When the subject of desirable weekend getaways in mid-December comes up, Buffalo, New York is not one of the first destinations that comes to mind. However, thanks to the hospitality of one extended family along with a couple of conference wins sprinkled in, the Saints women's basketball journey to coach Gina Castelli's hometown was one to remember.
It was a trip that featured a player scoring 34 points, a dancing bus driver, a head coach banging on a toy instrument intended for someone one-fifth her age and food--lots and lots of good food.
While many basketball programs may try to sell a family atmosphere, Siena delivers and then some. The weekend's festivities truly kicked off after Friday's 86-75 win over Canisius. Afterward, the team along with the coaching staff headed to the Tap Room on Pearl Street in Buffalo's trendy bar district. Conveniently enough, the Tap Room is owned by Castelli's brother-in-law, Joe Ingrando. There, the team began a weekend full of consuming edible treats including sandwiches, appetizers and of course, buffalo wings. Adding spice to the food was the house blues band whose soulful sounds inspired not-so-inspiring lyrical improvisations by several of the players.
Castelli said, "When we have time to do that, it's nice to do something different than eating in the hotel or on the bus. It gives us an opportunity to have a nice sit-down dinner and it was definitely fun and entertaining. As far as the singing, Sacha (Baker) has good rhythm but Mary (McKissack) needs to work on her rhymes."
On Saturday, the team had a lengthy practice and following the obligatory sight-seeing trip to Niagara Falls, the Saints headed to Castelli's sister Lucy's house in East Aurora, just outside of Buffalo. The team was welcomed by all three of the coach's sisters and their husbands along with Castelli's parents.
As you might expect, an Italian feast awaited including enough lasagna to feed a small army or a women's basketball team. The menu also included chicken cutlets, salad and numerous desserts to ensure that the treadmills back at Siena would be busy when the team returned. Laughs were ever-present as the entire team enjoyed the opportunity to relax and enjoy the festive holiday spirit with family and friends. There were also plenty of spontaneous displays of unknown talent that aren't often seen in the structured environment of a basketball court. The team bus driver, Bob, broke into a dance in the middle of the dining room, showing off moves that would give point guard Erica Anderson a run for her money. Perhaps the highlight of the night was the impromptu band that sprung up, led by guitarist Anne Catherine Leduc and Coach Castelli's nephew Michael on the clarinet. Not to be overlooked was the percussion section, led by none other than Coach Castelli herself as she displayed musical talent not often seen or heard.
"It was definitely unexpected but quite interesting. I think she has a future in music if she ever gets out of coaching, maybe in a rock band," said freshman Jolene Johnston.
The family atmosphere spilled over to the games as well, especially in the 76-65 win at Niagara where the Siena cheering section drowned out the Purple Eagle followers. "It means a lot to have people at the games. Our crowd was loud and it helped put us over the edge, especially at Niagara. It really helps to have that support when you need defensive stops," said Castelli.
All in all, the weekend could not have turned out better. On the court, Siena came away with two hard-fought conference victories. Off the court, the team was welcomed to the city with open arms and experienced just what it means to be part of the Siena basketball family.
