Indoor floor hockey is the most popular sport for girls (and a few boys) in Bariloche. Annalise has been playing in an after-school program on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with occasional regional tournaments on the weekend.
One of the coolest parts about the sport is getting to wear a pink mouth protector!
Coach, Gorgi, has done a fantastic job, often working with 25 kids all by herself. The kids love her (otherwise it wouldn't work)!
As you might guess, soccer is a pretty big deal here too. Most of the soccer programs are at indoor facilities, primarily so that one can play all year round. Hans has been playing in this program on Monday and Wednesdays since we arrived in February. Adding playground soccer at school and daily soccer back in Ecuador, Hans has played a ton of soccer this year.
In addition to playing a lot of soccer, we watch the national club soccer games on TV frequently (?constantly). We have each developed allegiances to our own favorite club team (the family is somewhat divided between Boca Juniors and River Plate, teams which have 100 year histories and a rivalry that is very much like that of the Yankees and the Red Sox). Mostly, though, the kids' allegiance is to the Bozeman Blitzz back home--and they can't wait to play on their teams with their buddies back home!
Annalise has been playing in an indoor soccer program a couple times a week as well. Like in Ecuador, not too many girls play soccer here, so most of the time Annalise has been on her own with a whole bunch of boys on the pitch.
Down the hill from our house is a small, aging sports club that has 4 indoor clay tennis courts.
For the past couple of months since the weather in Bariloche began to turn, Hans has been playing a couple times a week.
Annalise has been getting out on the court with us occasionally as well.
And she is proud of it!
Our friends from down the street, Lola and Julio Moreschi, have a son, Pepe, who is rowing crew at a club on Lake Nahuel Huapi. Here are some photos of a regatta in April.
The proud parents after the races.
