Local U-16 soccer team plans trip of a lifetime

BY ROBIN SIAS

On June 22, the dreams of 21 U-16 soccer players from the Wood River Valley will seem dull compared to reality. That day, players from the Hailey Lightning Football Club, many who have played together since kindergarten, will board a flight in Hailey and travel to Manchester, England, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Lightning coach and team manager Larry Schwartz explained, “We’re going to Manchester for 10 days at the invitation of the [Premiere League team] Manchester City soccer program. The coaches from the club’s academy program that develop their most promising players will work with our kids and put them through the same training as academy players.”

The itinerary includes four training days, all at the Manchester City training facilities, and four game days with top local teams. When they’re not on the pitch, the boys, two coaches, and a small group of parents will have private access to behind-thescenes tours of not only the billion-dollar Man City complex, but Manchester United, and Liverpool.

“We will have access to the locker rooms, the trophy rooms, and many places the public never gets to see on the regular tour,” Schwartz said. The team will be met at the airport with a liaison from Man City and transported to all their events in a private bus that is being provided, with the liaison managing all logistics. “It is beyond exciting, everyone is taking great care of us,” Schwartz enthused.

A hardworking, high-achieving footy team

Coach Weylin Barrett said, “For me, on the surface, it’s pretty rad to have this opportunity because the team gets to do something special and have fun. But on a deeper level, it’s because they have worked really hard, individually and as a team, that this is possible.”

Hailey FC Lightning’s stats support this narrative of a cohesive, disciplined, talented group of players. Last season, the club finished with the third most points in Idaho. They qualified for the Far West Presidents Cup in Phoenix, Arizona, a USYS regional/ national invitation-only tournament where they made it to the semifinals. Most teams in the tournament, according to Schwartz, were ranked #2 or #3 in their state. “Every- one kept asking us, ‘Where is Hailey?’” he laughed.

There should be plenty of anglers on the Creek during the opener. Let’s be sure we celebrate the season together and treat one another like we want to be treated on the river. Keep in mind that this one weekend may be a bit busier than others, so let’s show that extra grace that we all know makes Silver Creek such a special place.

The players know that the level of play they will encounter during their four games in England will require them to bring their A game and then some. Victor Hernandez, goaltender, said he’s ready for the challenge both in games and in the training. “The thing I am most excited about is playing all the English teams. I know they will have a different style and high-level skills,” he said. Striker Andres Hernandez concurred, “It will be great to have a high-level of play for practice, drills, and games. The English soccer is at a whole different level.”

We look forward to seeing all of you on Friday, May 26 at 5 p.m.

But sometimes it’s also the simple things to look forward to. As Zack Torres, defender, said, standing on early ‘spring’ grass at Keefer Park in Hailey, “I’m excited to play on a good field!” He is also looking forward to proper fish and chips at a British pub. Fellow defender Quintin Buoncristiani said, “I can’t wait for the overall experience and exploring a new culture.”

Please call us at (208) 7883536 or email us at info@ picaboangler.com for more information.

Happy fishing, everyone!

Earning the Spot

All that aside, there are a lot of talented teams and enthusiastic players who would do a lot for the opportunity to align with Man City—one of the most successful and beloved football teams in the world. So how exactly does a small cohort of soccer players from a small Idaho mountain town get this kind of access, training, and star treatment?

It started, as it often does, with a friend of a friend. Schwartz said, “I have a friend who has a friend who works for the company that owns Man City. This friend knew about the Lightning and introduced me to someone who is on the soccer side of things in that organization. Within 24 hours, no kidding, I received an email expressing their interest in having us come over to train and play. I could not believe it. I heard from the Director of Player Development for Man City who put me in touch with the organization’s people who deal with the U.S. This was last summer, but everything moved fast. Man City does this for a small number of teams, and I knew skill-wise we would