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Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324
(article posted by Lauren Brightmore, Student Sports Information Assistant)

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May 6, 2011-- While many North Central College students were spending their spring breaks at home or in Florida, the men's soccer team went abroad, touring Spain and Italy. The team fundraised over $22,000 for the trip of a lifetime, playing three games against local club squads along with taking in the sights and culture across both countries.

For many of the players, this was their first time in Europe. “I don't think I will ever be able to experience something like that again, ” said junior defender Bryant Carlson.

The players began their journey in Barcelona, Spain, touring FC Barcelona's official stadium, Camp Nou, one of the largest soccer facilities in Europe. Later in the trip, the group actually sat in the stands and experienced a professional soccer game.

For the team's first soccer game, they went up against a Barcelona club team in a 10,000-seat stadium. “Way bigger than Benedetti-Wehrli,” according to Carlson. The Cardinals performed well despite the loss, and grew from the experience of playing with a foreign team.

While the trip was action-packed, the team did have some free time to walk around La Rambla, a large boulevard around the port full of street performers, restaurants, and breathtaking views. In their spare time, some of the guys on the team went to a discotech, hoping to gain some insight into the city's culture. Before leaving Barcelona, the team fit one more soccer game in and then flew to Italy.

Arriving in Rome the group took a tour of the Imperial City, traveling from the Colosseum to the Vatican. The group also received tickets to attend an audience with Pope Benedict XVI. From 50 feet away they were able to listen to the Pope speak.

“Even if you're not Catholic or religious, you can just appreciate the history of everything,” said Carlson.

After a short stay in Rome, the group toured Tuscany, visiting a winery in the afternoon. It was a quick turnaround though, as the men had another soccer game in the evening, this time tying an Italian club team. The journey continued to Florence and then finished up around Cinque Terre, a small, coastal resort on the Mediterranean.

Before the team knew it, they were on a flight back to the U.S. The trip of a lifetime had ended, but a new sense of commitment and dedication to one another had just begun.