While the weather conditions have been less than favorable for spring, this weekend begins the weeklong spring break for University of Evansville students. As many set out for their spring break destinations, the UE men’s soccer team will set out on its own adventure.
The team will depart from Evansville on Friday and fly to London where they will spend the first portion of their trip. While in London, the team will attend a game between Manchester United and Fulham at Fulham’s home stadium, Craven Cottage. They will also tour Wembley Stadium, which is where England’s national soccer team plays.
On Monday, the team will play its first match of the trip against First Point USA at the training grounds of the professional club Queens Park Rangers.
On Tuesday, the team will have the opportunity to visit Harlaxton College, the University of Evansville campus in Grantham, England. Harlaxton students will be able to watch the Aces play Heanor Town FC in Nottingham.
The team will spend the last three days of the tour in Chester, which is a suburb of Manchester and Liverpool. While there, the team will get to tour Old Trafford, the home of the professional club Manchester United. It is one of the largest soccer stadiums and home to one of the most popular soccer teams in England.
The team will also have the chance to tour the training facilities of Everton and Manchester City. Everton is the former club of UE soccer standout David Weir. Weir played for the Aces from 1988-91 and was voted an NCAA All-American in 1990.
The Aces will most likely have the opportunity to play a couple other top quality opponents and attend another professional match during the trip.
“We will have the opportunity to play against top-level competition,” says head coach Mike Jacobs. “Couple that with the chance to see some of the top professional teams in England play and train, and the opportunity to visit Harlaxton, and I think this trip will create the ideal cultural learning experience for our players.”
Tom Irvin and Dan Gibson will collaborate on a daily journal during the trip. The accounts of their experiences will be available at www.gopurpleaces.com.
