Elon Soccer Programs Ready for Trips Abroad This Spring

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s and women’s soccer programs will take separate trips abroad this spring as part of the university’s educational learning requirement (ELR). Additionally, both programs will compete against international teams during their trips as part of their spring schedules.

“Having the international trip to Spain in the middle of our spring season is a fantastic opportunity for our student-athletes from an educational and competitive perspective,” said Elon head men’s soccer coach Chris Little. “Our program benefits tremendously from this experience and we are grateful to everyone involved in making this trip possible.”

While in Barcelona, the men’s soccer team will take a tour of the city in the Gaudí experience while visiting the Church of the Sagrada Familia. The group will also experience the famous La Rambla Street, the Park Güell, Santa Maria de Montserrat and a stadium tour of the famous Camp Nou. The players will then travel to Madrid and visit the Prado Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Real Madrid’s stadium, the Bernabeu. The Phoenix will also face the local Spanish teams, Rayo Vallecano and Getafe.

During the same time frame, the Elon women’s soccer program will travel to Costa Rica. During its time in Costa Rica, the team will learn basic Spanish while exploring San Jose’s historical “central Mercado” with other full-time Elon study abroad students. The players will also run a soccer clinic for the local girls in Quepos while playing the Costa Rican national team and the Saprissa women’s team.

“We are very fortunate to be taking this trip to Costa Rica and grateful to everyone involved in the process,” said Elon head women’s soccer coach Chris Neal. “We look forward to playing against international competition and experiencing other cultures. From a soccer standpoint, the opportunity to play Costa Rica, as they prepare for the FIFA World Cup this summer, is priceless. It will be a life changing experience off the field as well and I think each individual will come back to Elon with a different perspective.”