George Washington University

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Brian Mojica #9

2013-06-18T13:59:35Z

It's been a week since my trip and I have learned to appreciate things a lot more. For example, being able to communicate with almost everyone you talk to is a plus, or being able to read the menus at restaurants. I am very fortunate to have gone on the trip, and besides learning to appreciate the things I have, I gained a lot of knowledge, which has helped me create new goals. I have learned that I seem to be a very ambiguous Asian, because every country we went to the locals asked if I was a native. Two, I learned that flirting with the ladies in the market can really help in getting discounts. And three, life is weird when Facebook and YouTube are blocked. In all seriousness though, I learned a lot about how culture affects the business process, the importance of bringing a map with you wherever you go, how useful it is to learn another language and how you should not expect everyone just to know English.

The trip also helped me lay out some goals for myself. Experiencing the businesses firsthand and seeing all the opportunities that can arise if I am able to get a job in one of those companies has made me desire to work for one of those companies. Because of the trip, I realized that I want to go into the field of HR and I want to work in a country outside of the United States. Doing the site visits has given me a newfound motivation to work hard so I can become successful. I know that GW will give me all the opportunities to achieve my goals, I just need to work hard and take advantage of them. GW has taught me the importance of knowing my priorities and sticking to them. I learned that if I understand what they are I can become more efficient and excel in both academics and athletics.

I want to say thank you to my professor and TA and the people I went on the trip with; I could not ask for a better group of people to go with. We had a joke that we were sort of like the Breakfast Club - although we were not friends before the trip, we learned to get along and we became good friends because of it. Thank you to my parents, aunts and uncles for helping me fund the trip, and thank you to Patrick Nero and Jessica Bernheim for helping me out with the blog. Thanks to those of you who have red the blog; I appreciate it and I hope you learned something from it.

As always, take care and RAISE HIGH!

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Maggie Skjelbred #4

2013-06-17T16:01:59Z

After seeing the U-23 Beach Volleyball World Championship, I took a bus from Katowice to Rzeszow to meet with the National team. Even though I have traveled a lot, I was nervous about traveling in Poland because no one speaks English. I was really lucky and found some Australian girls that were taking the same bus and knew where to go. On the bus the ticket man wouldn't let me buy a ticket at first because I couldn't pronounce Rzeszow correctly. After saying the city's name incorrectly about six times, a lady behind me understood what I was trying to pronounce and I finally got a ticket.

When I got to Rzeszow I got picked up by my coach. We drove about 20 minutes to Kielnarowa Sportssenter, where we were going to spend our camp.

]]>

When I got to Rzeszow I got picked up by my coach. We drove about 20 minutes to Kielnarowa Sportssenter, where we were going to spend our camp.

Kielnarowa Sportssenter is originally a sports university, but it also has a restaurant that is used as a venue for weddings and other parties. It has two hotels/apartment houses where sports teams live when they visit. The Sportssenter also has a big gym with classrooms, weight room and a spa. Outside of the gym there is also a basketball court and beach volleyball court.

We started practice the next day at 9:00 a.m. It was fun because we had a lot of different ball-handling drills where everyone got a lot of touches. After two hours with volleyball we had lifting. We were able to use our own personal program, so I used the one GW Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Berry had developed for the volleyball team's summer workout. Later in the day, we had more side-out drills and practiced game situations.

The days have been pretty much the same; eat-practice-eat-practice-sleep. So basically it is very similar to GW's preseason. In between practices we are able to just relax in our rooms or lay a little bit out in the sun. At this time the world league is on TV, so we have been watching big volleyball nations like Poland, Brazil and Italy.

On Tuesday we had our first match. We played against a 1^st-division team located in Rzeszow. We played in a small gym and had a small crowd of people watching from the sideline. The match was also broadcast on the radio! The competition was really good and we were able to work on what we wanted. The game was even, but we ended up winning, 3-2 (20-25,25-12, 22-25, 25-18 and 15-13). I got to play the first set, second set and half of the third set. It was a lot of fun playing at that level. However, it is weird being an outside hitter again and passing regularly.

Here are some pictures of the game!

Team photo before our first match! I am wearing #13.

Team huddle after scoring a point

The next few days we will play more matches and practice every day before we leave on Saturday for Russia. The tournament in Russia will span over 18 days. So until next time, Raise High!

Best,
Maggie

Demo Complete for GW Basketball Locker Room Project

2013-06-14T20:46:56Z

Last week, Coach Mike Lonergan tweeted about the project for the construction of new locker and team rooms, the latest GW Athletics facilities upgrade that will benefit both the men's and women's basketball programs.

A week later, demolition is virtually complete in the space that will house the new state-of-the-art locker and team rooms that will rival the best in the Atlantic 10. Take a look at the space in the @GW_MBB Vine below, and click here for a Photo Gallery of the project. Photos will be added to the gallery throughout the construction process.

]]>

Megan Nipe Leads Way for @GW_WBB in Weight Room

2013-06-12T19:10:51Z

The GW women's basketball is putting in work in the weight room this summer. Assistant strength and conditioning coach Paul Berry singled out Megan Nipe as this week's @ColonialsStrong #WorkoutWarrior for leading the summertime charge in the weight room and helping her teammates push hard to return from their injuries.

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Maggie Skjelbred #3

2013-06-10T16:43:54Z

After a week of being home I went down south in Norway to visit my old high school, Topp Volley Norway. On Friday, I had a reunion with some of my old classmates in Stavanger. It was awesome to see them all again and catch up. From my old class, seven girls went to the United States and three guys went to Canada to study and play volleyball. Before this group, only one girl has gone to the States and two guys had gone professional in Europe.

During my visit to my old school, a coach from University of the Pacific was visiting to watch one of the boys play. This coach actually had our program's old coach, Joe, as an assistant a couple of years ago. It's crazy how small this world is!

]]>

Here are some pictures of my high school!

This is a picture of the building where I lived during high school. The one to the left is for juniors and the one straight ahead is for seniors. The building to the right is the cafeteria.

The beach courts at my high school, Top Volley Norway. The sand was imported from Spain!

A picture of our gyms. The one on the left is the indoor gym and the right one is our beach volleyball gym. In front of the gyms is a soccer field and outdoor track.

A picture from the Under-23 Beach Volleyball World Championships. The Norwegian boys played on the center court!

After training with my old coaches for a couple of days, I traveled to Poland to watch the U-23 Beach Volleyball World Championships. It was so much fun watching the Norwegian teams play and they got ninth place! However, it was also tough to watch because I wasn't able to participate and I really wanted to play! The skill level at the tournament was really high and there were teams from all over the world, including the United States! Some of the players even play on the world tour and other professional circuits.

After some exciting days watching beach volleyball, I took the bus to Kielnarova where I met up with the National team. This is where we are staying the next week to practice and play matches.

Until next time, Raise High!

Best,
Maggie

Construction Underway for New GW Basketball Locker and Team Rooms

2013-06-07T13:30:28Z

Along with playing on a new, unique, district-themed court design in the Charles E. Smith Center main arena in 2013-14, the GW men's and women's basketball programs will enjoy new state-of-the-art locker and team rooms rivaling the best in the Atlantic 10 Conference next season. GW men's basketball coach Mike Lonergan tweeted about the project on Thursday night:

New court design AND new state-of-the-art locker & team rooms coming next season, the Smith Center is a great home! twitter.com/MikeLonergan/s...
-- Mike Lonergan (@MikeLonergan) June 6, 2013

Check out Vines from @GW_MBB and @GW_WBB with the early stages of the project after the jump and return to 22&G throughout the summer for construction updates.

]]>

@GW_MBB's Joe McDonald Chosen @ColonialsStrong #WorkoutWarrior

2013-06-05T20:17:23Z

George Washington men's basketball continues to put in work with Assistant AD for Strength and Conditioning Ben Kenyon, in addition to their work on the basketball court with assistant coaches and in the classroom during Summer Session I...

Coach Kenyon singled out rising sophomore guard Joe McDonald as this week's @ColonialsStrong #WorkoutWarrior for his extra conditioning efforts to improve his speed and lower body.

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Brian Mojica #8

2013-06-05T14:08:01Z

Brian Mojica is a rising junior on the men's water polo team. He will be traveling to Singapore, Vietnam and China as part of a Dean's Scholars study tour May 20-June 5 and will be blogging about his experience.

The last three days in China were a lot of fun. We did a lot of sightseeing, had a couple more business visits and got good at bargaining in the Chinese markets. Sights in China were all very grand. However, my favorite place we visited was the summer palace. I thought it was the coolest because the lake and longevity hill were both man-made. It was spectacular because the lake is about 1.2 square miles and the hill is about 200 feet. The clay that was dug up to make the lake was then used to make the hill for the palace. It was a very grand place, and although it was foggy, the view was still amazing.

The business visits were pretty cool. My favorite one was the Microsoft visit. Initially it was cool because they gave us a tour of all the new technology they have, which actually almost convinced me to become a PC guy. Other than the showroom, the lecture given was also one of my favorites. The guy talked to us about what made Microsoft's business model in China very different from other companies. It was cool to see the different techniques companies use to be successful in the new country they are expanding to.

The summer palace and the Microsoft visit were both interesting, but the place I had the most fun was the markets. It was a lot of fun trying to bargain with the shop owners. It was like a game - both you and the shop owner know that the item for sale is up for grabs, it's just finding the right price for it. Sometimes I win while other times they get the better deal. It is hard to walk away from the negotiation, especially when you really want something. It was really funny because the shop owners would be really nice to you until you start negotiating with them. Once the talks started to happen, they changed their demeanor and became really aggressive. One of the people on the trip got punched because they could not agree on the price, and another person got tapped in the head with a calculator. Luckily none of this happened to me because my negotiating technique was not as stern as my peers. I personally found that trying to make the sellers laugh worked for me, so luckily I never got hit. However, I did get a friendly slap in the hand because I told one of the ladies she was cute. I did get a good deal from her, so I wasn't too angry.

China made me realize how useful it is to learn another language, especially one that can potentially help in the business world in the future. The overall lifestyle was very different from the U.S., and it was fun to put myself in the middle of it and experience what it was like. Thank you to our driver and our tour guide, who helped make the trip more memorable.

Take care and RAISE HIGH!

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Maggie Skjelbred #2

2013-06-03T16:17:15Z

Margrethe (Maggie) Skjelbred is a rising sophomore on the George Washington volleyball team. This summer, she will be traveling and competing as a member of the Norwegian Senior National Team and will be blogging about her experience.

Since my last blog post I have been pretty busy with non-volleyball activities. After training camp with the National Team, I went back to my hometown of Bodo which is in northern Norway, about three hours north of the Arctic circle. Whenever I explain the location to someone in the United States, I just say it's about the same latitude as Alaska.

I started working immediately when I got back from training camp at the office of a music festival that is held in my town every August called Nordland Music Festival. The first thing I did was translate all the information about the artists into English. It was fun being able to use one of the things I learned over the past year in America, even though I am not majoring in translating.

In the two weeks since I have been home the weather has been beautiful! It has been very hot, around 65-75 degrees every day, which is not normal for this time of year. It has been great being able to do activities outside, like hiking and playing beach volleyball!

Picture taken while hiking, you can also see these mountains from my house. The bridge you can see is world famous, because it goes over saltstraumen, which is the strongest tidal current in the world!

One great thing about living in Bodo is that we have the midnight sun and I have been able to experience the 24 hours of daylight multiple times since I have been home.

So Beautiful! I just love being home when it is like this!!

When I was home I was also able to play volleyball with my old club team which was so much fun! It was great seeing all of my old teammates and how they have developed in volleyball. Two of the girls on the club team used to go to my high school, ToppVolley Norway.

This week I am going down south again to visit my old school. I am so excited to see my former classmates and catch up with the students that also have been studying in North America like me.

I resume training with the National Team in a few weeks and then we head to Poland for our first tournament.

Keep Raising High!

Best,

Maggie

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Brian Mojica #7

2013-06-02T13:38:20Z

I've been in Beijing, China, for three days now, and although it's been great, I've experienced quite a culture shock. Never in my life have I felt so helpless as in China. I can't read any of the characters and I cannot communicate with anyone here. Trying to find my way back to the hotel is always an adventure and trying to order food is difficult when there are no pictures. However, all of these obstacles is what makes being out here fun. It is interesting to try to interact with people who speak very little or no English at all. You have to be creative when trying to ask for simple things like directions. Hand signals, hotel cards, apps that translate into different languages are all things I've used so far. Each time I attempt to go out without the guide is quite the adventure and I get the biggest sigh of relief when I find my destination.

Besides getting lost and finding my way around, we've had one business visit and we also took a tour of Jingshan Park, the Beijing Bell and Drum Tower, Ghost Street and the Great Wall. The business visit was really interesting because we got to compare the way Ernst and Young operate in Vietnam and China. The same company in different locations act differently because of the cultural norms of the country they are in. An example would be in hiring employees. In Vietnam, employees are less willing to travel to another branch, whereas in China people are more willing to travel. This means that in Vietnam the company needs to hire people who are local, whereas in China they can hire and transfer people to the greater Chinese region. It is just one of the many differences, but it was very interesting to see firsthand.

The tours we took in the very short time we have been here were all very exciting. The hill on top of Jingshan Park is considered to have the number one view of Beijing. On the top you can see how the city aligns itself from north to south. At one side of the park looking north you can sometimes see the Olympic Park, then heading south you hit the Bell and Drum Tower, then the park, then looking south you see the Forbidden City. It is a marvelous view, and although I haven't seen many sightseeing spots in Beijing, I could agree that it is an amazing view. Our tour of the Great Wall was also very cool. It was weird walking along the Great Wall because growing up I've heard so much about it. It was amazing and it is truly a wonder.

Although we've only been out here for a few days, I feel like I have learned a lot already. We have a lot planned for the rest of our trip, so keep checking out the blog.

RAISE HIGH!

Men's Basketball's Garino Featured on Argentinean TV

2013-05-31T20:33:22Z

While his stock will continue to rise over his next three seasons at GW, men's basketball rising sophomore guard Patricio Garino is already a hot commodity in his native Argentina.

While at home between the end of the spring semester and start of Summer I, Patricio did several interviews with his hometown media, including this local TV feature on Teleocho Informa Canal 8 on May 17. It shows many of his rookie highlights, but is in Spanish, however Pato was kind enough to translate for us after the jump below...

]]> REPORTER: "Do you remember the kid that surprised everybody with that half-court three-point shot playing for the Argentinean National Team in the Under-19 World Championships? Well, that kid - Patricio Garino - keeps growing, and this Friday, May 17 he celebrates his 20^th birthday in his house in Mar del Plata with family while recovering from an injury."

PG: "I had meniscus surgery approximately a month ago and the recovery is going well. I want to come back slowly due to past knee problems over the past four years, the same problems that did not let me participate in different tournaments. Now it is time to be back at 100 percent."

REPORTER: "Time goes by and Patricio - the Mar del Plata native who started playing in Club Union and left at just 16 years old to study in the United States - is now 2.00 meters (6-foot-6) and a fundamental part of the George Washington University where he plays and studies economics." ("If you can play, you can play" video clip)

PG: "We are in a campus in the middle of the city with approximately 40,000 people working and studying. Our priority is academics, but I had the opportunity to be a part of the basketball team. My last year in high school in Orlando I had various offers for different universities and I had the chance to visit three of them in which GW was included. I was looking at academics, the team and how the players were living in those visits, and honestly, Washington, DC was touching for me because I felt at home. The city is very similar to our nation's capital, but more organized, clean and secure. The quality of people that forms the university is incredible, the support that they give you is amazing and it makes your life much easier. Our team is not a normal team from what people are used to seeing in college because we have five international players - a guy from Denmark, a guy from Greece, a guy from Serbia and a guy from Canada, including me - so the team is practically composed of a FIBA team. That's why we get a little bit more publicity, but thankfully my relationship with my teammates is amazing - we all get along perfectly since we are all in the same situation away from home."

REPORTER: "The national team is one of your dreams, the NBA is another one. What are your goals or objectives, what are the next steps to get there?"

PG: "Well the goals are both the national team and the NBA, but for being a freshman I had a solid season starting every game, so I feel like those people are watching closely. People are looking at us because we have players with a lot of qualities. So now for the second season, my goal is to improve my numbers and minutes so in the future get a look from an NBA scout and 'why not be in an NBA Draft one day?'"

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Brian Mojica #6

2013-05-30T15:10:33Z

Experiencing Vietnam after traveling to Singapore was very eye opening. The two countries are completely different from one another. Singapore is known as a very developed country where as Vietnam is continuing to develop. The disparity between the two countries is significant; however Vietnam brought its own flare that made me enjoy my trip.

During the business visits in Vietnam I learned a lot about Vietnamese culture and how it affected the way companies do business in the country. The companies we visited were Ernst and Young, the US consulate, and Vietnam and Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP). During each of these visits I learned a little more about Vietnam and the innuendos involved in starting or running a business in the country. I learned that Vietnam has a population of 90 million and its median age is around 25; meaning they have a very young work force and it also means there are a lot of people looking for jobs. I also learned that Vietnam is very family oriented and that many jobs need to accommodate the family's needs if they hope to keep the worker.

Another aspect that affects Vietnamese business is the fact that the country is still developing, and often times there is a language barrier between foreign workers and the locals that leads to the hiring of locals. It is contrasted by the fact that Singapore is very globalized and they try to find top talent in places outside of the country. Vietnam does not have this luxury so companies try to hire students.

There are so many differences that appear once you compare a very developed country to one that is on the rise. Vietnam seems to be very hopeful about its status and it has the workforce to achieve what they want. Although it seems like it will take awhile, and although it seems like there are a few obstacles keeping the country from developing into a prominent business country, there are many positives that can eventually lead to the destruction of these obstacles and the eventual rise in power.

Our tours consisted of a tour of Ho Chi Minh city, and the tour of the qui chi tunnels. Both tours were eye opening and both for different reasons. The tour of Ho Chi Minh was particularly interesting because it showed the poverty around the city while also the first world amenities. For example a Dolce and Gabbana store would be open across the street of a run down and torn up shop with homeless or poverty stricken people around the shop.

Another interesting thing about the city tour was the amount of motorcyclists in the city. When first arriving to the city and not knowing any better I thought that there was a biker show around the city somewhere. There are a ridiculous amount of bikers in and around the city, as it seems to be their most popular mode of transportation. There are not many traffic lights in the city, however it works out because the bikers and the cars seem to self-organize. Our guide described it as "organized chaos" and he was exactly right. I noticed that I did not see one accident the whole trip, which amazed me because people cross intersections willy-nilly and drive on sidewalks like it's nothing.

The second part of our tour was the tour of the Cu Chi tunnels. These are the tunnels the Vietnamese built in order to fight the Americans during the war. This was probably my favorite tour because it gave us a perspective of the Vietnamese side of the war and it showed how they operated in order to counter American attacks. I was able to crawl in one of the tunnels and I was terrified the whole time. There were some parts of the tunnel where I had to crawl on all fours just to get through. It was an eye opening experience and interesting to see what it was like.

I have two words for this trip - eye opening - and these words summarize my trip to Vietnam because I was not expecting anything that I experienced. I loved the fact that Vietnam is still developing and it was interesting to see how developing countries operated compared to first world countries. I liked the contrast I had in Vietnam and I really enjoyed my stay. My recommendation when visiting would be to keep an open mind and hire a tour guide. Vietnam has a lot to offer and it is a matter of taking advantage and seizing the opportunities.

GW is in an exciting place, and it is offering its student a lot of opportunities to grow and succeed in life. I am very happy about my decision to attend the university and I know that it will help me succeed in what I want to do. However, I also understand that in order to get the full experience I need to put effort in everything I do, which is not a problem because I can see the progress I have made throughout my first two years. I cannot stress enough how excited I am to be a part of this school, especially at this time and I hope this shows people a little that GW has to offer. Special thanks to our bus driver and our tour guide, Duy. Take care and as always, RAISE HIGH!

GW Men's Basketball Summer Workouts Underway

2013-05-29T22:52:14Z

Summer I is underway, which means several GW men's basketball student-athletes are on campus preparing their bodies and games for the 2013-14 season. Here's a quick look at Wednesday's workout through the @GW_MBB Vine account, and our first #WorkoutWarrior of the summer - John Kopriva.

Chosen by Assistant AD for Strength and Conditioning Ben Kenyon, we'll present a #WorkoutWarrior each week during the offseason as the men's basketball team gets ready to #RaiseHigh for the program's 100th season.

Infographic - New Smith Center Court Design Coverage

2013-05-28T19:19:05Z

Last week, GW Athletics released a new court design for the Charles E. Smith Center, a distinctly D.C.-themed hardwood surface that the men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams will compete on in 2013-14.

The buzz received was overwhelming and the response was resoundingly positive, not only by Colonials fans, but by sports media and fans across the country...

]]> ESPN, USA Today, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and The Washington Post. Here's what a few had to say about the design:

"George Washington is the latest school to enhance its floor with a design, and credit the Colonials for getting it right...The classy court design will be a source of pride for years to come." -Jeff Eisenberg, Yahoo! Sports

"It's a time when a lot of schools and conferences are opting to go a bit crazy with their blueprints in order to get more pub. That works, but so does infusing something that makes sense. That applies here. Looking good, G-Dub." -Matt Norlander, CBSSports.com

"Since on-court designs usually go wrong -- terribly, terribly wrong - it's refreshing to see a college basketball team do it right." -Chris Chase, USA Today's For The Win blog

Student-Athlete Summer Blog: Maggie Skjelbred #1

2013-05-28T16:57:05Z

Hi! My name is Maggie Skjelbred and I am on the George Washington volleyball team. I just finished my freshman year at GW and now I am now back home in Norway training with the Senior National Team. During the summer we will be competing at international tournaments in Poland and Russia.

Norway is a small country but sports are a big part of the culture. We are best known for soccer and winter sports, but for me volleyball was always my passion.

When I was 15 I moved to a boarding school called Topp Volley Norway. It is a high school for the best volleyball players in the country and the coaches are experienced and recognized internationally. Many of them are coaches for Norway's different national teams. This is where the Senior National Team coach first saw me and I have been playing for him ever since.

The Norwegian National Team is not yet at the high elite level but our goal for the future is to compete with the best teams. It's very exciting to be a part of this journey!

This past December we went to Luxembourg and played in a tournament against Luxembourg, Scotland and England. We ended up winning the tournament, which bodes well for the future.

Me and the team after winning Novotel cup, the tournament in Luxembourg.

This summer we are going to compete more, but now at a higher level. Our first meet is a training camp in Oslo and then we are going to Poland to continue practice and play in a tournament. Our last competition is the Universiade in Russia. It is also called the Olympics for students, so it is a very big event and I can't wait!

After all my exams and packing up my room, I flew back to Norway. When I landed in Oslo, I took the bus to the city and slept for a couple of hours to try to avoid jetlag. Then I went straight to practice with the team. The camp started on May 9^th and I arrived on the 16^th, so they had already been practicing for a couple of days. The setup for the camp was different each day. Some sessions we had lifting and practice and other days practice and a game later in the day, but we always had two practices for about 2-3 hours every day.

One great thing about getting home early was that I got to celebrate Norway's National Day; May 17^th. It's always fun because everyone dresses up in our national costumes and walks in parades. I also got to celebrate it with my whole family which made the day even better.

I am very excited about the summer and so happy to get the chance to compete at the international level. I think my experiences and my development from my freshman year at GW is going to help during the summer. I hope this blog will encourage some of you to train harder, dream big and always Raise High.

Best,
Maggie.