Michigan Rugby’s 2024 spring break tour took place in Jamaica from February 23rd to March 3rd. Each day, a different player on the trip documented the team’s adventures and wrote about what went on. You can read all about it here!
February 23
Jack Regan, Center/Wing
The day began bright and early with a 6 am wake up and 6:30 Uber ride to DTW. We eventually all met up and headed to our gate where we eagerly waited to depart. After a quick layover in New York where we had a Kendama session to pass the time, we were headed to our final destination. We landed in Kingston, Jamaica around 4:30 and waited for our driver to pick us up. We then headed to the Ragamuffin hotel and got settled. The group then headed off to dinner, where some of us had exquisite Indian cuisine near the hostel at Nirvana. The rest of the group went to Y Pita and had Jamaican jerk chicken wraps. The night ended with uno back at the hostel.
February 24
Alexander Afnan, Prop
The day started early with a brief walk to a local coffee shop called Ragamuffin Coffee Bar. We got a taste of local fruit with fresh smoothies and açaí bowls along with iced coffee. Later in the day, we set off for our first match of the tour. After a short bus ride to the pitch and some great pregame music, we warmed up and prepared for the battle ahead. With us kicking off we got the game rolling. After a solid set piece, we scored early in the game and went up 7-0 after a Luke Zana try with Shea nailing the conversion kick. Post-match we had a great opportunity to try some authentic jerk chicken and mix with the Jamaican athletes. To finish off the night we all took a short walk to a restaurant with a plane hanging from a tree for some nice music and a relaxing evening.
February 25
Connor McNabnay, Fullback/Wing
We started the day of Sunday, February 25th at 8:30 am with a taste of ROTC as we were awoken by Jack Regan’s bugle sound in our 20-person room at the Ragamuffin Hostel. Our accommodation in Kingston was more reminiscent of our freshman dorms rather than a Caribbean resort. This didn’t bother us though as our goal for tour was not to seek luxury but to experience Jamaica authentically. There was no sleeping in this morning as we had a catamaran tour to catch. After a quick prankster meeting in the main area, we split up in different Ubers and made our way to historic Port Royal, a former hub for piracy and the largest city in all of the West Indies back in Jamaica’s early colonial history. After cheeky self-pranks by AO and Gilf baited Jack into incorrectly accusing Large, we boarded the catamaran and set sail at 10 am. Our short voyage brought us to Maiden Cay, a small sandbar south of Kingston Harbor. After eating some jerk chicken on the boat for lunch we then plunged into the Caribbean water. As someone who participated in the Polar Plunge a week prior, this was quite the contrast from the freezing Huron River. We spent nearly four hours at the Cay, swimming, discovering crabs, and playing hat game all while the prankster started to pick us off one by one. At 2 pm, careful not to leave ourselves stranded, we boarded the boat and enjoyed the ride back to the mainland. While waiting for our drivers to take us back to the hostel, we taught some locals how to play Kendama, encouraging them by erupting into cheers every time they hit a trick. Upon returning to the hostel, one contingent of guys made a trip to the supermarket to restock snacks and buy aloe to nurse our newly acquired sunburns. After resting for a while, we split up for dinner. My group ventured to Popeyes and upon arrival found that it was attached to a Krispy Kreme, how American! Who would have guessed? We then enjoyed some chicken and donuts before meeting up with the guys who went to get pizza. The team then convened back at the hostel to prepare for our night out at the Kingston Dub Club. On the way, our driver prepared us by teaching us Jamaican Patois (only appropriate words of course 😏). We kept the lovely conversation going discussing many aspects of Jamaican culture including topics ranging from the upcoming Jamaican local elections to Bob Marley. Upon arrival, we admired the views. Located in the hills above Kingston, the Dub Club provided amazing views of the city. We then made our way inside and took in the club’s Rastafarian theme which made us feel as if we were properly immersed in Jamaican culture. Throughout the night we danced to reggae and mingled with French, Australian, and Jamaican people alike. We conversed with a local named Mike who entertained us with jokes and stories. Zana talked rugby with a group of Australians and Zoombie chatted with a French woman. At the club, Rector pranked his last victim to win the game but was declared the worst prankster ever due to the perceived subpar quality of his pranks. Some of our nights ended earlier than others due to an incident with a leaf. However, for another group, the night dragged on as our Australian friend from the hostel was determined to keep us there until closing. While we did not last until the 2 am closing time we departed around 1:30 am. Overall, today was a day filled with memories as we enjoyed the white sand cays and warm water offered by the Caribbean Sea in the morning while partying like locals high above Kingston in the evening.
February 26
Luke Zana, Inside Center
Today we got a late start, and I grabbed breakfast in the Cafe attached to our hostel. I tried something they called coco bread, which seemed like basically a mini sub roll as far as I could tell. Then we walked to the Bob Marley Museum for a tour. The tour took about 90 minutes, and it took place inside his home in Kingston. My personal favorite moment was getting to go into the recording studio he had converted two of the downstairs rooms into. I’d never been in a recording studio in general, so seeing one that had produced some of the most popular songs worldwide was pretty sweet. As we walked around his property we got to see many of his awards. One of the most interesting parts was hearing about the assassination attempt that had happened at the property. Overall the tour was extremely interesting and a great experience. After we left the Museum, we walked to the Devon house. This was a historical mansion, with an open-air food court that had lots of options, including the BBQ pork patty I got, which was a delicious pastry. Here we grabbed some lunch and ice cream before we walked back to the hostel. For dinner, we went to Usain Bolt’s Track and Records, which was a super cool sports bar. Overall it was a great day checking out some of the monuments to famous Jamaicans.
February 27
Riley Gauthier, Prop
February 27th was our last day at the wonderful Ragamuffin hostel. We started the morning with an 8:30 trip to the local craft market. For many, that wake-up call was a bit too early so it was a small group of 6 people. After a somewhat terrifying taxi experience, we were brought to the address of the market. The craft market was mostly closed with a few shops open, all selling the same items. We grabbed a few gifts and left in search of food. We found ourselves in downtown Kingston with very few open options. Except for the very popular and recommended Jamaican KFC. The next stop was the National Art Institute of Jamaica. We took in the beautiful and emotional art representations of the history of the country and the culture of its people. Before we left Kingston, we had our first outreach event so we had to get back to leave the hostel. After an Uber home, it was time to pack up because we were moving to Runaway Bay, just outside of Ocho Rios, after the event. We headed to Norman Manley School, just on the edge of Kingston, to practice with the school’s team. Shea and I were not packed up quickly enough so, as punishment, we were forced to wear pants in the nearly 90-degree heat to practice with the school. We taught them Can Jam and played some touch 7s. This was a great experience that the team and school enjoyed! We piled back on the bus for a sweaty and cramped hour-and-a-half bus ride through the mountains. We were on the edge of our seats waiting to see the town of Runaway Bay. As we came out of the jungle, we saw the edge of the crystal clear ocean. We snaked down the mountain’s edge to get to the Holiday Haven Hotel. After sitting on the edge of the pool for a bit, we were served dinner at the hotel. We went back to our rooms where we thought we’d have a good rest before hanging out later. But, for some reason, my room had the most complex remote that led to the heat unknowingly being turned on. It was a sweaty night in the room. After a little nap, it was time to explore the area. We found ourselves in a horse-themed restaurant where we spent hours playing Mr. White. We ended the night with a walk back to the hotel where everyone, except Jack, Connor, Armen, and I, had a comfortable night in with the AC blasting.
February 28
Armen Vartanian, 8-man
Waan Gwaan!
We woke up for a classic Jamaican breakfast that included chicken, yams, fried plantains, and biscuits. We then sunscreened up for a quick trip to a private beach that was a short walk from the hotel. The water was bright turquoise. A few select members had the luxury of lying down to tan safely while the vast majority had to be cautious. After a solid swim, we had an even more solid kendama session. Tommy hit a beautiful whirlwind as the waves crashed behind him. A moment that reminds you of why we kendama. After the beach, we grabbed a quick bite at a small beach bar, then headed back to the hotel to get ready for a trip to York Castle High School to join their rugby team for practice.
We piled in the bus and drove up into the hills. The downtown area was super busy after school got out. All of the buildings were painted with bright colors, there was a lot of life to this town. We arrived at the high school and after meeting the players started practice. We split into teams of 7 and scrimmaged as a warm-up, then we went into some passing drills. After that, we wanted to have some fun so we showed them “Canjam” our favorite warm-up game where the teams score by hitting the opposing team’s garbage can. They liked it enough that they told us they plan to add it to their future practices! We ended by splitting forward and backs to work on set pieces. It was both fun and productive giving all of the players lineouts and scrum advice. Practice ended with Shea racing York Castle’s fastest player. Shea won the first matchup but lost on the second. The two of them planned to exchange gear the following Saturday at the 7s tournament. We took a photo and hopped back on the bus. Another great outreach experience that we won’t forget.
We got back to the hotel, showered up, and headed to Sharkies for some seafood (or chicken for our picky eaters). It was Large’s 21st birthday earlier in the week so we had a surprise cake along with some singing for him. At some point during dinner, a British lady behind us saw someone playing kendama and was bewildered. Immediately, Tommy Donuts put on a kendama performance for the restaurant. Electric scenes. As we got on the bus, Oliver was rightfully accused of being the prankster after failing to give out a single prank. Rookie mistake. We headed to a small hotel bar near the hotel for karaoke night. It was a great time with some classic performances. Notably by Chach. And that wrapped up a busy day in Runaway Bay.
February 29
Connor Gilfillan, Flanker
Gilf checking in, YODIE GANG ya feel me. I woke up exhausted from quite a late pool/kendama sesh. I’m ready to take on this exciting day. After quite a slow morning and a salty and sweet Jamaican breakfast, we head off to the bus after a quick nap in my room. Energy is a bit low but to be expected. The bus ride was uneventful as we passed around the papers for prankster, unfortunately, I still have never been selected. AO was messing around with a banana and a tub of toilet paper, no idea where he got it. The ride was just about 25 minutes so nothing too extreme but some confusion about what we are bringing into the park. I decided just my phone and card. I set my Crocs in sport mode and was ready to go. Got into the park completely in the wrong dress code and not enough sunscreen. Very few if any of us had bathing suits but that’s what happens. There was a blissful beach. The water here is a beautiful green-blue and the sand is super fine grain which always feels good on your skin. We spent about an hour playing and scaling the waterfalls which was a ton of fun, only a few minor cuts and bruises. Although, in the words of Otto Janke, “Why collectively decided to partake in this terrible idea” we are lucky no one slipped while climbing the wet, slippery rocks. I then proceeded to get absolutely fleeced at the market area. This guy was unbearably smooth. He started just by asking where we were from and who we were. I talked to him because I don’t know. He then asked if I like to party, my cue to leave, but he then pulled out two personalized and carved wooden heads with Olivia’s name on them. Well, I was a bit stuck so I just accepted it. At least I got the price down to $25, whereas some people paid $50. It’s cute and I don’t regret it but damn these guys are good. Also, I regret not going to do the zip line because no shot I’m paying $40 for it. I also forgot to say that 4 people got the exact same thing as me. Got pranked today by Daines. I got a pretty good one where I have to constantly ask Tommy if he has a pen. He is getting annoyed quite fast. On the bus again, I think going to Montego Bay, which is quite fun. I am overly excited for Margaritaville. I’m also really happy I learned how to play “the hat game” which is not really a game about hats. It’s hilarious watching people mess up, with Bessie on the bus between his total lack of understanding of the game (I just lost the game), and the fact it’s so easy to mess with him. Someone was playing Lil Baby from their phone on the bus and he pointed it out which I immediately responded to with “What are you talking about?” which everyone joined in on so Bessie thinks he’s going crazy which is hilarious. I had a Red Bull for lunch which was quite tasty and helped me perk up but still quite tired, wished I had some jerk chicken. Took a crazy nap on the bus and then we were in Montego Bay. I was exceptionally disappointed to find out that the Margaritaville here is abandoned so we won’t be able to go. We met our roommate at the hostel who was from Japan. His name is Yuta. He is pretty cool and knew about kendama. A lot of people are gathering on the back porch getting ready to get food and go out tonight. We were in our room getting ready and getting excited for dinner tonight when we heard shouting from a shared room within the hostel. As we ventured out into the heart of Montego bay we were definitively the center of attention, people were looking. As we ventured to a bar for dinner, past the sadly closed Margaritaville we realized they did not serve food. The group was split, one went to a casino across the street which reminded a few of them of Casa Bonita in Colorado. I, however, ventured to the wonderful Jerkzone. At Jerkzone we met quite a guy named Chesure, he saw us eating on a curb and walked up to us and started talking. He was pretty cool and it’s always super fun to hear a local’s life. He even said he would go back to the casino with us so we started back because that’s where everyone else was eating. We waited outside for him and there we met this wonderful woman named Abby. We didn’t talk to her much, but she had lots of leopard print on. After we reconvened with the group we walked around some more but I was already wanting to go back to the hostel to hang out so everything worked out for me. We played a fun game called Wavelength and the night ended.
March 1
Zach Large, Prop
It was a slow morning after a long night. The only plan on the agenda was a beach day today so there was no rush to get going. After everyone woke up a group of us walked over to the store and picked up stuff for breakfast. We made some sandwiches and headed to the beach for a nice relaxing day. We hung out at the beach for a couple of hours. We swam, played ultimate frisbee, and laid out in the sun. Chach went over to talk with a company on the beach about some activities they were offering. Some of us chose to go snorkeling and others hung around the beach. The snorkel trip took us on a boat about 20 minutes across the bay to a small reef. Immediately after jumping in we were swarmed by a bunch of fish. The reef was full of vibrant colors and many different fish. My favorite was definitely the moonfish. The wind started to pick up and the waves started to get bigger so we got back on the boat and headed towards the beach. The ride back was rough, with waves splashing high and the boat rocking. It was a slow trip back but we made it back to the beach where we met up with the people who stayed back. We walked back to the hostel and changed to go grab dinner. We walked around the city square and ended up getting some patties for dinner. We walked home, settled down, and got ready for the tournament the next day.
March 2
Oliver Camp, Wing
With the tour coming to a close, we had our final hoorah with a 7’s tournament against 4 other Jamaican teams. We woke up early, cooked breakfast in the hostel, and departed at 7:30 for the field. We arrived at the field an hour and a half before kickoff to have an adequate amount of time to warm up and mentally prepare. However, that morning, we learned that island time is very much a real thing. Teams arrived hours after the scheduled kickoff time, but luckily, this meant more rest, warmup, and kendama time for our athletes. Our opponents were a mix of various skill levels, from a high school team to the Jamaican Defense Force team. Nevertheless, we outperformed our expectations and placed second in the tournament, behind a team with a few Jamaican national team players. On our way back from the tournament, we stopped at a hidden beach right off the highway. It didn’t have any sand and didn’t look like the beaches we were used to. It was a water bank about 250 yards from where the ocean waves broke. I love swimming in the ocean and swam in the ocean every week last summer in Half Moon Bay, so I was excited to jump in the water and de-stress from our long day. While most of the guys stayed close to shore, Alex Olsen, Max Rector, and I decided to trek out the waves. We hiked over mudflats, seaweed, and coral. It was beautiful and one of my favorite parts of the trip. The bus ride back from the tournament was filled with shenanigans like Jack trying to figure out the infamous hat game and much more. After that, many of us went out to Pier 1. Pier 1 had loud music and lots of people. We danced a lot and soaked up our last night in Jamaica. Some of us might have had too much fun, but regardless, I’d say it was a fun night and a great last day on tour.
March 3
Matthew Daines, Prop
The day started slow. Today was the last day in Jamaica. It started with hanging out in the hostel and packing our things. We needed to be out of our rooms in the morning but didn’t leave until the evening. Then we ended up going to the beach again! The beach was fun as it was sunny but not too hot. I didn’t swim due to the cuts on my body from the tournament the day before, the saltwater burns too bad. Got a jerk chicken panini and it was lovely. On top of that, I got a water! Hydration is key here. Along with hydration is sunscreen. The sun is a killer! And I won’t let it get me. (It tried, I was very burnt at the beginning of the trip.) After a while of kendama play, a group of us left. We had a few hours left to kill before the bus took us to the airport. We just hung out at the hostel! Fun fact: it used to be a restaurant! It had a cool patio backyard area that was a nice place to chill. We then took the bus to the airport and checked in. With time to kill, we played more kendama and got Dairy Queen. I got a cheeseburger, fries and a blizzard. Was okay. We then had some time to kill before the flight. On the plane, I sat in between Grover and Shea. We played footsie, they were asleep but I wasn’t. Wonderful flight so we all clapped when we landed. The day, and tour, were over!
