England National U-18 team vs. Georgia XI All-Stars
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Flowery Branch High
FLOWERY BRANCH — Most athletes, no matter where they are from or what their background, focus on a common goal: winning.
The international soccer players that comprise the Georgia XI All-Stars and the England National under-18 teams, however, are different. These teenagers deviate from the common desire for glory to adopt a desire for knowledge and friendship. Players on the England and Georgia teams absolutely want to win, but their primary goal is to teach themselves more about soccer, as well as the culture of the opposing country.
The Magenta Corporation’s “Magenta in the Community,” a local non-profit organization, sponsors the English Schoolboys Football Association’s exhibition tour of the United States every year. This year the game will be played Friday at Flowery Branch High School. But unlike the past two, the 2010 tour focuses less on the competition between the two teams and more on the bringing international communities together.
“The goal of the tour is to give the English lads experiences with other countries,” Magenta spokesperson Kim Jarrett said.
Magenta in the Community currently has multiple programs in operation in Hall County, including a soccer field and community garden at the Springs Church in Flowery Branch.
“Magenta has done other work with us this past year and we’re excited to have the opportunity to host the England national soccer team,” Flowery Branch principal Mark Coleman said in a statement. “Our students will have the opportunity to interact with the visiting players online before the event as well as during the team’s visit to our community. Building relationships and sharing ideas internationally are just as important as the competition.”
The players say they’re more than ready to seize what they see as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“It’s a good chance for the boys to get a global perspective of the game” Georgia All-Stars coach Jason Smith said. “I hope it gets them some exposure outside of Hall County. I think it can open up a few eyes in the community.”
England coach Phil Nardiello feels that his players benefit from the tour every year because they get to visit American schools and universities. He said that some of his players “may be able to receive soccer scholarships,” in the United States.
The benefits, however, are not purely scholastic. The team enjoys seeing and experiencing the culture, food, and and sights that they have previously only seen on television.
In terms of excitement, Jarrett said that players from England are just as enthusiastic as the newly created Georgia XI All-Stars are about the game and the community and personal impact that it could make.
“Hopefully, it will boost how many people come to soccer games,” said Georgia midfielder Chandler Ligas, a student at West Hall. “Maybe it will show just how influential soccer can be. It will be interesting to see how seriously people from overseas take soccer and how hard they work. I want to see if they’re different.”
England midfielder Nick Hancock said that he wants to gain a positive outlook on the American lifestyle and knowledge about the collegiate system while taking advantage of the chances to adapt to different conditions, tactics, and mentalities.
“There has been an amazingly warm welcome by the people that I have met here, and it is a beautiful state,” Hancock said. “Everyone has been very friendly.”
In putting together the Georgia team, Smith felt that before, some talent had been getting overlooked. He chose players from all over North Georgia who he thought would value the opportunity to play in front of a larger crowd. The English boys, however, are accustomed to performing before multitudes of people.
“In the US, we have soccer, and it’s becoming more important, but in other countries, it’s different,” Jarrett said. “It’s in their blood.”
Like the English players, the Georgia All-Stars players typically play on opposing teams during the season. Therefore, this event not only brings international players together, it brings local players together as well.
“When we’re together, it will be exciting to be teammates, but when we’re playing against each other later, it will be like a grudge match for bragging rights,” said Ligas of his All-Star teammates.
In order for the English boys to get the true Georgia experience during their stay here, they will be attending a Gwinnett Braves game and an Atlanta Thrashers game, along with various other events they don’t have access to in England.
In addition to these activities, the England players will be volunteering as workers in the Springs community garden this morning.
Afterward, the community will be able to meet and interact with the players at a free cookout, which will be held at the Springs Church from noon until 2 p.m. today. Following lunch, the players will take to the field to help children age seven to 11 who would like to develop their soccer skills.
The exhibition game will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Flowery Branch High after a pre-game match featuring the Lanier Soccer Association’s under-13 team at 6:30.
The international soccer players that comprise the Georgia XI All-Stars and the England National under-18 teams, however, are different. These teenagers deviate from the common desire for glory to adopt a desire for knowledge and friendship. Players on the England and Georgia teams absolutely want to win, but their primary goal is to teach themselves more about soccer, as well as the culture of the opposing country.
The Magenta Corporation’s “Magenta in the Community,” a local non-profit organization, sponsors the English Schoolboys Football Association’s exhibition tour of the United States every year. This year the game will be played Friday at Flowery Branch High School. But unlike the past two, the 2010 tour focuses less on the competition between the two teams and more on the bringing international communities together.
“The goal of the tour is to give the English lads experiences with other countries,” Magenta spokesperson Kim Jarrett said.
Magenta in the Community currently has multiple programs in operation in Hall County, including a soccer field and community garden at the Springs Church in Flowery Branch.
“Magenta has done other work with us this past year and we’re excited to have the opportunity to host the England national soccer team,” Flowery Branch principal Mark Coleman said in a statement. “Our students will have the opportunity to interact with the visiting players online before the event as well as during the team’s visit to our community. Building relationships and sharing ideas internationally are just as important as the competition.”
The players say they’re more than ready to seize what they see as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“It’s a good chance for the boys to get a global perspective of the game” Georgia All-Stars coach Jason Smith said. “I hope it gets them some exposure outside of Hall County. I think it can open up a few eyes in the community.”
England coach Phil Nardiello feels that his players benefit from the tour every year because they get to visit American schools and universities. He said that some of his players “may be able to receive soccer scholarships,” in the United States.
The benefits, however, are not purely scholastic. The team enjoys seeing and experiencing the culture, food, and and sights that they have previously only seen on television.
In terms of excitement, Jarrett said that players from England are just as enthusiastic as the newly created Georgia XI All-Stars are about the game and the community and personal impact that it could make.
“Hopefully, it will boost how many people come to soccer games,” said Georgia midfielder Chandler Ligas, a student at West Hall. “Maybe it will show just how influential soccer can be. It will be interesting to see how seriously people from overseas take soccer and how hard they work. I want to see if they’re different.”
England midfielder Nick Hancock said that he wants to gain a positive outlook on the American lifestyle and knowledge about the collegiate system while taking advantage of the chances to adapt to different conditions, tactics, and mentalities.
“There has been an amazingly warm welcome by the people that I have met here, and it is a beautiful state,” Hancock said. “Everyone has been very friendly.”
In putting together the Georgia team, Smith felt that before, some talent had been getting overlooked. He chose players from all over North Georgia who he thought would value the opportunity to play in front of a larger crowd. The English boys, however, are accustomed to performing before multitudes of people.
“In the US, we have soccer, and it’s becoming more important, but in other countries, it’s different,” Jarrett said. “It’s in their blood.”
Like the English players, the Georgia All-Stars players typically play on opposing teams during the season. Therefore, this event not only brings international players together, it brings local players together as well.
“When we’re together, it will be exciting to be teammates, but when we’re playing against each other later, it will be like a grudge match for bragging rights,” said Ligas of his All-Star teammates.
In order for the English boys to get the true Georgia experience during their stay here, they will be attending a Gwinnett Braves game and an Atlanta Thrashers game, along with various other events they don’t have access to in England.
In addition to these activities, the England players will be volunteering as workers in the Springs community garden this morning.
Afterward, the community will be able to meet and interact with the players at a free cookout, which will be held at the Springs Church from noon until 2 p.m. today. Following lunch, the players will take to the field to help children age seven to 11 who would like to develop their soccer skills.
The exhibition game will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Flowery Branch High after a pre-game match featuring the Lanier Soccer Association’s under-13 team at 6:30.