Hope Football Fans-

‘Twas a very eventful day here in Manchester, England. After getting up, the
team walked a few blocks to the local practice field to work on new formations
and new tactics. Coaches continue to learn more and more about the game from
our awesome tour coach/guide/representative, Murray. Following the training
session, the team and parents loaded up on the “Firth,” our luxury
double-decker bus and departed to Old Trafford Stadium, home of Manchester
United Red Devils. Man U is internationally known for their football success
and former club of supermodel/super-stud David Beckham. The stadium is the
biggest stadium in the UK and is under construction to enlarge its capacity to
above 67,000. Season ticket holders spend anywhere from £500 ($1000 US
dollars) to £5,000 ($10,000 US dollars) for seats around the stadium. Sky
boxes around the stadium, which hold 8 people go for about £47,000 (do the
math) for a season. These have a 10 year waiting list on them. Seating
sections for visually impaired, which have earphone jacks to enable spectators
to listen to the game, and sections for the physically handicapped are
available as well. The tour around the stadium took us through the players
tunnel, player’s lounge, player’s locker room, etc, etc… Highlights from the
tour also included using the same restrooms as the Man U superstars. The team
really came away from the tour in awe of what a big business the soccer world
is over here, but more importantly how beautiful the game can be.

After leaving the stadium, the bus headed back to the hotel where the player
and parents loaded up with a great dinner and took off for the game field just
over the border in Wales. The match was against Team Airbus, a U-19 Academy
team. With a new formation and great intensity, Hope went up 1-0 ten minutes
with a goal from THE Karter “Keith” Klingenberg from a pass from Bain Rumohr.
Hope continued to control the play but gave up a goal 35 minutes in to the
half that tied the game 1-1. That was how the half ended. Second half was
completely dominated by Hope’s play. Lee Schopp showed that he still had the
golden boot when he put one away two minutes into the second half off an
assist from Gunnar Martin. Nate VanHorn added to the score off another assist
from Martin, putting the Dutchmen up 3-1. Hope went up 4-1 when Bryan Mulder
put a penalty kick in the back of the net after he got tripped in the box
while cutting up multiple defenders on his way to the goal. Dan Tresslar bent
a free kick around a wall of 5 Airbus opponents to wrap up the scoring.
Hope’s first victory on the trip proved to raise spirits and confidence and
now look to finish strong in the next two games.

Cheers for now from Manchester. We leave tomorrow morning for London where we
will finish the trip.

Written by: Bryan “I love the beach” Mulder and Bain “The red-headed Luke”
Rumohr