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| Our History of International Travel... |
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| 1993 |
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In August 1993, head coach Andy Marcinko took 14 members of the Rhodes men's soccer team on a tour of the Czech Republic and Austria, marking the first time a Rhodes athletic team had ever competed outside the United States. Hosted by F.C. Brno of the Czech First Division, the team played seven games in nine days and posted a very respectable 2-4-1 record, considering the competition. They trained with professional F.C. Brno coaches, as well as with the Czech Republic national team assistant coach, Masapust, who was European player of the year in 1962 and a member of the Czech World Cup squad in the 1960s. |
Rhodes also opened F.C. Brno's new athletic facility with a 3-2 victory over the Czech Division I champions of 1978. The team also traveled to Bratislava in the Slovak Republic, where they matched up with Slovan Bratislava for a match that ended in a 2-2- draw. The highlight of the trip, however, was challenging professional team Dukla Prague, resulting in a 2-0 loss, in their 40,000-seat stadium. |
| At a palace in Brno Czech |
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| After a match with Slovan-Bratislava |
On the F.C. Boby bus |
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| 1996 |
| In front of Cologne Cathedral |
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In August 1996, the men's team traveled to Europe for a 10-day tour of Holland, Germany and Belgium. Based at the Bleyerheide Sports Center in Kerkrade Holland, not far from the German border, Rhodes played against three professional teams that were on preseason training tours of Holland--Kfar Saba and Hapeol Askolon from Israel, and Ismailya from Egypt. Other games were against Borussia Brand of the German First Division Amateur League, Dutch First Division Amateurs F.C. Venlo, and Lindenheuvel. The players attended several professional games, as well, including the final games of the Limburg Cup with Dutch teams Fortuna Sittard, MVV, Venlo VV, and JC Roda. The team also trained with Fortuna Sittard's head coach Pim Verbeek and assistant Jan Lauers. When they weren't playing soccer, the Lynx went on sightseeing trips to Liege, Belgium; Achen and Cologne, Germany; and Maastricht and Amsterdam, Holland. |
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| Walking tour in Liege Belgium |
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| Alumni Trip 1998 |
| l to r: Justin Klestinski '94; Brian O' Neill '94; Everette Herring '94; Andy Wildman '96 |
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A group of soccer alumni also made a trip to Europe in 1998. Coach Andy Marcinko and four men's alumni: Everette Herring '94, Justin Klestinski '94, Brian O'Neill '94, and Andy Wildman '96, traveled to France for the 1998 World Cup. All were veterans of previous Rhodes Soccer tours. Based in Paris, the group was able to attend a game at Stade de France and watched several others at the main square. They also traveled to Bordeaux to see a second round game between Romania and Croatia. When not watching games, they visited sights in Paris and also traveled to Versaille, Mont St. Michel, Caen, and Marseille. |
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| 1999 |
| Team photo prior to a game at Gundelfingen |
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1999 saw the men's soccer team travel to Europe in early August for an 11 day preseason tour of Germany and Austria. The team of 14 players was based at the Gundelfingen traning center in Gundelfingen, Germany (between Munich and Stuttgart) for 7 days before moving on to Salzburg, Austria for 4 days. Hosted by FC Gundelfingen, the squad trained daily and played several local amateur teams from Landesberg, Bachagel, Lauidinberg and Dillingen--winning each game. The most difficult match of the trip took place in Salzburg, against ASK-Salzburg, a Landesliga 2 team (Austrian 2nd Division). |
Facing a much more skillful Austrian team, the Lynx played an organized and stingy defense, only to give up a goal in the 86th minute and settle for a 1-1 tie and a 4-0-1 record for the tour. Although it was primarily a soccer trip, the group was able to venture out and enjoy many of the surrounding cities and sights. Some of the most memorable sights were Neuschwanstein Castle near Schwangau, Ulm Cathedral, the second largest Gothic cathedral in Germany, Hitler's Eagle's Nest above Berchtesgarden, Salzburg Fortress, the concentration camp memorial at Dachau, Olympic Village in Munich, and the Royal Palace in Stuttgart. The team also witnessed a total solar eclipse, the last of the millennium, while visiting Berchtesgarden. |
| Team photo in front of Royal Palace in Stuttgart, Germany |
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| 2002 |
| Team photo in front of Sports Center at Schielleiten |
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Marcinko and the Rhodes men's soccer team added another chapter to an already storied international travel history August 1-13, 2002 with a preseason tour to Austria, Germany, and Hungary. After arriving in Munich, the team spent two days in Salzburg, Austria, sightseeing and adjusting to the time change. The team then moved on to its training center in Stubenburg, Austria, at the Schielleiten Sports Center-one of six National Sports Centers in Austria. Schloss Schielleiten (Castle Schielleiten) is an 18th-century palace that was converted into a sports center in the early 1930's. |
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Rhodes was able to play four of its six scheduled friendly matches, having to cancel two of the contests due to the the heavy rains and flooding that plagued the area during most of August. The team traveled to Szombathley, Hungary for its first match, which resulted in a tie with Haladas. Rhodes then hosted and defeated USV Kaindorf, but later lost to a very good Sturm Graz team-one of the top professional clubs in Austria. After an eight day stay at Schielleiten, the team moved on to Vienna for two days and was able to enjoy many of the sights of the Hofburg and the Imperial City. |
| Justin Sampson advances the ball against Sturm Graz. |
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| Team photo in Szombathley, Hungary |
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Rhodes also played its last match in Vienna, defeating USV Gablitz to end the tour with a 2-1-1 record. Although it was mainly a soccer tour, the team was able to get out and see many of the sights in the areas they visited. most memorable were trips to Riegersburg Fortress-a castle built on a 500 ft. volcanic cone; the Armory Museum in Graz; Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg; the State Opera House in Vienna; and Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel, and the Hofbrauhaus-all in Munich. |
| Men's team below Hohensalzburg |
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| Men's team at Schonnbrunn Palace |
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| Men's team at balloon festival |
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