This story originally appeared on KWUCoyotes.com.

Jessica Biegert and her American volleyball players were excited to visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, but what happened there was more than they expected.

As Biegert and the players mingled with the crowd in St. Peter’s Square, their attention suddenly turned to a balcony window of the Apostolic Palace, where Pope Francis emerged and gave his weekly blessing to the crowd below.

“It was a Sunday afternoon and the Pope gave a blessing for the entire city, which we were able to experience and witness,” said Biegert, who is in her sixth season as coach of the women’s volleyball team at Kansas Wesleyan.

The visit to St. Peter’s was one of many stops during her recent trip to Italy for three days of competition and three days of sightseeing.

The trip was Biegert’s second to Europe with America’s Team. She went to Barcelona, ​​Spain in 2023.

“They play softball, baseball, volleyball, women’s basketball and lacrosse,” she said. “Girls from all over the country sign up to travel abroad and play volleyball in a tournament, ages 16 to 18. These are high school girls who have never played together, don’t know each other. College coaches come along for free — that’s what they’re selling, you get coached by a college coach.”

Coaches and players gathered in a hotel in Milan.

“Day 1, we throw them on the court and we play — no drills, no nothing, we just start,” she said. “The longer they’re together, the more they get to know each other and figure out our style of play. They were pretty open and had a lot of energy and were excited to be out there.”

Biegert’s team played six games in three days and was “around .500,” but won the championship by beating a second-place team from the United States.

“I had a Canadian girl, girls from Alaska, California, Arizona, and there was one from Wichita (who goes to Berean Academy in Elbing, Kansas),” she said. “They come from all over.

“In the group stage we played fair — everyone participated and played. On the last day it was the championship. I play to win, so I played against the stronger players and I succeeded.”

The group stage included a team from Italy and the coaches chose to mix the player groups for one match.

“The girls said, ‘Coach, we don’t speak the same language,’ and I said, ‘Volleyball is a language; you just go out there and play,'” Biegert said. “Their style isn’t that different. It was fun to see their world get bigger.”

The enjoyment continued until late into the evening.

“Every night after the games, we had homemade Italian food from the Italian girls’ moms, and we all ate together,” she said. “It was fun to see how the Italian girls and the American girls interacted. They were never on their phones. (The Italians) have a two-hour social time; we usually eat and run, so we basically had to sit down and eat three-course meals during their social time.”

A two-hour train journey from Milan to Rome followed.

“It was nice to see the land and the vineyards, the farms and sheep…and castles. Michelangelo is really big there and we got to see his artwork and the history of it. We visited a cathedral and we saw the Spanish Steps and the fountain in front of it (Fontana della Barcaccia).

“The next day we went to the Colosseum and learned the history of it. They told us about the gladiators and we got to walk around it. Then we went to the (Tyrrhenian) Sea. It has black sand (caused by material from a nearby volcano), so it was a nice, relaxing day.”

Biegert said life in Italy is different than in the U.S.

“They walk everywhere, cycle everywhere,” she said. “Transport is a bit more difficult in Europe, so they are definitely fitter. They are happy people, very nice and social and interactive.”

Biegert is grateful for the opportunity.

“It was a lifetime experience,” she said. “It was a way to represent myself and Kansas Wesleyan and make connections across the country.

“You’re there for the culture, and volleyball is just a good way to connect with people in different countries. You have a common ground.”

Story of Bob Davidson