Premier International Tours sends NorCal team to Scandinavia
This summer, the U18 boys Heritage Rovers team embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe to play in the Gothia Cup tournament in Sweden followed by the Dana Cup in Denmark. The trip, which took place July 16-31, 2017, was organized by Premier International Tours, the international team travel partner of NorCal Premier Soccer.
“The Gothia Cup/Dana Cup tour was awesome. My team was able to compete against great clubs from Brazil, Germany, Ghana, and many Scandinavian countries,” said Heritage Rovers coach Troy Lane. “I saw my players revel in not only representing their club abroad, but explode in patriotic fervor during opening ceremonies where they were able to chant, sing, and embrace the camaraderie of players from other countries who were also chanting and singing. I am so thankful to Premier International Tours for helping my team realize our dream of competing on an international stage.”
The group departed from San Francisco on July 16 with an overnight flight to Gothenburg, Sweden for the first leg of the trip where they participated in the Gothia Cup tournament, the biggest youth soccer tournament in the world with over 1,700 teams from 80 different countries. While at the Gothia Cup the Heritage Rovers team played teams from Brazil, Germany, Sweden, Ghana and France. The squad had a respectable showing there, making it to the quarter-finals of the consolation playoffs.
Off the field the team did some great sightseeing in Gothenburg, the 2nd largest city in Sweden. They also met players from all over the world at Gothia Cup events like the Olympic style opening ceremony, the amusement park and at the heart of the Gothia Cup, the Heden Center which is like an Olympic village for the tournament.
After the Gothia Cup, the group traveled by ferry and bus to Hjorring, Denmark where they played in the Dana Cup tournament from July 24-30. The Dana Cup is 2nd to only the Gothia Cup in size with more than 1,100 teams from 45 countries. The Heritage Rovers team was placed in a group with two teams from Denmark and a team from Norway. They advanced to the main playoff stage where they lost 1-0 a hard fought game to local Danish team Hjorring AIK Frem. The team had plenty of time to explore and see Hjorring and the beautiful beaches on the Danish west coast, and met plenty of international soccer friends along the way at all of the Dana Cup activities planned during the week including the opening ceremony, the Dana Cup discos, the METROPOL Shopping Center and the Dana Cup Sports Café.
This was an experience, not just a soccer experience, that the players will not soon forget, and many players echoed this sentiment in their comments
about the trip:
“Traveling to Europe was a truly life changing event. The people I met around the world have changed the way I thought and how I play soccer. Thank you Europe!”
– B. Borglin
“It was a trip of a lifetime. Getting to compete and interact with people from around the world was a great experience and I recommend it to anyone who asks.”
– N. Cerdan
“The atmosphere of the games and the drive of our team was a very amazing moment to experience. Playing teams from places that I may never travel to was also very exciting because we got to see their different style of play and competition for us.”
– B. Quinn
If you are interested in taking your team on an international soccer tour contact Nor Cal Premier’s international team travel partner Premier International Tours:
www.premierinternationaltours.com
Loek@premierinternatioanaltours.com
Tel. 1-800-724-6076
