With the Tazon de Estrellas approaching this upcoming Saturday, Dec. 19, we opened the Daily dose up to Team Stars & Stripes to give fans an idea of what the D-III senior All-Stars are doing to prepare for the game. They will appear throughout the week.

Coming from eight different states, the Team Stars & Stripes coaches and staff landed in warm and sunny Mexico on Saturday, December 12 to prepare for the 2009 Tazon de Estrellas.

Many coaches gladly left behind the snow and their winter jackets and traded them for the 70 degree weather in Mexico.

The adventures of the journey varied between people, but  Coach Dean Paul of Ohio Northern University took the prize of longest trip by far. He was originally supposed to arrive in Mexico first with his flight leaving Ohio around 6:30am, but with missing his connecting flight and being on stand-by, he ultimately arrived at the Camino Real Perinorte Hotel at 8pm and was the last coach to arrive.

But eventually the entire staff made it to Mexico, and now awaits the players’ arrival.

On Sunday morning before the first airport run to pick up players, the coaching staff took a trip to the Tec de Monterrey Campus Estado de Mexico, observing the practice facilities that will be used by Team Stars & Stripes and the stadium in which the 2009 Tazon de Estrellas will be played.

The facilities were very impressive with the stadium having a newly installed turf field in a picturesque setting of Mexico. The campus also had multiple locker rooms and weight rooms that Team Stars & Stripes will have access to during the stay.

Following the tour, I had a chance to sit down with Team Stars & Stripes Defensive Line coach Todd Glaser to find out his thoughts on the venture so far.

“I was very excited when I first found out about the trip and that I was selected to be part of the coaching staff,” he said.  “To get the opportunity to coach some of the best players in Division III football and with a coaching staff with this amount of experience is something I could never pass up.

“I arrived in Mexico yesterday after a non-eventful trip. I came from Minneapolis and did not experience any delays. But it is definitely very nice to trade in the cold weather for some warmth!

“I think this week will go by very fast. We don’t have a lot of time, but it definitely should be a lot of fun. Once the players arrive, our goal is to try to get the team together and playing as a team with the cohesiveness you need to be successful.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the players in all the different areas. It is always nice to get an opportunity to coach football.

“We have great facilities, a great stadium and the game should be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to get out there and coach!”