Soccer sizzles in Spain

This summer, World Languages teachers Bill Cunningham and Shaun Hoover will be traveling to Spain with the boys varsity soccer team and Honors Spanish students on a two week long journey from central to northwest Spain. They plan on visiting multiple cities in Spain, including Madrid, Santiago de Compostela, Pueblito, Santander, and Barcelona.

“We go about every other year. It’s stressful and a lot of work, but visiting Spain is how I fell in love with the language. It reminds me why I teach languages,” Bill Cunningham said.

For both teachers, the experience of traveling is less about visiting new places and more about sharing the experience of discovery with their students.

“In traveling, both of us have taken numerous people who get to see the ocean for the very first time. Getting to see their faces as they experience things that you’ve experienced and now take advantage of, it reminds you why you like to travel,” Hoover said.

While both teachers have visited Spain in the past, this year is the first time they’re taking students together. It is also the first time since 2007 that Cunningham has taken his soccer team abroad.

The group plans on experiencing city-life, white-water rafting, hiking on the El Camino de Santiago, beaches, and mountains. They also hope to make soccer a large part of the travel experience. Hoover, a die-hard Barcelona fan, is especially excited to visit football (soccer) stadiums with his students.

“We’re going to visit Camp Nou (in Barcelona), which is the greatest stadium in the world, and we’re going to Santiago Bernabeu (in Real Madrid), which is the ugliest stadium in the world,” Hoover said.

The timeless rivalry between Madrid and Barcelona will likely cause friendly conflict between fans within the group.
“I’m most excited to watch Real Madrid because they’ve always been my favorite team,” junior David Clay said.

The boys varsity soccer team is not only scheduled to visit professional stadiums, but to also play in 6 games against local teams.

Although the competition will be difficult, the practice games are a great opportunity to develop the team.

“I think it’s a great chance to improve skill wise and build team chemistry for the next season,” Clay said.

In past years, playing against local teams has been eye-opening for MN soccer players. While students at MN are involved in many activities, most players in Spain dedicate their lives to soccer as their sole passion.

“The last time I took my team (2007) we played some provincial champions that were pretty tough competition but we split our games. It’s a cool thing when our players get to measure themselves against people who think soccer is all they have,” Cunningham said.

While soccer will be a large part of the trip for the players, they also plan on enjoying their time traveling and exploring across the country.

“I simply look forward to the time when we can just go out and explore the city. I have never had the chance to go on a trip of this magnitude with friends before, so getting to hang out and experience what Spain has to offer with all of them will be a blast,” Jana said.