After Paul told us another fifteen minutes, after the fifteen minute warning had been given fifteen minutes prior to that, the boys were anxious to exit the bus and hit the pitch running. We had climbed a mountain on a winding road somewhere between Lloret de Mar and Barcelona to a remote resort. Needless to say, there were a couple setbacks along the way. We encountered a bit of construction blocking our exit from the highway, and someone (Jack) forgot their computer at the hotel which required us to back track twenty minutes after our departure. Travel to the match against the Norwegian side was a bit more than brief however, we were able to take in some of the beauty that the Spanish country-side provided.
Our performance against Reus did not produce the result that the squad desired; we were ready to finish on a good note. We arrived at the pitch behind schedule pushing us into an abbreviated warm-up. Even with all the distractions the boys' came out with a fire and produced quality opportunities from the start. Big Ben Maurey put in a magnificent 90 minutes, while his defensive counterpart Giant Eric Robertson helped SKS to his first shut out of the trip. Kevin Gavey and Daniel Taylor emerged as two rising stars over the course of the trip and continued that trend till' the final whistle.
This match was the most comparable to a collegiate competition that we had played. It was physical, filled with battles for head balls, hard tackling, and through balls to the corners of the pitch. But in short moments we were able to settle the game and play our style with relative ease. Big Ben was able to make his print on the game putting us up 1. From that point on the game became even more physical and less appealing to watch, however the boys' rose to the challenge and finished the game. We left the pitch with our heads held high putting an exclamation point on the playing portion of our trip.
The guys' were so excited to get back to Barcelona they respectfully declined a shower and immediately boarded the bus willing to leave behind anyone (Pepe) who was not moving fast enough. So there we were, Brown Men's Soccer in Spain, sweaty, stinky, but no one cared because we were going to see the current club champions tonight...Barce!
We arrived at the hotel in Barcelona shortly. As a staff we checked rooms to make sure no computers were left behind. Some needed more help than others...Matt Culp being one of them. After the bag check we were off to roam Las Ramblas. Andy and I were fortunate enough to take a detour out to the Sacred Heart Church. It was the most amazing piece of architecture and art I have ever laid eyes upon; something I will never forget. Last minute shopping was completed, we grabbed some authentic Spanish grub, and were ready for the match.
The Boys' were ecstatic. The atmosphere was electrifying. 100,000 fans crammed into a beautiful stadium to see Barcelona and recognize Messi for becoming the top scorer in club history. The opponent: Biblao, not to shabby either. The team couldn't stop smiling. Seeing Messi and co. play was unbelievable. In a game that is always hard to predict they simply dominate. The feeling of experiencing everything that we did over the course of ten days is indescribable.
The Morning of departure came quickly. All of a sudden the trip was over and it was time to get back to reality, classes, studying, fitness, weight lifting sessions and practice. No more siestas or delectable chocolate-filled croissants for breakfast. The travel day went without issue.
To those of you who made this trip possible, we cannot thank you enough. We had an unforgettable experience. THANK YOU.
No comments:
Post a Comment