Aug. 9, 2001

This report was filed by Baylor Asst. Media Relations Director Larry Little. For other diaries from Little and players as the trip progresses, click here.

Monday, Aug. 6, 2001
* 7:10 a.m. CDT -- Baylor's women's volleyball team says goodbye to the Ferrell Center and heads north for its first road trip of the 2001 season. However, this trip will be unlike any the team would take the rest of the season. The bus' destination is Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the team's destination is Japan.

*10:29 a.m. CDT -- The boarding process for American Airlines Flight 61 begins. Once aboard, the team is greeted with a 55-minute delay. Apparently, the plane is too heavy, therefore, some of the cargo must be taken off in order for the plane to be able to make the 13-hour flight to Tokyo's Narita International Airport. Some of the Baylor volleyball party blame the delay on trainer Alison Krajewski due to her four bags of tape, medical supplies and protein bars.

* 12:12 p.m. CDT -- Flight 61 is finally off the ground. Seated toward the rear of the plane, the Baylor party settles in for the long journey ahead. Assistant coach Frank Gray brings out his Japanese language tutorial CD -- In-Flight Japanese. Some of the athletes begin their assigned reading. Some others take in a movie on the personal at-the-seat screens. Others take in some shut-eye.

* 2:28 p.m. PDT -- More than 30,000 feet in the air, Flight 61 sails high above the Pacific Northwest. Below, Seattle, Wash., wishes Baylor a fond but cloudy farewell. This will be the team's final glimpse of land for a few hours, and its last glimpse of the American mainland for nearly two weeks.

* 3:15 p.m. ADT -- Through occasional breaks in the clouds, passengers on the right side of Flight 61 can see Alaska. By using Great Circle Routes, the flight to Japan from Dallas carries the plane to the northern edge of the Pacific Ocean, and even over the Gulf of Alaska. It is at this point that senior middle blocker Carol Selman breaks out her camcorder and begins to get some footage of the team on the plane. Gray is still brushing up on the essential Japanese phrases. Others are still catching up on sleep.

* 3:34 p.m. -- In the blink of an eye, Monday becomes Tuesday as Flight 61 crosses the International Date Line. At this point, the plane is over the western part of the Bering Sea. Following the Great Circle Route, the plane begins its southern turn toward the Japanese Archipalego.

Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2001
* 1:48 p.m. JST -- Now in the Japan Standard Time Zone, Baylor gets its first view of the Japan as the plane skirts along the East coast. Cloud cover keeps the island rather hidden, but as the plane begins its desent toward Tokyo land can be seen. All of Japan is in the same time zone -- 14 hours ahead of Central Daylight Time (Waco, Texas).

* 2:22 p.m. JST -- The plane lands at Narita International Airport. The team goes through customs and gathers luggage, then heads outside, wher the team is greeted with weather that looks like Seattle (overcast with a light drizzle), but feels like Houston (rather humid). At the bus, a change in culture is immediately realized: the driver sits on the wrong side and all the vehicles are driving on the left side of the road.

* 5:34 p.m. JST -- Somewhere between Tokyo and Sendai, the bus stops at a rest area. It is somewhat similar to an American rest area with restrooms, vending machines and even a small convenience store. Back on the bus, learning Japanese phrases is the hot topic. Also of discussion is the need to stay awake as long as possible in order to lessen the effects of jet lag. Within an hour, nearly all on the bus are asleep.

* 9:34 p.m. JST -- More than 24 hours after leaving the Ferrell Center, the Bears arrive at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai, Japan. The team is greeted by Dice, the team's host and interpreter while in Sendai. He shows the team to its rooms, Baylor will be staying in one of the dormotories. It is rather American-ized with Western toilets and showers. After a team meeting, the Bears hit the sack.

Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001
* 5:25 a.m. JST -- Up and at it early. The gym where Baylor will be practicing is used throughout the day by a variety of athletic teams at Tohoku Fukushi. Therefore, the Bears' practice time is set for 6 a.m. In its first full-team practice of the 2001 season (veterans reported for preseason camp work a week earlier), Baylor works on basic movement and defense drills.

* 8:20 a.m. JST -- Baylor returns to the dorm, where a breakfast has been prepared by our hosts. Several American breakfast items can be found, including a variety of fruits, pastries and even scrambled eggs with cheese.

* 10:40 a.m. JST -- The team returns to the gym, about a 10-minute walk from the dorm. However, it is not practice time. Instead, Dice gives the team a tour of some of the campus, including a trip to a judo class. After the tour, the team is treated to a welcome lunch by the Tohoku Fukushi women's volleyball team, a four-time Japanese collegiate national champion. Tohoku Fukushi has appeared in the national tournament 23 consecutive seasons, winning the tournament in each of the past three years.

Baylor players and Tohoku Fukushi players mingle and sit together, exchanging language and culture throughout the meal. The Tohoku Fukushi coach and several players greet the Baylor team and staff, all of which is translated through Dice. Baylor head coach Brian Hosfeld then thanks the 27-member Tohoku Fukushi team and its coaching staff for allowing Baylor to visit. Senior setter Dana Chuha takes the stage next and tells the Tohoku Fukushi athletes a little bit about Baylor and the 2001 Bears. She ends by telling them about "Sic `Em Bears!" The Japanese athletes take to the battle cry quite well.

* 1:15 p.m. JST -- Competition begins. The first of several scrimmages for the Bears is against Tohoku Fukushi, and it is apparent why they are so highly successful. Baylor battles hard, but falls 25-10, 25-18 under the international scoring format.

* 2:40 p.m. -- Match No. 2 begins with Baylor taking on Shokei Women's Junior College, one of Japan's top junior college programs. Shokei actually has its own cheering section: 10 to 15 young boys with megaphones in the balcony area above the court. To combat this, members of the Tohoku Fukushi team gather on the balcony above the Baylor bench to cheer for the Bears. With every Baylor point, they raise their right hands, make a Bear claw and with a downward thrust yell, "SIC `EM BEARS!" The Bears split with the team, dropping the first game 25-17 and winning the second game 26-24.

Results
Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2001

Baylor University vs. Tohoku Fukushi University         1   2Baylor      10  18TFU     25  25
Baylor University vs. Shokei Women's Junior College         1   2Baylor      17  26SWJC        25  24
Baylor University vs. Tohoku Fukushi University         1   2   3Baylor      14  25  13TFU     25  21  25
Baylor University vs. Shokei Women's Junior College         1   2   3Baylor      14  25  13SWJC        25  21  25