Cal Lanouette
Sports Editor
Men’s soccer is going international this coming summer, not in terms of competing with international teams, but more just for fun and the cultural experience.
This year’s freshmen-juniors men’s soccer team will travel to Holland July 16-25.
The idea for this arose when the head coach of CBC’s soccer team, Terry Michler, took a coaching course over in Holland over a decade ago.
The club that Michler worked and made an alliance with was Ajax Amsterdam. The club is noted for using Dutch training philosophy to develop young players.
Webster’s head soccer coach, Tim Cashel, decided to branch off that idea and bring the team of what he calls a “very motivated and talented group of kids.” Cashel said, “It is my goal to make it as accessible to as many kids as I can.”
Coach Cashel hoped that he can do a similar trip every few years so that everyone in the program from now to year’s to come can have the same cultural experience.
Holland happens to be one of the biggest forces in developing players and in the competitive soccer leagues according to Coach Cashel. The team will take part in exhibition games against high level, but friendly competition.
“We want to give kids who are 16, 17 years old an opportunity to go experience a completely different culture and I think that is really important,” said Cashel.
The team has day trips planned to do a little sight seeing as well as tour a couple stadiums and watch training sessions.
“I’m really excited to watch the training sessions and tour the stadiums,” said Junior Dylan Eaton. “I think we could learn a lot of new drills and bring back a European influence in the program.”
“I am really looking forward to the improvement this trip will bring,” said Eaton.
The team has been selling T-shirts for $15 that say, “Going Oranje” (Oranje is the Dutch spelling of orange) to help fund the trip, as well as selling discount cards for $20. For sales and purchasing of these items, go to wgsoccer.com.
