Catholic University Men’s Soccer 2016 International Trip – Manchester, England & Glasgow, Scotland
WorldStrides Excel had the pleasure of organizing a pre-season tour for Catholic University Men’s soccer team this summer. The Cardinal’s traveled August 4th-August 13th to England and Scotland and played four international friendly matches, attended a professional fixture, toured famous and historic stadiums, and enjoyed team bonding activities. Following along to learn more about their trip of a lifetime! Before departing for their trip, the Cardinals came back from their summer break and had four days of intense training sessions to prepare for their upcoming international matches. After some great training sessions the day was finally here, August 4th, a day that the team had been anxiously waiting for. It was time for Catholic University to depart to England to begin their trip! Landing at Manchester Airport the team was officially on international soil and were met by their Tour Director, Gerry Gilroy. They gathered their luggage and boarded the bus and departed for their hotel where they would be staying for the following four days. After a quick welcome meeting the team took the pitch for a light training session to work off their jet leg. Continue reading to learn what else what is in store for the Cardinals. Day three was the first full day that Catholic had in England and it was an action packed day. The team started off the morning with their first friendly match vs. a local English team, Curzon Ashton. The opening minutes of the match started off slow as it took a bit of time for everyone to shake off their nerves. It was a very even sided match and the team’s headed into half time all squared up. Starting the second half Catholic came out with high intensity and finally got a goal in the 80th minute! The game finished strong and the Cardinals came out with a 2-0 victory. After a very eventful morning it was time for the Cardinals to head to Etwood Park to attend their first professional match between Blackburn Rovers and Norwich. As soon as the team arrived they noted “we could feel the energy and passion for the game from all the Blackburn fans.” Unfortunately, that feeling quickly went away as Norwich had a 3-0 lead going into halftime. Norwich outplayed Blackburn that day and ended the match with a 4-1 victory. When the team arrived back at the hotel some of the players explored the city. They were truly excited to see what else this trip would include! Another soccer filled day was in store for the Cardinals as their morning began with a practice session at Manchester University. The practice was followed by a visit to Etihad Stadium, home to Manchester City. The team enjoyed a quick walk around the stadium and treated themselves to Man City gear. It was one stadium to the next this afternoon as the team then departed for Manchester United. Here, the team enjoyed a stadium tour of Old
Catholic University Men’s Soccer 2016 International Trip – Manchester, England & Glasgow, Scotland
Trafford, home of the world’s largest football club, Manchester United. During their tour the team received an inside look at what the players do before and after the match, walked around the pitch and toured the team’s trophy and locker room. Some of the players noted, “the history inside the stadium was truly an experience that they will never forget, as I felt like I was a part of the legendary club.” All in all, it was another successful day in Manchester! It was already Catholic’s last day in England before they would head off to Scotland. Their morning started off with another light training session. They enjoyed a couple of high intensity fun games to prepare for their evening match against Liverpool County FA. Due to their match being played in Liverpool, the team spent the day sightseeing and enjoying the wonderful city. Catholic’s first stop in Liverpool was Anfield Stadium, home to Liverpool FC. Here the team enjoyed a walk around the stadium followed by more time for shopping at the team store. After the stadium the team split up and explored the Beatles Museum, Albert Docks, and local shops before they had to head off for their second friendly match. This evening’s friendly was another great opportunity for the Cardinals. They had an excellent start to the match and went into halftime with a 3-1 lead. Catholic carried their momentum into the second half and scored another quick goal. With the final whistle blowing the Cardinals won another great match 52. Everyone worked well together as a team and worked until every last whistle. This was a great end to their time in England. It was time for Catholic to depart for Glasgow, Scotland where they would be staying for the remainder of the trip. Their journey took them through the towering hills and vast pure lush green landscapes of Scotland. Arriving in Glasgow, the team checked into their hotel and headed over to Ibrox Stadium, home to the Glasgow Rangers. Catholic was fortunate enough to see some of the players walking into the stadium for their match against Peterhead later that evening. The Rangers came out on top with a 5-0 win and moved onto the next round of play. This was a great first night for Catholic and they were eager to see what the rest of their time in Scotland had in store for them. It was already day seven and today the team participated in a local community service project. The Cardinals volunteered at St. Margaret of Scotland Hospice where they helped plant new flowers and clean the windows around the hospital. After a morning of volunteering Catholic then headed off for another stadium tour! Catholic toured one of the oldest and most historic soccer stadiums, Celtic Park. During their tour the team learned about the rich history and culture of Celtic. Formed in 1888, the club was used as a means to raise money to help the poor and impoverished children in Scotland.
Catholic University Men’s Soccer 2016 International Trip – Manchester, England & Glasgow, Scotland
Catholic’s day concluded with their third friendly match vs. Rutherglen Glencairn. This was the toughest match of the tour for team. They lost 0-4 but used the game as a great learning experience. Today Catholic split off into two different groups. One group headed to play a round of golf at The Championship Course at Carnoustie Golf Links and with the other group exploring Falkirk. Playing at The Championship Course was described as absolutely breathtaking and was topped off with perfect playing weather. While in Falkirk the players were fortunate enough to watch Falkirk’s first team train. The players described the level of play as increased and it was a great learning experience for everyone. After spending time in Falkirk, Catholic headed to Edinburgh Castle. They traveled down the Royal Mile to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (the Queen’s official residence in Scotland); explore the many shops and restaurants on Princess Street. It was another great day in Scotland for Catholic! After eight action packed days, today was Catholic’s last full day in Scotland. The morning started off with another great practice session which helped prepare them for their evening friendly match. Following the training session the team headed off to Glasgow for additional sightseeing. Catholic enjoyed wandering and exploring the city which included; George’s Square, Glasgow Concert Hall, Museum of Modern Art, local shops, restaurants and pubs. After sightseeing it was time for the team to head over to the pitch for their last friendly match vs. Alloa. This match was described as one of the team’s best games of the trip! Drawing 0-0 at halftime the team was able to turn the momentum around in the second half and Catholic came out victorious with a 1-0 win. Overall, the Cardinal’s played outstanding during their time in England and Scotland; they ended with an overall record of 3-1. Catholic University Men’s soccer team made the most of their time in England and Scotland. From stadium tours, practice sessions, friendly matches, attendance at professional matches, community service projects, cultural activities, and team bonding activities the Cardinals are more than prepared for their upcoming fall season. WorldStrides Excel is excited to see what the fall season has in store for Catholic University. Good luck!