Along with the daily cultural experiences, the Falcon squad also was able to play against some of the most talented soccer teams they have ever witnessed. The Spanish club players were fine tuned for their league playoffs and put on a dazzling display of soccer technique. Even though the men’s team was able to win only a single match during the tour, the young players gained valuable experience for seasons to come. According to Coach Saleska, “The entire tour was unbelievably successful. It was a fabulous learning experience and I think the players will remember the sights and sounds of the Barcelona area for the rest of their lives. They played soccer against incredible competition which will only help them in their future soccer careers. The Concordia soccer program tries to provide a meaningful and memorable international experience every three or four years but this trip to Spain will be difficult to match.”
MARCH 2013 – PARIS, FRANCE/LONDON, ENGLAND
For the fifth time in the past 15 years, the Concordia men’s soccer team traveled internationally during their 2013 spring break. Their destinations were the historically and culturally world renown cities of Paris and London. According to Coach Saleska, it was one of the most educational as well as enjoyable trips the team has ever experienced. The entire tour from the plane ride, to the daily excursions around these two amazing cities, to the soccer matches played against quality competition, to the professional soccer matches they attended, was
well planned and very well organized. Each day was packed with a tremendous variety of activities and jaw dropping events. On the first day after landing, the Falcons were lucky enough to attend, along with thousands of Parisians, the ringing of the bells at the 850th anniversary of the Notre Dame cathedral. The Paris experience included a walk to the Arc de Triomphe, located on the Champs-Elysees where the final stage of the Tour de France occurs, and a visit to other tourist attractions such as the Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, and the Eifel Tower. At each location, the team learned about the history and cultural significance of these famous sites. After crossing the English Channel by ferry the team made their way to London where they toured sites such as Windsor Castle and Wembley Stadium, and even had the chance to watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. The highlight of the trip, for most of the student athletes, was attending the professional soccer matches which allowed them to experience the excitement and emotion of European professional soccer. Not only did our team see an EPL match (West Ham United “forever blowing bubbles” against West Brom), the Falcons also watched the France versus Spain World Cup qualifying match, a once in a lifetime experience. Coach Saleska already is looking forward to their next European tour in four years when the team will travel to Athens Greece or Rome Italy.