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LAYUP! @kendall.tribus hit a couple of big 3-pt shots down the stretch in the 58-59 heartbreaker last night versus @hcfordswbb ••• We are riding this momentum into our final game of the year on "Senior Saturday" vs. @fandmwbb ••• STAT 📈 LEADERS: @ishabelleee + @abigailraepirron 13 pts, ea. #RainaWilliams 8 reb, 9pts ••• #GoGarnet #CentennialConf #d3h H/T @swatathletics (at Swarthmore College)

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Check out our photo album from Puerto Rico!

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Reflections...

Puerto Rico was a very unique and special opportunity. It was a blessing to be able to go and spend time with my team while also getting to the very beautiful town of Rincón. As a team we had a lot of very fun bonding moments such as the games, paddle boarding, and our very impactful service trip. The service trip produced varying emotions for me. It was very heartwarming and remarkable to be able to deliver water to some of the families in need. It was also very difficult to drive past the families and homes that we could not help because we did not have enough supplies with us. The facilities we stayed at were all functioning very well, but there is still a lot of work to be done to recover from Hurricane Maria. Our trip to Puerto Rico provided us with the opportunity to meet some very cool people and learn about puerto rican culture as well as the effects of the hurricane. The trip has provided me with memories that I will cherish forever. 

Kendall Tribus

I had amazing time in Puerto Rico. I had gone on a service trip over Spring Break to San Juan, before hurricane Maria, and was wondering how the conditions were on the island. Overall I had a very comfortable time, and even though most of the beach had been washed away, paddleboarding was a fun highlight! The instructors made sure we had a safe and pleasurable experience.

The most impactful part of the trip was when we delivered water to the people who cannot access the water stations whether it was due to a handicap or lack of access to a car etc. As we traveled down the hill with Isella, it was heartbreaking because you could tell she was struggling with who to give the cases of water to. Should it be the elderly people, or the families with children? How do you assess who’s more in need when everyone is struggling? That was an experience that just helped me start to put things in perspective, especially as we were using so much water during our games, and these people have been without water and power since the hurricane. They probably won’t have a change in conditions for another six months. Overall, I was just happy that we were able to help their local economy, play basketball, and make an impact.

Jayna Jones

I was pleasantly surprised by Puerto Rico and how resilient the island and its people have been. Admittedly, I had doubts going into the trip, but the hotel was nice, I felt safe, and I was truly touched by the people who are working to keep life moving despite the challenges they are facing. Additionally, I felt that as a team we grew from playing teams in a setting and style that we were unfamiliar with. Personally, I know that I grew in my abilities as a ball handler from these games. Overall, this is an experience that I will never forget and am extremely grateful for.

Abby Pirron 

While I was initially uncomfortable with going to a place where people were still recovering such terrible events just to play basketball, I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to Puerto Rico. Despite going through the hurricane, people were very thankful to see tourism coming back to their territory. Most of the restaurants or the companies of the activities we did told us to share how safe and fun everything was. The weather was extremely hot and humid, but the girls of the other teams we played said that the weather was actually very cool for them. The gym we played in was so hot and our team was definitely not used to playing in the severe heat. The arena we played in usually has air conditioning, but due the power outages, the AC didn’t work. Many people still don’t have running water or electricity and I couldn’t imagine going that long without the everyday things we take for granted back home. Before going on the trip, the team knew that we wanted to do some community service, so we bought cases of water and hopped in our bus and delivered these cases to people in the mountains who didn’t have access to water. We only had a limited supply so we had to choose which houses to give it to. It was definitely tough, but we delivered to people who didn’t have cars and the elderly. While I am glad we got to do some service, there is definitely a lot more to be done and broke my heart to not have enough water to share with everyone. Overall, our trip to Puerto Rico was a humbling experience.

Isabelle Ewart

Puerto Rico was the trip of a lifetime. Upon arrival, I immediately noticed the beautiful scenery and sunsets. Next, we played two talented Puerto Rican teams. In college athletics, few can play in a tropical venue and hear a foreign language on the court, so I am so thankful for this opportunity. One of the most touching parts of this trip was our trek into the mountains to deliver water to those who have been without it since the hurricane. I was able to speak to families in their native language, Spanish. To hear them thank us and tell me that they didn’t have basic necessities was so important. I will never forget them. Lastly, I appreciated the time with my team, my best friends, and I am so thankful to Swarthmore College for making this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible.

Hayley Raymond 

I am so happy that our team decided to still go on our trip to Puerto Rico. It was amazing to see how resilient the people were after hurricane Maria.  Delivering the water was one of the most difficult parts of the trip for me because I knew that even though we were doing a good thing that would provide a little relief for households, this still would not be enough to help these people get out of their current living conditions.  However, I am really thankful to have been able to share this experience with my teammates. Some of the parts of this trip that I am most grateful for were playing basketball in completely different place, experiencing a different culture, and having the precious time to bond with my teammates.

Raina Williams 

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Day 4: Adventures, service, and gratitude

This morning after a quick breakfast, we went out on the ocean with Rincòn Paddle Boarding. For many of us, it was our first time paddle boarding, and we all had a fantastic time. Shout out to the wonderful, helpful instructors! The weather was great, the ocean was calm, and Big Red was a beast. Big Red was a 6 person paddle board--teamwork makes the dream work! Whether on purpose or not, everyone ended up in the water. Water was clear and the beach was clean, despite initial concerns of post-hurricane damage. On to lunch! We went to a cute food stand called Pasta Grill; they opened early just for us! The owners were so kind and the food was delicious. Quesadillas, pasta, and smoothie galore. Possibly the highlight of the trip comes next: a bus ride to the mountaintop to deliver water and candy to people living there with no electricity or water since the hurricane. They were so appreciative and happy despite the surrounding devastation. It truly made us grateful for all the blessings we usually take for granted at home. We finished the day at a super cool dude-ranch themed restaurant called Cowboys. The view of the dude-ranch was sick and the food was tasty. There were even some peacocks and goats to look at. Truly a memorable and life changing day that we would not have wanted to spend with anyone else but our Swat Team! We are especially grateful to Isela from Sports Tours for organizing such a seamless adventure!

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Today, we spent time delivering water to the mountainous regions of #Rincón, where many have been without clean water and electricity for weeks. As our incredible trip comes to a close, we are reminded of how fortunate we are, how much need & devastation there still is in some parts of Puerto Rico, but more importantly...how resilient and united the people of Puerto Rico have been! The energy of community was palpable, and the kindness of everyone we encountered was the 'cherry on top'! We appreciate how hard our hosts @iselaruizfeliciano have worked to make this trip seamless and fun, but we recognize that there is still a great deal of need on parts of the island. Tourism is an important part of Puerto Rico's recovery process, and we are glad @Swarthmore allowed us to come on this trip and support the island's recovery in this way! @swatathletics #GoGarnet (at Rincón, Puerto Rico)

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Water was perfect 👌🏾 Instructors were INCREDIBLE 🤙 We 💓 Rincón! #WeAreGrateful #GoGarnet @swatathletics ••• @Regranned from @rinconpaddleboards - Basketball team here we come👊 @rinconpaddleboards @iselaruizfeliciano @isaiastalavera @jeffersporter @msnnennao @swarthmorewbb @rinconsurfreport #paddleboarding #kayaking #bigred #surfing #snorkeling #marina #rincon #puertorico #beachtime #rinconpaddleboards - #regrann

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Day 3!!!

Another beautiful day in Puerto Rico!!! We had a tough loss to University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez College today, a really strong team from Puerto Rico. After our game, we went to dinner at the hotel where we ran into the coach of Mayagüez and his family.

His twelve year old daughter, Alondra, came over to speak with us for a few minutes. She spoke with us about her family and the social life and schooling system in Puerto Rico. She also shared with us how her family has been impacted by the recent hurricane. Her family, as well as some of her classmates, have been staying at Villa Cofresi since the hurricane because they do not have electricity at their homes.

Many families are in this situation. Even just being in Rincón for two days, it's obvious that the community has rallied together to rebuild after Hurricane Maria. The strength and resilience of the people of Puerto Rico and Rincón can be found in the people we've met and the places we've seen. Everyone in this community has been so excited to welcome tourists into their hometown.

Tomorrow we are going paddle boarding in the AM and doing community service in the afternoon... stay tuned!

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Go Swat Team!!!!

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more photos from our first day!

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Day 2 with the Crew

Hey y’all it’s Class of 21’ here and we’re excited to tell you about our first full day in Puerto Rico!!!!!

We started with breakfast at 8:30am and the team got energized with eggs, pancakes, and french toast. Cofresi, the pirate that the restaurant and hotel are named after, is depicted in a mural in the dining space.

We then hung out at the pool where we tanned/burned and had some fun photo ops!! Check out the photos. We then hit up Rincón, a charming town with a rustic surfer appeal. It was founded in 1771. A few of us picked up some nice smoothies and souvenirs, and all of us enjoyed what the town offered.

Then it was time to get our head in the game (shoutout to our homie Troy Bolton). We then played Inter San German, where we sweat...A LOT and the gym was hotttt. Despite the boiling conditions, Swat played well all around and came out with a DUB!! Shout out to our trainer Christie with those ice cold towels.

Next we had dinner with the San German team, where we got to practice our spanish and learn about their college experiences especially in the wake of the Hurricane.

We ended the night with celebratory frozen yogurt and the cheers of the native coqui frogs.

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LIVE FROM PR

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Cheers in Rincón at Cafe 413!!

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Day 1 in PR!

An early start to the day... when women’s basketball got on the bus to the airport in Philadelphia at 5am. Our smooth flight to Puerto Rico landed in the early afternoon. We then took a two and a half hour scenic bus ride from San Juan to Rincón. After moving into our rooms, the team participated in a session of relaxing meditation yoga on the hotel balcony overlooking the beautiful ocean with a gorgeous sunset in the background. All are sleepy from a long day and are ready for tomorrow’s adventures!!

🌞🌴🌺🏖

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Our seniors are ready!

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Some 📸 from our arrival PR!