Day 3: My Experience On the Road With the Soccer Academy

The following thoughts are a few things that I learned over the course of my weekend spent traveling with Darlington School Soccer Academy.

First, a Soccer Academy trip is about much more than competing in a tournament. Yes, soccer was the primary objective this weekend. Each of the boys’ teams played in three contests while the girls’ team played two games in Charleston, S.C., and all played in Greenville, S.C. on the way down. So, from a soccer perspective you would have to say that we completed the task.

What I found most valuable was the time the players spent together when not on the pitch. All 30 boys arrived at the field at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday and remained together, supporting and encouraging each other until we returned to the condominiums at 7:15 p.m. The day started off with a 3-2 victory by the U-19 team. While they played, the rest of the boys sat as a team in the bleachers and talked strategy. They were watching and learning from their older teammates. When the U-18 team began to prepare for their game, I had time to watch and listen to our freshmen. 

One boy sarcastically said, "I wonder if we'll have anyone watch us play?" to which another answered, "I guarantee the seniors will stay and watch."

As the 15 and under game began, so did the wind and the rain—and everyone stayed to watch.

The players had the opportunity to bond before, during, and after the game. We stayed in houses as opposed to hotel rooms. Each team had to work together to make sure that the house functioned properly. Getting up, going to bed, cleaning—everyone worked as a unit to make the weekend a success. 

There was also an educational component to the trip—college tours, information about a historic city, and homework. There were lots of assignments and tests on Monday. I was hoping to watch the Saturday night college football games with the boys in my house. They were on their laptops, however, doing homework. They have their priorities right! I should learn from them. 

Second, it takes teamwork to make the trip a success. A total of 40 players, four coaches, two bus drivers, two chefs, over a dozen parents and one blogger were there to see the kids succeed.

Michael and Nicholas from Darlington’s Dining Services team traveled with us and were up at 4 a.m. each morning to make us breakfast and pack a lunch to take to the fields. And when we returned to the houses tired, wet and hungry, they had amazing dinners waiting.

Bus drivers Dean Newton ('56) and Jim Riddle chauffeured us from Rome to Greenville to Charleston and back home safely—and in between drove us to 14 soccer games and two college visits. There were parents and grandparents from Rome, Atlanta, Alabama, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Brazil in attendance, all supporting the team and coaches in numerous ways.

Finally, at the end of the day the players are kids, hoping for the best for themselves and their peers. One of the highlights of my weekend was watching the girls’ team play Friday at 7:30 p.m. The boys were in attendance supporting them and many were on their phones watching the live stream of the Tigers’ away football game against Dade County. On Saturday, I realized that the cross country meet in Orlando was on ESPN360. When I told the team, the first question that I was asked was, "How did Stephanie [Ward ('16)] do?"  

From my perspective it was both an exciting and tiring weekend. It was incredible to see our students excelling in the sport that they are most passionate about. It was wonderful to see them engage with and learn about a college community. It was eye-opening to see how they could play multiple games, do school work, and still have the energy to laugh and play.  

When we get back to campus, unload the buses, and return to the residence halls, the players' peers will already be in bed. Come tomorrow morning, they will be in coach class and advisory—just like they were on Thursday, when our journey began.  


Click on the links below to read more from Upper School Director Matt Peer about his trip to South Carolina with the Darlington School Soccer Academy:
   Day 1
   Day 2