Monday, March 26, 2012
Day 3 and 4
Played our match against Reading FC yesterday, and lost 1-2. We were ahead, and had control of the ball the entire time, when the other lads scored a beauty and then a penalty kick. Our boys played well, and and the match was fun (that's from the Mom's point of view ha!) as well as competitive. We immediately packed up, got on the bus and traveled to London for a day of sightseeing. May I just say....Thank God for Stephanie Hanson!
Stephani planned an open-top bus tour for 30 people. Guess where we stopped first? If you guessed Buckingham Palace or Westminster Abbey you are dead wrong! We headed straight to Picadilly Circus to check out the largest 5 story sports store, Lilywhite's, any of us had ever seen. Um, the whole second floor was devoted to soccer only. Every cleat, every jersey, every ball....EVERYTHING. We spent more then our fair share in that store...but since this is a soccer immersion trip (coined phrase courtesy of Meagan Flood!) we the parents patiently waited while the players touched, handled and begged for soccer gear. We did take a ferry ride on the Thames river and saw Big Ben (Charlotte, we got your photo--of Big Ben in front of Big Ben), Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. (Of special note: the security guards at the abbey don't allow 16 boys to scrimmage with their new soccer balls in front of the cathedral...oops!) Also, we swung by the Tower of London and caught a quick glimpse of the crown jewels... LOVED THE CROWN JEWELS. We left the hotel at 8 in the morning and after a gourmet meal from KFC at 8pm, we arrived "home" at 10 at night exhausted, but happy....
Day 3: Today we left the hotel at 8 am to arrive at the Fulham training center for the boys professional training by the Fulham coaches. The boys performed well, and enjoyed the work out thoroughly. Immediately after the training, we packed up and headed for the Chelsea stadium for a private tour. Again, guess where we stopped first? THE CHELSEA MEGA STORE! If your dog's favorite team is Chelsea, you can even buy him a Chelsea dog dish....We waited patiently while the players touched, handled and begged for more soccer gear. (see the reoccurring theme here? ha!) We saw the players' changing rooms, the press rooms, as well as the Chelsea museum. While the Arsenal stadium seats 60,000 fans Chelsea's stadium seats a mere 42,000. Whether I want to or not, my head is filling fast with these important soccer tid bits! We arrived back at the hotel had a bite and then walked to the local Family Centre to watch the Manchester United v Fulham game on a big screen TV... Another side note: It just wouldn't be a proper hotel stay if the front desk staff didn't have to tell our boys several times, to refrain from playing soccer in the halls. After the boys, calmed down from laughing so hard, everyone finally retired to their room.
I am actually up typing while Steve and Owen are sleeping. Each night I go to Ben/John Henry's room as well as Kevin and Luis' room, and close their drapes, remind them to lock and latch the door when I leave, and explain what the schedule is the next day. The four of them are well behaved and having the time of their lives. Tomorrow, we get to sleep in, but it will be a long long long day. The players will have a professional training Tottenham Hotspurs coaches, and then play their academy team. The parents are not allowed to watch, so we will be going to tour Windsor. Billy will be hanging with the boys for 4 hours, as we leave at 10:30 and the boys leave at 2:00. After we meet up again at 5:30, we will board the bus for a nightime travel of 5 hours. This journey will be to Bolton, where the boys will prepare to play the Manchester United Academy team. I am going to end here, as I just reread this post and I'm so disappointed at just how dull it is. I don't have the energy to massage it and make it a bit more palatable! I realize now that blogging is hard. Really hard. Apparently I am neither as witty or charming as I think I am...~sigh....
Stephani planned an open-top bus tour for 30 people. Guess where we stopped first? If you guessed Buckingham Palace or Westminster Abbey you are dead wrong! We headed straight to Picadilly Circus to check out the largest 5 story sports store, Lilywhite's, any of us had ever seen. Um, the whole second floor was devoted to soccer only. Every cleat, every jersey, every ball....EVERYTHING. We spent more then our fair share in that store...but since this is a soccer immersion trip (coined phrase courtesy of Meagan Flood!) we the parents patiently waited while the players touched, handled and begged for soccer gear. We did take a ferry ride on the Thames river and saw Big Ben (Charlotte, we got your photo--of Big Ben in front of Big Ben), Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. (Of special note: the security guards at the abbey don't allow 16 boys to scrimmage with their new soccer balls in front of the cathedral...oops!) Also, we swung by the Tower of London and caught a quick glimpse of the crown jewels... LOVED THE CROWN JEWELS. We left the hotel at 8 in the morning and after a gourmet meal from KFC at 8pm, we arrived "home" at 10 at night exhausted, but happy....
Day 3: Today we left the hotel at 8 am to arrive at the Fulham training center for the boys professional training by the Fulham coaches. The boys performed well, and enjoyed the work out thoroughly. Immediately after the training, we packed up and headed for the Chelsea stadium for a private tour. Again, guess where we stopped first? THE CHELSEA MEGA STORE! If your dog's favorite team is Chelsea, you can even buy him a Chelsea dog dish....We waited patiently while the players touched, handled and begged for more soccer gear. (see the reoccurring theme here? ha!) We saw the players' changing rooms, the press rooms, as well as the Chelsea museum. While the Arsenal stadium seats 60,000 fans Chelsea's stadium seats a mere 42,000. Whether I want to or not, my head is filling fast with these important soccer tid bits! We arrived back at the hotel had a bite and then walked to the local Family Centre to watch the Manchester United v Fulham game on a big screen TV... Another side note: It just wouldn't be a proper hotel stay if the front desk staff didn't have to tell our boys several times, to refrain from playing soccer in the halls. After the boys, calmed down from laughing so hard, everyone finally retired to their room.
I am actually up typing while Steve and Owen are sleeping. Each night I go to Ben/John Henry's room as well as Kevin and Luis' room, and close their drapes, remind them to lock and latch the door when I leave, and explain what the schedule is the next day. The four of them are well behaved and having the time of their lives. Tomorrow, we get to sleep in, but it will be a long long long day. The players will have a professional training Tottenham Hotspurs coaches, and then play their academy team. The parents are not allowed to watch, so we will be going to tour Windsor. Billy will be hanging with the boys for 4 hours, as we leave at 10:30 and the boys leave at 2:00. After we meet up again at 5:30, we will board the bus for a nightime travel of 5 hours. This journey will be to Bolton, where the boys will prepare to play the Manchester United Academy team. I am going to end here, as I just reread this post and I'm so disappointed at just how dull it is. I don't have the energy to massage it and make it a bit more palatable! I realize now that blogging is hard. Really hard. Apparently I am neither as witty or charming as I think I am...~sigh....
Saturday, March 24, 2012
After arriving Saturday, March 24 at 10:45 am our group of 16 boys hit the ground running...almost literally! 400 passengers in line and only 4 border lines, slowed our timeline down just a tad. Traveling en masse of 25, is an art form for sure. By the time we made it out into the bright sunlight, the boys were on an adrenaline high and ready for action. We traveled by coach to our hotel, stopped for a 10 minute break and headed for the Arsenal v. Aston Villa at the Arsenal's home stadium. Just our group of 30, plus 60,000 of our closest friends! We sat separated by family, and Steve, Owen, Kevin and I were in the thick of the home fans. Like American football fans these fans are passionate! Unlike American football fans, they have cheers, chants and taunts for everything! (The pimply-faced teenager behind us, was thrown out with 10 minutes left in the game for making an obscene gesture. I didn't see the gesture, but of course, Owen who doesn't miss a thing did. I played dumb, when asked what it meant and am hoping he won't be educating the rest of the team anytime soon.) The game was a blow out, 3-0-and thank goodness we were sitting in the winners section..."We see you sneaking out, we see you sneaking out.." after the last goal was scored, was chanted in unison as the Villa fans skulked out of the stadium. Hilarious, and fun and soooo entertaining. Owen announced that Arsenal is now his fave EPL team....Wondering how long that will last...
Today, the boys have their first match against Reading FC at 10 am. After the game, we'll be dropped in the middle of London to find our way around, eat a local meal, and squeeze in all of London's highlights in a quick 6 hours...
Today, the boys have their first match against Reading FC at 10 am. After the game, we'll be dropped in the middle of London to find our way around, eat a local meal, and squeeze in all of London's highlights in a quick 6 hours...
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