A TEAM of footballers will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of their academy's links with Texas when they jet off on a sporting tour.
For the last decade, players from The King's Academy, in Coulby Newham, have flown out to the Lone Star State to play and coach football, build friendships with local church families and experience the American way of life.
This year’s trip will be especially poignant for retiring vice principal John Rhodes, whose sixth tour will be his last.
“We ran the first Texas tour in 2005 and I’m looking forward to it this Easter as much as that trip ten years ago. Head of PE John Stewart and I will be accompanied by director of sport Chris Lynch, who was on that first trip too – as a student.
“The tour is a fantastic opportunity for the lads, giving them a taste of another culture, the chance to visit two major American cities, compete with local teams, visit schools and pass on their coaching skills.”
The group fly to Houston where they will stay with families of Champion Forest Baptist Church and have a training session with a soccer coach on their first day.
Their first match will be against Houston Texans, when they will be sporting new kit sponsored by Lancashire company Printerbase Ltd, before they leave for Dallas, visiting the University of Texas on the way and staying with families from The Heights Church.
Mr Stewart said: “When we’re in Dallas we will be going to an elementary school in a very deprived area to deliver some soccer clinics to the children. It’s all part of a great experience for the lads, both sporting and culturally.”
Their second match will be against FC Dallas, and the following day they will be spectators at the Dallas Cup, an international club competition for U20s teams from all over the world.
A VIP tour of the $1.1bn Dallas Cowboys stadium, an NBA basketball game, skeet shooting, go-karting and all-American rodeo at Fort Worth are also on the itinerary.
The boys have been fund-raising towards the tour, including raising £1,007 in a bag-pack at Morrisons.
“We’d like to thank all the customers who supported us so generously. The lads have also done individual fund-raising towards the tour,” added Mr Stewart.
Other students from The King’s Academy will be the USA at the same time, enjoying a cultural trip to Washington DC and New York.
