Entry by senior Kyle Kusy

Day seven of our soccer tour of Costa Rica began a bit differently than the previous days. We were given the morning off and were able to sleep in and relax. It was much needed and much appreciated by all of the players. We took this opportunity to spend some time in the sun at both the beach and the pool. We bonded as a team in the pool by playing some water polo and the games got quite intense.

After a nice relaxing morning we set off for our Catamaran Tour. This tour included all-inclusive food and drinks; as well as snorkeling and paddle boarding. While we were snorkeling we got the opportunity to see some fish and interesting looking reefs. About halfway through the six-hour tour we were given some delicious food.

As we were returning toward land we were lucky enough to see some whales, turtles, and sharks.

We ended the tour by watching the sunset...

Entry by junior, Drew Johnston

Day six of our soccer tour of Costa Rica began once again in the resort restaurant for breakfast prior to our departure for our morning training session. After a few days without playing we were eager to get back out on the field. However, with the fact that we would be competing in the last game of the trip that afternoon, the session served the purpose of getting refocused and back on track.

We played for a little over an hour in front of a handful of locals, children, and even a few chickens– certainly a unique experience.

Afterwards we gave some of our soccer balls to a couple kids who eagerly took them and immediately began playing. The joy in their faces reminded us of how truly fortunate we are to be here. We returned to our hotel to eat lunch, relax, and enjoy the hotel pools and the beautiful beach before getting back on the bus to travel an...

Written by junior Marcus Varnum

Wednesday, Aug. 6 - The fourth day of our trek across Costa Rica was filled with great times. After another delicious breakfast served by our hotel’s gracious staff, we began the drive taking us deeper into the rainforest for a day of whitewater rafting!

We arrived at our whitewater rafting starting point and received life jackets and helmets. After learning safety and paddling instructions, we were split into rafting groups and met our guides for the tour. As we drifted down the river, walls of trees towered over us bringing the roar of the rainforest to our rafts.

The beautiful scenery and multiple intense sections of rapids made for an amazing adventure on the river that we will never forget.

After the tour, we were presented another delicious Costa Rican meal before getting on the bus to return for the night.

The night was filled with more good...

Written by junior Louis Joslyn

Tuesday, Aug. 5 - Day three was a very busy, very exciting day of our Costa Rica trip. We began the day with another spectacular breakfast provided by our hotel’s staff. Following breakfast we were instructed to pack up and prepare for checkout. We would return to the hotel for lunch, but will not stay there again until the 10th.

After checking out, we boarded the bus and headed towards a care center for underprivileged children in the San Jose area. Upon arrival we were introduced to the center’s principal who told us the center’s mission: to provide the kids with a safe environment where they have positive role models. When we met the kids, they sang songs in unison and shouted bienvenidos (welcome!). In response, we sang ‘if you’re happy and you know it’ and said our names.

After introductions, we were allowed to play with the kids. Some played...

Monday, Aug. 4

Written by senior midfielder, Mitchell White

The Simpson Men’s Soccer Team had a very exciting day two in Costa Rica. The day was highlighted by our first training session as well our first friendly match.

We started the morning off with a team breakfast in the hotel. Following that we departed for our training session. We were provided with a beautiful artificial turf field In the heart of San Jose. The conditions were perfect and the players were very eager to get their first touches of the 2014 campaign. It ended up being a very effective session that included possession play and a large sided scrimmage.

After the training session, we returned to the hotel to eat, clean up, and recharge for the match. Everybody was very anxious to compete in the first match since our loss in the semifinals of the conference tournament last November. The game was played in a...

Sunday, Aug. 3 Hello Simpson soccer families, friends, and fans. Our trip to Costa Rica has finally arrived. Our first day of this journey is already behind us and it was a rather uneventful day of travel.

The majority of our travel party jumped in vans and left from Simpson College at 7:30AM yesterday. We made the 3 hour drive to Kansas City before jumping on our flight and officially beginning this adventure together. We had a brief layover in Dallas-Fort Worth, followed by a 4 hour flight into San Jose. In all, it was a relatively smooth day of traveling.

Upon arriving in Costa Rica, we were greeted by the wonderful staff from Costa Rica Soccer Tours. We took a short bus ride from the airport to our hotel where we enjoyed an entertaining presentation over dinner. The presentation outlined our 9 day trip and certainly got the boys fired up for what’s to come. Our dinner...