Athletes Heading for Winning Climates

Most Harvard students will be fleeing the cold and snow of Cambridge and heading home for winter break soon.

Some Harvard athletes won't be going home for winter break. But at least they'll be warm.

The men's and women's basketball and swimming teams are preparing for tournaments and training sessions far from Cambridge.

Coach Pete Roby's basketball team is flying to San Fransisco on December 20 to play in the Metropolitan Life Classic Tournament. The Crimson opens against the University of San Fransisco on the 22nd and will play either Utah State or Fordham--in either the tournament final or consolation game--the following day.

Coach Roby said that he is thrilled about the chance to play teams of such caliber. But he is worried that his players may be distracted against Merrimack--the Crimson's opponent Saturday--knowing that they are leaving for the West Coast immediately after the game.

After all, who wants the snow of Cambridge when you can have the balmy weather--and bright lights--of San Francisco?

Roby called the trip--which is being paid for by Metropolitan Life--"a neat opportunity to do some travelling."

He added, "It's a great chance to reward the players for their hard work this season."

Freshman Sean Duffy agreed. "I'm totally psyched," he said. "I've never been west of Pennsylvania before."

Hang Ten

The women's basketball team will be in Hawaii for eight days to play in the Wahine Classic Tournament. The team opens on January 3 against Vanderbilt, a team currently ranked number 18 in the nation by the Associated Press.

"We're thrilled to play against Vanderbilt, to see how we stand against top-ranked teams," Assistant Coach Beth Wheatley Doran said.

Wheatley Doran added, "We hope this will do the same for us that our trip to Europe did last year." Last year's trip preceded the team's Ivy League championship season.

The journey to Hawaii is being funded by donations and by profits from last summer's two-week basketball camp, run by the players.

Harvard alumni who reside in Hawaii are being supportive hosts for the team. "We have dinners [scheduled for] almost every night," said senior Co-Captain Trisha Brown.

Brown added that she expects the trip to prepare the team mentally for its Ivy League opener at Pennsylvania on January 9.

Fun in the Sun

The men's swimming team will be training in Key West, Fla., from December 27 to January 5.

Coach Joe Bernal said the trip--which is funded by swimming lessons given by the team to the community, and by donations from the Friends of Harvard Swimming--"is an invaluable part of our season."

"[It] offers a great environment away from the demands of school," he added, saying that it would draw team members closer together as a unit.

When asked whether the team would be distracted by the sunny Florida weather, freshman Stuart Hirsch said, "Swimming is first down there. We'll be in the pool about five hours a day. All we'll be able to do is swim and lie in the sun and eat."

The women's swimming team will be training in Puerto Rico from December 27 to January 6.

Assistant Coach Carol Landry was excited about the trip, which was funded by swimming lessons, donations and a spring minitriathlon.

"They have to keep in shape, especially with reading period and finals coming up," Landry said. "We really can't do much, then. We hope this can tide them over."

Sophomore Janice Sweetser called the trip "a great chance to get to know each other."

"We train outdoors," added Sweetser, "so we get the extra benefit of a nice tan on our backs."

That's more than most students will be able to say about their winter breaks.