Local Teen Represents USA Playing Baseball in Spain

Daniel Ryan, a sophomore at Mount Vernon High School, recently completed a whirlwind trip to Spain, representing the USA playing baseball. The one week trip consisted of the team playing a double-header in each city beginning in Barcelona, proceeding to Valencia and ending in Madrid.

Daniel was one of nine players on the team, and the only player from Virginia. One player came from California, and the remainder of the team - including the coach - came from Georgia. The team met as a whole for the first time over dinner on the day of arrival. They were quickly thrown into the fire with a double header the following morning. Despite plane delays, lost luggage, jet lag and adjusting to a new environment - the team performed very well and most of all, had fun. The USA team consisted of players ranging in age from 14-17 years old, but they soon discovered that they were competing against players with ages ranging from 15-30 years old! While “futbol” remains the dominant sport in Spain, there is a growing interest in baseball. Helping to spurn the interest is an influx of players hailing from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, etc. One of the players from the Valencian team, played in the minor leagues for the Florida Marlins and was a member of the Spanish team in the 2014 World Baseball Classic.

Following each game, the teams had a post-game party consisting of local cuisine featuring tapas. The team sampled empanadas stuffed with fish, patatas bravas, croquettes, huevos estrellados, jamon, paella, cheeses, breads and much more. The socials gave the boys the opportunity to meet the Spanish players, practice their language skills, and exchange jerseys and email addresses.

In the “down time”, the team had the opportunity to explore each of the cities - cathedrals, beaches, museums, shopping districts, etc. While in Barcelona, there was a bus tour of the city and a tour of the Sagrada Familia Basilica and the Gothic Quarter. The team also boarded a bus and headed to the Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres. Along the way, there was a quick stop for a walking tour of the city walls in Girona. In Valencia, the team saw the Ciudad de las Artes y Ciencias, the Silk Exchange and the cathedral that houses the Holy Grail and two original Goya paintings. While in Madrid, the team toured the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace and the Real Madrid Futbol Stadium.

During the long bus trips between each of the cities, the boys were given an oral history of Spain by the tour guide that included its politics, economics, agricultural, people and industry.

The trip was made possible through ACIS (www.acis.com).

Daniel Ryan is pictured second from the right in photo.