Laker women’s soccer bonds on trip to Europe

Students on the Oswego women’s soccer team traveled and bonded on a trip to Europe over the summer that provided winning lessons beyond the playing field.

The Lakers set off on the weeklong trip at the end of the academic year, visiting Iceland, Belgium and France, to celebrate a successful season. Along the way, they played matches against athletes in Iceland and Belgium, winning the Belgium game. 

Other highlights of the trip included sightseeing through Iceland’s countryside, such as the Blue Lagoon, Þingvellir National Park and Gullfoss waterfall, learning about historical sites in Belgium, and visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées.

“Once we got to Europe, we had a tour guide who was with us the entire time," said Cory Moehringer, assistant director for athletic communication at Oswego. “They stayed at the hotel with us, introduced us to the city, and joined us for dinners.”

For Erika Yancey, a senior accounting major on the team, those moments were unforgettable.

“We just checked off a lot of bucket list items that I feel like not a lot of people get to go do, and don't get to experience with all their best friends,” said Yancey. “Like, I can say I've been to Europe with 30 of my best friends playing soccer. That's pretty cool.”

Growing and connecting as a team

Each Oswego athletic team has the opportunity to fundraise for a trip abroad. Moehringer believes experiences like this help the players connect on a deeper level.

“I think the biggest payoff is the time they all got to spend with each other," said Moehringer. “At school, you're going from class to practice to a game. It was just spending time with your teammates, learning what makes them and what motivates them.”

Yancey said she especially enjoyed the opportunity to connect with her teammates after just transferring to Oswego last year.

“Last season was my first season with Oswego, and right off the bat, I think what makes our team stand out from every other program is our team culture,” said Yancey. “We are all very close, and we care so much about each other. We have each other’s backs all the time, and that shows on the field when we can connect and play together as a team. We are always there for each other.”

Yancey also enjoyed connecting with the players from Iceland and Belgium, learning about their different cultures.

“After the game, we had pizza with them and just got to connect about how different it is playing soccer in Iceland, and playing in the States,” said Yancey. “They don't really play in college; they play in their club team, so they thought it was crazy that we haven't had, like, a practice every single day, because we're off for the summer. Just talking about life in general, too. It was just great to see their culture compared to ours.”

Not only were the students able to bond with each other, but they also were able to spend time with their head coach, Brian McGrane, and family members who were able to join them.

“It was also a great experience to be able to have our family alongside us," said Yancey. “We can say we've played in a foreign country, and now our parents can say that they've watched us there. My mom and my sister came, so we were able to experience these different countries together, and just having the opportunity to do that is something I'll never forget.”

Yancey shared her gratitude for McGrane and the chaperones who made the trip possible.

“Our team has a great relationship with Coach Brian, and he's very supportive, and I know it took a lot to plan the trip and pull it together,” said Yancey. “I think we had around 40 people there, so I'm sure it was really stressful on his end, but we give him a lot of credit for organizing this for all of us and supporting us the whole time.”

For more information on the team and a season schedule, visit the Laker women's soccer website.