OFF TO WNT CAMP IN ITALY   26th August 26

D and I left Norway yesterday morning for the National Training camp which is to be held in Rome, Italy. This is the start of a long build up to Canada qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in Cancun, Mexico, in late October and early November.

The Canadian program does not hold many WNT soccer camps, so when it does, we tend to have camps that are held for long periods of time. This is one of these camps.

I love being with the National Team squad, so it was great to see all my old teammates again, and to meet many new, young players. At the same time, it was hard for D and I to leave the LSK team in Norway.

The Norwegian Toppserien season still has a long way to go, and it appears that we will miss most, if not all, of the remaining games. LSK Kvinner is an amazing club and they have done everything they can to prepare Diana and I for our national team commitments. They did not need to do this, nor did they need to be as understanding as they have been about us departing in the middle of the season.

This has obviously not been a great situation for D and I to be in, but our LSK  teammates, the Club and the LSK board, although disappointed, have been very supportive. We cannot thank them enough.

Diana and I arrived in Rome just after 5 after a long four hour layover in Frankfurt airport. We arrived just in time to eat supper with the squad, but they were all exhausted. They could not wait to eat a little and crawl into bed. The jet lag of 6 - 9 hours is brutal. I ate much heavier and enjoyed a large steak.

 I am carrying a quad strain, but this morning we had team testing and this afternoon we will be doing our first training session - and so it all begins again!