Summer travel blog: Hawai’i goes sightseeing in Melbourne, falls short against Melbourne Tigers

This summer, Mid-Major Madness is teaming up with schools across the country as they travel overseas to compete against elite competition and soak up the culture. Student-athletes will blog their experiences for us via written posts, photos, video, and just about anything else they want.

Here’s more from Hawai’i’s Zoar Nedd, who recaps the team’s adventures in Melbourne...

Everyone was really excited to arrive in Melbourne, Jack Purchase and Mate Colina’s hometown. I have to say the city is really cool. It was interesting seeing different parts of Melbourne because Jack and Mate always shared stories about it in the locker room back home.

The first think we did was watch a footy game and it was a lot of fun. We didn’t understand the game much but Jack was there to explain what was going on. Footy is Australia’s version of football but it’s like a combination of football, soccer, and rugby. It was real cold outside — a lot of the guys were wearing two or three jackets. We had great seats in the fifth row, which was basically on the field. Probably the worst part of the game was the fact that a flock of birds got inside the stadium and left some presents on their way out. Some of our guys fell victim, so Brocke Stepteau and I quickly got up and watched the rest of the game from the tunnel.

After the game we had dinner at Jack’s house. I know Jack was a little bit upset that his mom didn’t hide his embarrassing baby pictures, because once we got into the house that’s the first thing that the guys noticed. I got to try new foods that are Australian go-to dishes, like meat pie. My favorite were probably the dessert though. Normally I keep things simple when it comes to dessert, but I’m glad I stepped outta my comfort zone and ate what Jack’s mom prepared.

On our second day we went to the aquarium and that was a cool experience. We saw some snakes, crocodiles, and penguins, which I’ve never seen before. After that Jack took us to a couple store then we rested up before the game.

The game against the Melbourne Tigers was really intense; we lost by one but the guys’ spirits are still high. This team wasn’t as physical as the Brisbane Bullets but they executed really well down the stretch. I feel like if a couple plays down the stretch went our way then we could’ve possibly won comfortably.

Overall, Melbourne was really fun. Next up is Canberra and the finally Sydney. Check in with you later!

Photos below, all from Zoar:

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