Waynesburg, Pa. (Sept. 2) – The Waynesburg University women's basketball team is getting a jump start on their preparation for the 2010 season. However, this extra effort expands well beyond their gym, the campus and even the borders of the United States of America.

The Yellow Jackets will depart Waynesburg today on an eight-and-a-half-hour bus ride for a four-day trip to Kingston in Ontario, Canada, to take on formidable competition from our neighbors to the North. The Jackets should arrive late Friday night, with their first exhibition starting at 4 p.m. Saturday against Saint Lawrence University.

On Sunday, the Jackets will take on Queens University at 2 p.m., and conclude their Canadian barnstorming tour with the Royal Military College at 12 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 6.

Head Coach Sam Jones spent some of his formative years in Canada, as he attended high school and began his coaching career north of the border, coaching both women's and men's varsity basketball teams.

Armed with his knowledge of the lay of the land, Jones was able to schedule subsequent exhibition games against three schools, all within 10 minutes of each other, eliminating the undue stress that arises whenever traveling from city-to-city with 20-plus people. This will also allow for more time away to get away from the basketball court, as the women will be able to take in some sights and take part in such team activities as laser tag and mini-golf. 

The NCAA allows a given team one international trip for competitive purposes every four years, which bodes well for a relatively young team like Waynesburg. When asked, Coach Jones gave two main reasons for this trip.

“The first is team building,” Jones said. “The second is to gain more experience. We're a young team, so the more experience we can get early on in 2010, the better we'll be come game time this November.”