Oh my gosh - he's back!!!!

Well, after being internet-less since leaving Liverpool, I've taken the "tube" into downtown London to use an Internet cafe' and eat some great Italian food.  The short story is that we got to Sheffield, played the Middleton Rovers and were annihilated by them.  The funny thing was that the boys complained about the field we played on.  It was better than any we play on in the States but it was, actually, the worst we played on in England to date.  The team we played met us at 6:30pm because they all had to put in a full days work before they could get together to play a match against us.  We played pretty poorly.  It seems to be hot or cold with this bunch.  The next day, however, we played the Sheffield United U16 Academy team and beat them 2-0.  Yep, the same bunch of zombies that attempted to "play at" soccer the day before, came back to life to play as if these Academy Players had taken their mother's ball and wouldn't give it back.  Nelson made a PK and Meckes slid one past the keeper from about 7 yards out.  Not sure how this all works, but it would be nice if they'd settle down and play a bit more consistently.  It sure would be easier on Roy, David and my nerves.  They boys spent a day at a monster hue mall - yep, more replacement jerseys for you Mom's!!  You are all so lucky to have such wonderful kids who do nothing but think about you each and every minute of every day - NOT!!  A funny thing did happen to Danny at the mall.  While in a large sorting good store, he was approached by a security officer and asked to accompany him to a back room where he was being detained for shoplifting!!  He was sweating bullets for over 45 minutes while, it ends up, the security department reviewed the tapes and came to the conclusion that they had "detained in error."  After apologizing to Daniel and groveling for a minute or two, the offered him a £50 gift certificate to not press charges against them.  This being Danny's first time at being falsely accused of anything, he failed to recognize his opportunity to negotiate a settlement price and jumped at the chance to get a $110.00 (USD) pair of goalie gloves for free.  He's decided that now that he knows how this all works, he'd like to arrange to be detained on a regular basis so he can get a complete set or Premier Replica home and away keeper jerseys, both long and short sleeves.  I suggested that he not hold his breath.  Well, it's time to go now.  We have a game tomorrow at 11:00am and another Saturday at the same time.  We'll try to get back here again to update you soon.  Thanks for your patience while we were "down."

Alright already.  It's almost midnight as I start this post and I'm exhausted.  The disco last night, according to reports from those present, was a big ZERO on a scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being absolutely the best ever and 1 being the worst possible.  Oh well, it did give the parental units in charge a couple of hours of "kid less" time, so to speak. 

This morning after breakfast was a morning of last minute clothes washing and general hanging out.  This afternoon we went back to the fields for another scrimmage against the boys from Gibraltar.  We played a bit better today, with the match ending 5-2 in our favor.  After that, we watched the second half of overtime between a team from Manhattan, NY and a team from Liverpool playing in the U16 Finals.  The Liverpool team won in overtime 2-1.  The Liverpool team is the one that we traded in a 2 -0 lead for a 2 - 3 loss during bracket play.  We should have and could have been there.  Funny thing though, the boys didn't agree by playing up to their ability so... we weren't there.  After that, we all came back home and did more general hanging out.  There were three professional games on the big screen in the campus pub; soem went into town with three of the parental units to a smoke filled pub close to the dorms to watch the matches there.  Some walked to town for the sole purpose of appropriating odds and ends, etc. 

There was another Disco tonight, this one was on campus in the ground floor of the cafeteria building.  Incidentally, we eat on the first floor.  Over here, what you and I would refer to as a three-story building, actually has a ground floor, a first floor and a second floor.  Now isn't that a neat little tidbit of unimportant and useless information?

Some of the boys had a tearful goodbye tonight... the GU19 team from Norway, along with 5 sets of parental units, their coach and trainer, left on a comfort coach to take them to the airport in Glasgow (spelling?) Scotland.  They were going to catch a return flight home, a flight that lasts as much as 90 minutes.  Your sons, well, at least some of your sons, were so distraught with this punishingly long flight that they offered to go in their stead, but were immediately turned down.  Nice try, but no cigar, so to speak.  Email addresses were exchanged, as well as hugs and kisses.  Oh the wonder and excitement of youth.  As Roy and I have discussed daily throughout this trip "Youth is wasted on the young."  Can I hear an AMEN?

Tomorrow, we'll start on the next leg of our journey to Sheffield, where we'll stay at another university and play two games and see one.  Some of the boys are already packed and ready to go.  I'm not sure what the computer arrangements will be at the new location, so it may be a bit of time before I'm able to email those who've been writing, or to update the website.  Good night to all those back home.  We're missing you (I am, at least.)  I just may see my bed before midnight tonight, but probably not.  NOT!! Mr. Jordan just came in and we talked for 20 minutes.  Oh well, maybe tomorrow night.  Again, good night to you all.

Well, here we are again, folks.  Last night came and went.  Enough said.  This morning, after breakfast, we journeyed to Anfield, the famous home of the Liverpool Football Club.  We went on a tour of the stadium and the locker room.  We learned about the "KOP."  Something I'll leave for your sons to explain to you when they return.  We actually had a chance to visit the "Gift Shop."  Oh, my gosh, Mom's.  You just may be getting more than one of those nice replica jerseys. Maybe they would serve as a cute little nightie for you.  They're a bit long on the boys, but probably not too long for you to sleep in.  Well, enough of that.  We returned from the tour in time to take off for a training session at the local park.  We got back in time to shower and eat.  Roy & Ken are off to a formal (of sorts) reception with the Lord Mayor of Liverpool.  Black tie formal, except that it will be the silk screened t-shirt kind of tie and cumber bund (not real sure of the spelling on that one) set up for the Southwest SC representatives.  It's tough to find a tux rental place around here.  Tonight will be a kick back evening for the boys.  We have a friendly match scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at 1500 (3:00pm,) with a team from Gibraltar.  Funny, I don't think that many of the boys took, or at least remember anything from, world Geography.  We'll have a test tonight and each boy will be asked if they know where Gibraltar is.  Well, we'll see how that goes.  It's been tough to get in to this computer room as there is only one password and username for the entire group of international teams staying here in Carnatic Hall.  Ahh, another teaching moment - how our choices as individuals, whether good choices or not so good choices (more accurately translated as BAD), can actually have consequences for others, too.  Because of the limited time I have here, it isn't looking too promising for pictures, although I will continue to attempt it.  I had downloaded the software I need to get the pictures off of the camera, but the program has been wiped from the computer I used.  I'll try again, this time trying to hide the program in a file buried on the hard drive.  We'll see how good I am at beating this thing - all just for you, the friendly and curious American folks, sitting at home in beautiful downtown Temecula (and surrounding areas) basking in the bright warm sunshine (except for the fact that I know it's been raining there, too.)  Well, I'm going to sign off now.  Thanks to those who've been taking the time to feedback.  It's nice to read that you've been reading the adventures of the BU16/17 team, abroad in England, representing Southwest Soccer Club and the good ol' USA!

By the way, did I tell you that it's really weird driving on the right side of the vehicle, on the left side of the road, all the while shifting a manual five speed transmission with your left hand?  Yes, I thought I did, but nothing has changed in regards to that.  It's still really weird.  Bye!

Thursday, 31 July, 2003  1909

Well, we've worked it out so we get a wee bit of computer time again.  The computer room has been closed and "off limits" since my last post yesterday morning.  Seems we had a bit of an "issue" with some of the very young ones from another country.  Evidently, they were quite adept at breaking (or navigating around) the University internet firewall.  Some pretty provocative pictures were displayed on the monitors, probably ones that most of you parents would not have approved of too very much.  We have been given our own password by the University IT department and instructed that no one but adults are allowed to use the computer and only during the time that the proctor is at the front desk (0800 - 2330.)  The boys, if they have one of us present, can take turns using the email only - and only one at a time.  No internet usage other than email.

Now, as far as an update on the boys progress at the tournament.  We're out in three games.  Lost yesterday and today, to much inferior teams, I might add.  The learning experience could be invaluable, but it would be up to each one of the boys to decide if that will be the case for them as individuals.  Yesterday, we gave up a two goal lead to lose 2-3.  Today, we couldn't score at all - losing 0-2.  The game in England is very violent at this level, as Roy warned everyone going in.  Play, for the most part, is allowed to go on, with very few whistles and even fewer cards.  Today, however, was an exception.  The team we played was issued at least 9 cautions, we received three.  The boys, for the most part, held their cool and we're proud of that.  You parents know who the most likely ones on the BU16's are to blow up and start swearing and sluggin' but in all three games - there were NO ISSUES!!!  Roy was very happy with that.  He told me that this time last year, at least three boys would have been sent off the field for retaliation, foul and abusive language or violent conduct.  That  is proof solid of growth and maturity in this team.  Roy singled out each one and commended him for his self control under such extreme pressure under "foreign" circumstances.  There are some very good things that came from this experience.

This afternoon, we drove to the Liverpool Football Academy.  One of the six best such academys in all of soccer today.  Here, we had a personal tour by the director, Steve Heighway.  One of the greatest football players in Liverpool history.  Steve used to play for Roy, along with two other coaches at The Academy.  What a place!!  They have ten outdoor "pitches" in absolutely immaculate condition, as well as an indoor artificial surface training center and an outdoor artificial surface pitch as well.  Full cafeteria, two full time "physio's" on staff, weight and speed training facility, locker rooms for all age groups, etc. etc. etc.  As young as 8 years old, boys within an hour and a half driving distance of Liverpool are identified as "candidates" to enter The Football Academy.  Those candidates are then offered to "sign" with the Liverpool Club.  If they do, they are given daily training at The Academy by professional coaches, at 5:00pm each day. At the age of 16, they could be selected to stay for daily football, along with academic training, too.  Kind of like a full time soccer camp that gives you high level academic training at the same time.  Nothing like this in the states, not in any sport.  Again, I'm not quite sure if the boys have any idea as to just how big an experience this was to have had.  If not now, hopefully it will sink in as time goes on and they'll look back at the time they traveled to Liverpool and visited with the great Steve Heighway at the world famous Liverpool Football Academy.

We got back from The Academy just in time to catch dinner.  By the way, the breakfast is the same each day, assorted cereals, coffee & tea, with milk, of course, but the milk is NOT for drinking, just for tea or cereal.  We have sunny side up eggs, sausage and/or bacon - wow are they ever salty and greasy!  There's toast, and potato cakes, too.  Fresh fruit is apples and bananas.  Canned is grapefruit and apricots.  For lunch, well, we've been mostly hanging out at "The Office," which is The Rose of Mossley Pub, just down the street.  That way we can have a pint (of soda) and be able to walk back to the dorms (Carnatic Hall), not taking a chance by drinking and driving those vans I've previously described to you.  That small neighborhood pub has a daily lunch special, where you can order two complete lunches for the price of one - £5.95 = approximately $10.00 or $5.00 a piece.  The boys have been able to choose from Steak and Ale Pie, a half pound cheeseburger with "chip."  ("Don't nick the chips!") a slice of rump roast or noodles with tomatoes (spaghetti.)  Dinners on campus (which the tournament officials added to our package for no additional cost,) have been varied, with fish, Indian food (curry) beef, lasagna and pizza, etc.  (I said "etc." because I'm getting tired of typing and want to leave, so I'm done with the food talk, Moms.)  The boys have done their laundry once, yesterday afternoon.  You'd be so proud, I think - I didn't watch.  I'm thinking about going to their rooms, one at a time, and taking a picture of each one.  We'll post them, if I ever get the time.  It will be your job to try and pick out which room is your son's.  That out to be a neat trick.  I used the word "neat" as "interesting" or "special," having absolutely nothing to do with "tidy!"

We're off tomorrow - actually, even if we went through to the semi's, that would have been the case.  Everyone is off tomorrow.  We've got an appointment at 1030 to tour Anfield, the world famous home of Liverpool.  That may have about the same effect on the boys, though, I expect.  Not too much excitement seen so far, but maybe that's because of their overall performance in their games here.  Roy is so good with the boys, a true "teacher."  "This sport is no different than any other life experience, isn't it?  There is always something to be learned and gained from everything we go through - winning or losing.  If we don't seek those things out and learn from them, our time has been a bit of a waste, hasn't it?"

Still having a great time - one experience after another.  Hope to post tomorrow.