Bates vs. Hearts FC

After visiting the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle on Friday (which were spectacular... check out the photo album), the boys of Bates battled Hearts FC. While the team was the U-19 squad, they still proved to be an impressive team. About half way through the first half, Hearts finished on a nice breakaway to put the team up 1-0. The lead was quickly diminished, however, by the smart play and big-time hustle of senior Pat Grater. Hearts defense's attempt to play the ball through their keeper proved costly, as Grater slide miraculously in front of an oncoming ball to put it in the back of the net. The score would remain tied for nearly the rest of the match, until Bates' stamina got the best of them, and succumbed to the Hearts attack. After 88 minutes of the soccer, Hearts pulled away for the win despite a great effort from the Bobcats. For only the second day of practice, the boys were more than content with their play and are extremely excited for the season. It was indeed a great match.

Welcome to England

Today we left Scotland and headed to south to England. We stopped briefly in Gretna for food and last minute Scottish souvenirs. The trip had an eventful start as we rushed up pack and get on the unusually small bus after practice and a quick breakfast. After all the hustle and bustle of packing and getting on the bus, it broke down. After a quick team picture, some of the boys went on a sheep hunt, chasing the sheep around the base of the Scottish Hills. The picturesque landscape and peaceful herds of sheep was momentarily ruined by a a pack of young bobcats hot in pursuit. Luckily the replacement bus arrived shortly there after, before any sheep were hurt (Clark). We then had the fortune of getting to ride on the Hibernian Coach bus for a second time, complete with card tables, HD tvs, a microwave, and plus leg room. It's just not that tough over here in the UK. After the stop in Gretna we made our way to the sea side village of Southport, England. The Royal Clifton is a great hotel complete with pub, pool and maids! Tomorrow we train in the morning and face our second opponent of the trip. Ashtontown and the boys from Wigan look to be another strong match for the bobcats. Stay tuned for more pictures and results.

Hello, Scotland

We arrived in Scotland successfully, making the five hour trip in, well, about five hours. Unfortunately the time difference went against us, and a full night's sleep turned into two or three hours of shut eye (if you're lucky) on a cramped plane. Nonetheless, we made it successfully to Heriot Watt University, got moved in, took a tour of the campus, and held our first practice of the season! Last night, we finally got a full night of sleep, and today we're on our way to Stirling to see the castle and William Wallace monument. Tonight, we play our first match of the season against U-19 Hearts FC. A full game report should be available by tomorrow... also, check the Webshots page to see more photos. Cheers, from Scotland!

We're off!

UK2K7 is officially underway. We're currently stuck in layover in Newark, NJ, awaiting our flight to Edinburgh. Hopefully most of the alumni, parents, and superfans of the Bates Men's Soccer team have gotten ahold of this site, but if not feel free to spread the word. Thanks for the support, and check back soon to see highlights of our trip.

Also, to see all the pictures from the trip, check out my Webshots account at http://community.webshots.com/user/nathankellogg

Enjoy!

Info

Scotland: Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Website (0) 131 451 3669 (Aug 9 - Aug 12)

Northwest England: Royal Clifton Hotel, The Promenade, Southport. Website (0) 170 453 3771 (Aug 12 - Aug 16)

South England: Thistle Kensington Gardens, Bayswater, London. Website (0) 207 262 4461 (Aug 16 - Aug 19)

To dial UK numbers from the US, first dial 0114, then the number without the zero.

Hello!

So in preparing for this trip, I realized that maybe it'd be worth making a blog so that all the parents, alumni and friends of the team (who are funding this trip...) could follow along and be a part of this unbelievable journey. I'll do my best to upload pictures, post updates, and keep you all at home informed on a consistent basis, depending on internet access overseas. Enjoy!