8/26/2010 9:38:05 AM
Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University men’s soccer team ventured to the homeland of several players in August, the beautiful country of Brazil. The team stayed four nights in Sao Paulo, three nights in Rio de Janeiro and one night in Santos. While in Brazil, the team competed in five friendly matches, did plenty of sight seeing, sat in the stands for two professional matches and ate at numerous buffets.
While in Sao Paulo, the team stayed in a dorm similar to a military barracks with everyone staying in one room on bunk beds at Esporte Clube Pinherios (E.C.P.). It was great for them to build team chemistry. E.C.P. was a facility that contained almost any athletic venue you could imagine. Located in the heart of downtown Sao Paulo, E.C.P. was and is home to many Brazilian Olympians. We competed against Palmeiras, Sao Paulo and an E.C.P. club team. After the training and games in Sao Paulo, the team members travelled to a beach near Santos where they were able to relax and enjoy the pristine secluded beach near their hotel. The next day, they travelled to Santos to play another friendly match against more solid competition.
Rio de Janeiro was the final Brazilian destination for the team. The Bulldogs played their final match of the road trip against a very good Fluminense squad. In Rio, the team was able to enjoy the beautiful winter that Brazil had to offer including the 70-75 degree days.
The voyage was not all Futbol. The team was able to visit some world famous sites including the Cristo Redentor (giant statue of Jesus Christ). They experienced the soccer culture of Brazil by visiting two museums including the Museu do Pacaembu, which was located in the stadium of the Corinthians Futbol Club. The second soccer museum that they visited was the Museu da Vila, which was located at the Santos professional stadium and included the shrine of the great Pele.
Above the stout competition, the great accommodations, the friendly hospitality and the amazing sites, I think the team enjoyed the food the most. They were able to eat at some of Brazil’s most renowned restaurants. After talking with Coach Hamill and Coach Clark, they stated words cannot even describe the trip. It truly was a voyage of a lifetime with a great group of guys. The Wingate men’s soccer team wants to say thank you to all of the friends and family for their support to make this trip possible. The Bulldog men’s soccer opens the 2010 regular season Thursday, Sept. 2 at UNC Pembroke (7 p.m. kick-off).
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.
Wingate offers 34 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 36 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 45 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.