Games, games and more games! Today was the last day of the tour where all the teams had games. We had girl soccer teams away in London, we had boys soccer teams in Worthing, the other girls soccer team at Lancing and field hockey was down the road in Lewes. Keeping track of all of the action was a task and it almost felt like we had become the new Sportscenter (ESPN song now playing in your head) so let's get right into it for all of the detailed match report.
The kids were all up bright and early and they hurried over to the cafeteria to grab some breakfast. The boys soccer players put on their gear and then they hopped onto a bus which took them to Worthing, a small town down the road from Lancing College. The boys were matched up against Crystal Palace (London), Bournemouth (Southern England) and Volenti which is an academy out of London. You might recognize Crystal Palace and Bournemouth as they are clubs currently in the Premier League.
The girls soccer teams were split into two sides, with one team hosting Portsmouth FC in Lancing and the other teams traveling up to London to take on Tottenham Hotspur at their training ground. The game against Portsmouth was a battle between who had the loudest kit, Seacoast wearing their volt yellow one and Portsmouth with a florescent pink kit. The game was pretty much one way traffic and the girls did well to control the overall play. The finished the game winning 3-0 and afterwards Portsmouth presented them with a framed shirt. Up in London, the Seacoast girls were taking on a high profile side in Tottenham. Another Premier League team, they are well known for their youth academy and producing some of the best talent in the country. The girls set the tone from the onset and it was all Seacoast. The game finished 6-0 and it was a joyous ride back to Lancing. Another win and another clean sheet.
Field hockey were playing against a local county team in Lewes, a little village just on the other side of Brighton. The sports complex was very impressive. They had grass tennis courts and several field hockey pitches. The backdrop easily wins the best view of the trip. Just behind the field are the remnants of the old city wall. As you look up the hill you can see the old castle which sits atop the hill overlooking everything. The 16s and 18s went up against two very strong and technically gifted sides. The 16s were caught out early on but they grew into the game and didn't give up until the final whistle. The score ended 4-2 but it was easily the toughest match of the tour. The 18s went down 3-1 early on but managed to get the game level at 4-4 by half-time. Although the second half didn't turn out the way they had hoped, the players still put in a great shift and the other teams coach was very impressed with our determination and overall attitude. All of players and parents were treated to a BBQ by the host team and everyone got along great. They exchanged stories about their experiences here in England whilst the English players talked about how much they enjoy visiting America!
Back at Lancing College, the boys and girls soccer players were treated to a closing presentation by Brighton and Hove Albion. Everyone received goodie bags along with trophies commemorating their time in England. Afterwards the kids had a BBQ which was a great way to end what was the easily the biggest sporting day of the trip. If anything, Seacoast United had just completed a mini Olympics. Great day, great people and great weather!
