternoon. The eagerness of the Brazilians to grasp the defensive concepts of the United States was very evident.

After the clinic, we shopped at a native craft market housed in a historic prison. The cells had been converted to individual shops. Dinner was local fish, including sushi.

Day Five: We said tearful good-byes to our dear friend; pastor Elcy as we boarded our plane to Sao Paulo, the world’s second largest city of 18 million. Pizza and bed was the ticket after our six-hour flight. The girls weren’t to crazy about the smashed cheese used on their pizzas.

Day Six: We took an early morning tour of the city as we traveled to Colegio Batista. Our group attended an assembly with elementary children in attendance. A combined team of high school boys and girls challenged the team members of our group to a pick-up game. The elementary kids really loved it.

What would Sao Paulo be without shopping? A mall was our next destination. Leather, jewelry, clothes; where were we going to put all that in our suitcases?

The nigh ended at Anjelica’s, a five-star churrascaria (restaurant) or better yet, a steak lover’s paradise. The dessert choices met everyone’s craving for sweets. Dr. Nemesio, Director of Colegio Batista was our host.

Day Seven: On this seventh day God created the wonderful view of Rio de Janerio from a top Sugarloaf Mountain across the bay area and up to “Christ the Redeemer” statue. Breathtaking would hardly begin to describe it. It is understandable that Rio is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The taxi ride was much scarier than the cable car ride up Sugarloaf.

We lunched at another churrasceria before boarding our bus for a tour of Copacabana and Impanema beaches. We also toured a very old ornate cathedral and many charming shops and cafes. Our 45-minute flight back to Rio and a quick stop at another mall for shopping completed our day.

Day Eight: Back to the Colegio Batista for lunch and a basketball skills clinics with the elementary school children. Sport truly is universal-no language barriers when demonstrating skills. We finished with an autograph session.

Our group finished the day with a pick-up game with a group from Mackenzie. Afterwards we shared food, fellowship and danced the samba to the band at yet another churrascaria. What a wonderful end to such a rewarding trip.

Day Nine; Much to our surprise, the banners in front of the Trans Brazil airline counter indicated an airline strike not “bon voyage.” Our trip home was delayed nine hours. When given lemons, make lemonade. At 10:30 p.m. our Delta jet took off for our trip back to the United States.

Day Ten; We arrived in Louisville at 9:30 a.m. to the welcoming arms of boyfriends, parents and family. The trip allowed us to share God’s work and get to know each other in a laid-back setting. The experience that our “Lady Tiger family” truly enjoyed and we look forward to someday returning to the warmth the Brazilians have to offer. (Written by Lady Tiger Head Coach Donna Wise and former Sports Information Director Scott Mooney).