Cooper City Cobras Return from Italy

4/14/08

For their spring break the Cooper City Cobras under-12 boys team took part in a 10-day soccer tour to Italy from March 28-April 6 to Como, Milan, Republic of San Marino, Florence, and Rome. The tour to Italy was coordinated by United Soccer Academy.

Playing 7-a-side the Cooper City U12 team finished with the tour with a record of 1-2-1 with matches against G.S. Lipomo (Como), ASD Verucchio (Riccione), Sporting Arno (Florence), GS Pisa (Pisa). During the tour the team, coaches and parents attended two Serie A matches, AC Milan versus Atalanta at San Siro Stadium in Milan and AS Roma vs Genoa at Olympic Stadium in Rome.

John Cejka, the team coach, speaking about the experience, “It has been a great experience for all involved in this trip. The boys have worked harder these past 10 days than they ever have. I think the most rewarding and fun they experienced was after the first and last game when the teams were able to exchange jerseys with the Italian teams. Both teams were excited and could not get enough interaction with each other. The program that United Soccer Academy coordinated was excellent, first class, and very well organized.”

Coach Cejka comments on the experience, “I think our boys have more of an understanding of the soccer culture in Italy verse here in the United States. Over there soccer is life! We had two opportunities to go to Series A matches, one in Milan where AC Milan played Atalanta and the second with AS Roma hosting Genoa. The amount of singing and chanting that went on through the whole game was unreal. There is nothing to compare it to here. For our players to play matches in Italy and attend to professional matches was unbelievable.”