Cornell volleyball experiences Nicaragua

For school-record holder Hannah Boehmer, the final highlight to her Cornell College experience may be the most lasting. And it happened thousands of miles off the Hilltop campus.

Boehmer and members of Cornell's volleyball team recently returned from a 10-day trip in Nicaragua. The team experienced the sites, sounds and culture of the Central American country, provided community service, and of course, found some time for volleyball.

"I was extremely happy with how the trip to Nicaragua went," said Boehmer, a 2011 graduate and four-year volleyball starter. "Many of the highlights from the trip involved getting to work with Nicaraguan youth. These experiences were a great way to utilize my elementary education major and feel like we were helping in some way to give back to the community. It was a wonderful way to end my four years at Cornell and will never be forgotten."

Cornell's 22-person travel party, which included 13 players, arrived in Nicaragua on May 30 and departed June 9. The team spent the majority of its time in scenic San Juan del Sur. They also experienced two days in the capital city, Managua, and two more in Granada.

The team went to an orphanage, traveled with the mobile library - a truck that drives out to schools once a month to deliver books - and worked with waiters in an English class. They took in a zip line canopy tour and visited the beach where the last two seasons of Survivor were filmed, among other activities.

Players on the trip brought along big bags of donation items that were distributed to people in Nicaragua.

"Since our return, people ask ‘How was Nicaragua?'" Cornell head coach Jeff Meeker said. "My response has been consistent - awesome! It was the perfect mix of volleyball, community outreach, site-seeing, surfing, zipping, dancing, running, reading, beach time, bonding and making new friends, great food and coffee, and time to relax."

Cornell went up against the Nicaraguan National Team four times during the trip, highlighted with a five-set victory. One match was played outdoors and under the lights on concrete in San Juan del Sur. The Rams played before hundreds of fans in Granada, Meeker billing it "the most electric volleyball atmosphere we have ever played in."

Highlights of Cornell's matches were aired on Nicaraguan national television. Alissa Benjamin, a graduated outside hitter who is fluent in Spanish, was interviewed by the TV station.

"Personally, I left this special place with a renewed appreciation for the power of the human spirit, the fragility of life, and how important it is for us to be grateful for what we have," Meeker said. "For our team, volleyball is a vehicle that helps us grow as people, allows us to help others and makes life a lot more fun. I was very proud of my players and coaches, on and off the court, and enjoyed learning more about them as people. I was also reminded that the more I see, the less I know… or the more I realize there is to know, learn and experience."

Meeker took his volleyball team to Italy in 2007, and has another overseas trip in the works for 2014 with Sweden and Denmark as potential destinations.

Meeker's 2011 squad is set to report for preseason practices Aug. 21. The Rams open play Sept. 3 at the Augustana Tournament in Rock Island, Ill.