18 July 2011

What a first day!

Ok, I will try and not bore you with the soccer details and not get right to the highlight of the tour, The Opening Ceremonies, but I will try.

Girls started us off in Sweden with a game vs an excellent Swedish team.  They really pinged it around and beat us 2-0 but girls played well in 2nd half, Welcome to Gothia Cup.  They had a 2nd game at Heden, which is the showcase of the Gothia Cup with fields downtown at the headquarters, a place where each and every team wants to play.  And play they did as they beat a team from Mexico 2-1 in a great game. We have some Swedish guest players this week and the girls are all having a ball.

Boys teams all head to a different complex and play back to back to back to back with 18's going first.  They play a team from Belgium and we handled them very well beating them 3-0 with goals from Christian, Eddie, and  Nick. 

16's are next and they have a physical war as they tie a Swedish team 0-0 and game could have gone either way but it was a good game. 

15's are next and they play a good game vs. a Danish team and after a tough first half pulled away with a 3-1 win as goals from Sebastian and Kevin help lead to victory. 

14's have one of the best games of the day as they play a professional club called Gais from Sweden and they brought their fans.  We had our  chances to pull an upset but gave up a bad set piece goal in the 3rd minute from the end and then another one shortly after that and lost 2-0 but they played great and are slowly getting it. 

Ok, enough about  soccer, today was Opening Ceremonies and Stars 'n Stripes were invited to march as the USA representative and what a blast.  Kids are on top of the  world as well as the coaches.  Kaitlin Russ is asked to Open the Games by talking to the English speaking people of the world! I  cannot write the words effectively enough to explain and describe this event and this  feeling. I taped most of it so that will help but your kids will have to tell you more.  For some it is the  highlight of their young lives as thats how much this event means.  Each soccer fan needs to attend a World Cup but every youth soccer player  needs to participate in the Worlds Gothia Cup as it is truly a great event.  After the fireworks, the kids traded hats, tshirts, etc, and wait until you see the pics. Truly spectacular!!!!

Get ready for them to ask to return next year so I am just  warning you.  It is important that they now understand why we have our rules and expectations that we have.  For it is the players from past SnS tours that  have allowed these kids these perks and it the kids that will come in the future that will benefit from this group. 

We have some great kids on  tour and we are having a blast.  I  would expect their desire to be pumped up a few extra notches after tonight so tomorrow should be fun. 

Wish us luck

Ciao,
Ed

7/19/11

Forgot POD's from my first email:

Girls -game 1 - Elise Zimmerman,

game 2 - Kaitlin Russ
boys A - Baeden Jones
boys B - Michael Freeland
boys C - Chris Walls
boys D - Ivan  Rodriguez

Players of the Day (POD)

           

                      Girls Game 1                            Girls Game 1                        

            

Boys A                                        Boys B

       

                  Boys C                                          Boys D