2014 High School Trip

Trip Overview:

  • Travel dates: July 5-18, 2014.

  • European Countries visited: England, Sweden and Czech Republic.

  • Cities visited: Boston (USA), London and Windsor (England), Stockholm and Leksand (Sweden), and Prague (Czech Republic)

    • Opponents: Great Britain 18U National Team, Great Britain 25U National Team, Swedish 18U National Team, Sweden 21U National Team, Czech 21U National Team, and top-level Swedish and Czech club teams (Leksand Lumberjacks, Kotlarka, Krc Eagles and Tempo Titans) (19 games played).

  • Group size: 32 players (2 OWB teams), 8 staff members (4 full-trip).

Basic Trip Itinerary:

    • July 5 - Gather group in Boston.

    • July 5-6 - Practice and sightseeing in Boston.

    • July 6 - Group departure flight to London.

    • July 7-10 - Games and sightseeing in England.

    • July 10 - Group flight from London to Stockholm.

    • July 10-13 - Games and sightseeing in Sweden.

    • July 13 - Group flight from Stockholm to Prague.

    • July 13-18 - Games and sightseeing in Czech Republic.

    • July 18 - Group return flight to Boston from Prague.

Full-Trip Staff:

Each of the full-trip staff members listed above has had significant experience coaching and/or teaching HS and college student-athletes, 2 of the staff members have significant national team coaching experience, and 2 of the staff members have significant professional coaching experience.

Trip Cost: $4,795 ("Early Bird") / $5,395. Trip cost included all basic intra-European travel expenses (i.e., ground transport, lodging and meals) and all training and competition-related expenses, but excluded airfare to/from Europe and health insurance. Intra-Europe flight costs were included in the trip cost.

Important Notes:

    • Staff members were available via cellphone and email at all times during the trip to respond to emergencies.

    • Although the legal drinking age in most parts of Europe is 18 (or even less), OWB has a strict policy against alcohol consumption by HS trip participants. Violations of this policy or other rules of personal conduct would have resulted in the violator being sent home immediately (at his family's expense).

    • As OWB's trip participants serve as de facto ambassadors of US baseball, excellent sportsmanship was promoted and expected, and all OWB 2014 trip participants did a superb job in this regard.

    • Parents and other family members of HS trip participants were welcome to participate in this trip at their own expense. In 2014, more than 10 family members traveled along with the OWB team.