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Wooster's men's soccer team poses for a picture in front of Buckingham |
Sheamus Dalton '16's Blog of the Trip
The College of Wooster men's soccer team couldn't have picked a better place to visit for its first-ever international trip, as the Fighting Scots spent eight days (Aug. 6-13) in England, where they trained and played against local teams, watched games at historic stadiums, and toured some of the most iconic landmarks in the world.
A travel party consisting of most of the returning players from last year's squad, head coach Graham Ford, a native of the Manchester, England, area, and two assistants, the men's soccer team became Wooster's fourth different athletic program in the last four years to embark on an international trip. This destination was a perfect match, as England and soccer go hand-in-hand.
"I grew up in Spain, so it's similar," said senior Philip Charnley. "But for most of my teammates, it was an eye-opening experience. Here in America, soccer is a sport. But over there (England), it's a religion. It's a part of their culture. Everything involving soccer is so much more intense."
From a soccer standpoint, the Scots got the opportunity to tour 90,000-seat Wembley Stadium in London, the second-largest stadium in Europe, and watch a game there between English Premiere League powerhouses Arsenal and Manchester City. Also during the trip, Wooster went to a match in Tottenham, where the team was able to meet and talk with Brad Friedel, a former member of the United States national team who is currently a goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur.
Wooster also played quite a bit of soccer itself, as it took part in training sessions with academy coaches from Fulham and Bolton, and also played three matches against local club teams with players ranging from 17-to-30-years-old.
"This was an absoultely fantastic trip and it's hard not to smile when we think back about it," said Ford. "For most of the team, they hadn't seen soccer played at this level in person. And then to have the academy coaches reinforcing the same skills and techniques that we have been teaching them ... it was such a worthwhile experience."
"I think it was really beneficial for us to have played three games and take part in those training sessions," added senior Luke Collier. "It's hard to replicate match fitness, so getting to compete against great players like that before preseason has even started will be huge."
The Scots soaked in plenty of England's top tourist attractions as well, including sites in London, Manchester, and York. Among the highlights was a tour of Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, pictures outside Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben, and a walk through the old streets of York (Shambles) and to the Roman Walls surrounding the city.
"Growing up, you hear about Big Ben and the London Eye, or you see pictures," said Charnley. "But when you are standing there looking at it in person, it is a really cool experience. The best part of the trip was getting to see all these places with my teammates and sharing it together."
"We are thankful to have gotten to go on this trip and the bonding that we did as a team is going to help our chemistry on the field that much more," said Collier.
The trip was made possible in part by friends and family of the student-athletes, as well as alums and friends of the men's soccer program.