Delima Soccer Provides William and Mary Men's Soccer Team First Spring Break Trip to Brazil
The William and Mary Tribe men's soccer team left Saturday, March 5 for its international trip to Brazil. The spring break trip took the Tribe to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where the team not only played soccer, but also explored the history and culture of Belo Horizonte and Brazil.
Throughout the years, the Tribe has been to Bermuda, England twice, Greece twice, Holland, and Jamaica. Delima Soccer Enterprises, along with long-time partner Mr. Al Albert are proud to have prepared a trip to Brazil for the Tribe team for the first time in the school's history.
The Tribe played five matches, including at least two contests against youth selections from Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, one of the top professional clubs in Brazil, and attended a professional soccer match.
Before the trip, head coach Norris remarked: "The soccer culture in Brazil is second to none, so we are looking forward to a great athletic experience. In addition, we will have numerous trips planned to take in the history and culture of Brazil." The team experiences this and more as they took Portuguese classes, ate a a Brazilian churrascaria, visited historical Ouro Preto, and visited several air-open markets.
Saturday's game had a special spectator on the Tribe's sideline. The United States Ambassador to Brazil, Thomas Shannon Jr., a William and Mary Alumni, who flew in from the capital of Brazil (Brasilia) to watch the match. The ambassador had lunch with the players and shared his experiences in Brazil and Foreign Service opportunities Brazil offers.
Team member Colin Smolinsky states, "The level of play we faced here in Brazil was an excellent test for us as a team and gave us a great opportunity to see a very different kind of soccer. It would behoove us to take what we have experienced from Brazilian soccer and find ways to implement it into our game. It is experiences like these that fuel your love for the game of soccer. In addition, visiting another country so far from home provides an opportunity to expand our cultural horizons and observe how other people around the world interact with each other and approach life. I can truly say that this past week was an invaluable experience."
Related Links:
Follow the William and Mary Tribe team blog. Blog
See special T.V. Interview during their stay. Interview
Back to Back 1999 and 2000 Super Group Champions Return to Dallas Cup Ten Years Later:
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Delima Soccer is pleased to be the liason between Sport Club Corinthians (Brazil) and the Dallas Cup. "I am very pleased to work with Dallas Cup Executive Director Gordon Jago and the Tournament Manager Randy Jones for all these years. These are men who are dedicated and passionate about soccer," states Delima Soccer President Miguel de Lima.
The Dallas Cup XXXII, one of the largest international youth tournaments in the United States, will take place April 17-24. Nike's US Sports Marketing Director for Soccer, Joe Elsmore comments, "SC Corinthians Paulista is one of the most storied soccer clubs in all of Brazil. Their presence will no doubt up the level of competition at next year's Dallas Cup. I am very excited to see these teams compete at the highest level.") Sport Club Corinthians won back to back championship titles in 1999 and 2000. The "Timao" will be back in 2011.
"It is interesting to note that in the past 15 Dallas Cup tournaments Brazilian clubs have won the Super Group 10 times" states Tournament Manager Randy Jones. "The players are isolated from the outside world ... from the time they join until the time they leave they focus 100% on soccer" -Team member
TRIP OF A LIFETIME TO BRAZIL
In August of 2010, 11 players from FC Frederick (MD), two players from Carolina Elite Soccer Academy (CESA) (SC), 1 from the Richmond Strikers (VA), and 1 from Baystars FC (VA) lived, trained, and played matches for ten days at the renowned Cruzeiro Esporte Clube (Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil), developer of the Brazilian World Cup Star Ronaldo.
The team participated in five matches, had several training sessions, attended professional outdoor and futsal matches, visited Belo Horizonte's famous Street Market and other city attractions, dined at a churrascaria, and even had Portuguese lessons.
The trip was arranged through a partnership with the Tidewater Soccer Camp and Delima Soccer Enterprises. Miguel Delima, DSE president and former Brazilian National Team player, and Al Albert, TSC Director and former William & Mary Head Coach and NSCAA President, accompanied the boys on the trip, along with FC Frederick Executive Director, Bo Eskay.
Players were asked what one thought or impression was left with them during their time at Cruzeiro?
"The chemistry each team has, how they know where players will be when they make a pass."
"The players work ethic in practice."
"How the players come from so far away to train here."
"How the U14s had 90% of the possession and perfect touches."
"How much more important soccer is in Brazil than in the US."
"That their day is the opposite of ours ... they play soccer for most of the day and then go to school. We go to school most of the day and then play soccer."
"Players have more fun in practice, even when doing sprints."
"That they don't take food for granted and never waste it."
"They never (almost never) shoot from far out, but work the ball around with passes until they get a good shooting chance."
"The players have to go out and play hard every day or they could lose their spot on the team."
"The passion that the fans and players have for the game is amazing. You could see at the pro match how seriously they took the game. There was that crazy futsal fan ... and it's also cool how people around the Cruzeiro complex stop and watch players practice just because they love to watch the game. It's neat to see."
"The speed of play and the confidence each player has on the ball. The strength each player has also."
"The players in Brazil don't just play for themselves, they play for their families. They never take anything for granted so living here is a dream for them and they would do anything to stay at Cruzeiro."
TRIP TO BRAZIL: NUMBER 4
TIDEWATER SOCCER CAMP
As August quickly approaches, a group of 15 players and two adults from Tidewater Soccer Camp are getting ready for a trip of a lifetime to Brazil. Al Albert, the Chief of Delegation, and Bo Eskay, the coach, will be accompanying the team while at Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. The trip will begin August 3 and end August 15, 2010.
"Delima Soccer has prepared three team trips for Tidewater Soccer Camp in the past, and I am happy to provide a fourth trip for players this year. Since the initiation of my company, a priority has been for players to experience the exact soccer environment that the Brazilians at the professional club experience: the same coaching, same practice drills, same soccer environment, and training side by side with the Brazilian players. I am happy to provide the players with the opportunity to have an international experience, to learn about a different culture, and to get a glimpse of the passion and dedication Brazilian coaches and players have toward soccer." says DSE President Miguel de Lima.
DSE President Miguel de Lima and Rodolfo Canavesi, Desportivo Brasil Club Director
New Partnership with Traffic Provides New Individual Training Options for Players - at a Lower Cost!
(Pensacola-- December 21,2009)
Delima Soccer Enterprises is pleased to announce a new partnership with one of Brazil's most noted soccer organizations, Traffic, and its soccer development subsidiary and club, Desportivo Brazil. DSE is now offering individual training at Desportivo's state of the art training center for players ages 14 and up.
"The facility is first class and the coaching staff and soccer training now available through DSE provides a unique opportunity to our USA players. The training includes technical training, physical enhancement, and psychological development to form highly qualified and differentiated players." says Miguel de Lima, President of Delima Soccer Enterprises.
DALLAS CUP AROUND THE CORNER
The Dallas Cup, one of the largest international yourth tournaments in the United States, will take place March 28 - April 4, 2010. Delima Soccer is pleased to be the liason between Cruzeiro Esporte Clube (Brazil) and the Dallas Cup. "I am very pleased to work with Dallas Cup Executive Director Gordon Jago and the Tournament Manager Randy Jones for all these years. These are men who are dedicated and passionate about soccer," states Delima Soccer President Miguel de Lima.
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, founded in 1921 at Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is one of the top clubs in Brasil with the biggest fan base in the state of Minas Gerais. The youth division of the club has given the futebol world players such as Ronaldo, Belletti, Maicon, Gomes, Luisao, Ricardinho, Maxwell, and many more. Maicon, now with Inter Milan (Italy), Luisao, with Benfica (Portugal) and Maxwell who is with FC Barcelona (Spain) all played in the Dallas Cup in 2000. Maicon and Luisao will be playing in the World Cup in South Africa in June for the Brazilian National Team.
Cruzeiro was last in Dallas in 2000. "We are very excited to return to the Dallas Cup. We know how important the Dallas Cup is for the formation, education and fitness improvement of our youth players. I remember like it was just yesterday the tremendous match we played against SC Corinthians (Brazil) in the elimination stage of the 2000 tournament," states the coach at that time, Alexandre Barroso.
Cruzeiro's group features teams from both North America, Central America and Europe with games against 1899 Hoffenheim of Germany, CZ Elite from California and a Wednesday night Pizza Hut Park stadium showdown with Mexican giant Chivas from Guadalajara.
"I'm sure the club will bring their usual exciting style of football to the Dallas Cup," declares Mr. Gordon Jago.
Coach Alexandre Grasseli with Miguel de Lima holding the 2010 Dallas Cup Trophy
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube 2010 Dallas Cup Champions
10th Super Group Title for Brazil
Pensacola (April 7, 2010) --
Brazil has a Super Group legacy like no other country in Dallas Cup competition. Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, second-time competitors in the elite division, proved it belonged and forged a bit of history as well, becoming the 10th Brazilian Super Group champion.
Miguel de Lima, the liason between the Dallas Cup and Cruzeiro stated, "This was a very young team. We didn't have any players that were born in 1991. We were playing against players much older, taller, and physically stronger than us. Although this gave us a disadvantage, each of the players possessed individual technique and the coaching done by head coach Alexandre Grasseli allowed the players to overcome their disadvantages and win the championship."
Having won the preliminary games against CZ Elite from the United States 2 x 1, a 5 x 1 victory over Hoffenhein from Germany, and close 2 x 1 triumph against the Chivas from Mexico, Cruzeiro earned its spot in the semifinal against Tottenhan Hotspur F.C. from England. Beating Tottenham Hotspur F.C. 3 x 1 in the semifinal, Cruzeiro played its last opponent in the final game Sunday night against C.F. Monterrey from Mexico. Before Cruzeiro could claim the coveted ball and boot trophy, it had to stave off a fierce rally by the Rayados that lifted the Mexican team from a 2-0 deficit in four frantic second-half minutes to a 2-2 draw in the 79th minute. There were four minutes of added time and a lot happened very quickly. The Brazilian team again stepped up, pulling ahead 4-2 about two minutes into the stoppage time;thus, winning the ball and boot trophy with a score of 4 x 2.
Delima Soccer commends the team for their victory and is looking forward to next year's Dallas Cup tournament.
From Amateur to Professional: What Does It Take?
On June 21, Miguel de Lima, founder and President of DSE, had the privilege to speak to over 100 soccer players and parents at ABC F.C.'s Soccer School in Natal, Brazil. Miguel passionately told how his poverty-stricken childhood did not prevent him from making his dreams come true. The young players listened intentively as Miguel motivated the players to set definite goals ahead of them. "It does not matter if you become a professional soccer player or a shoe-shiner, you must have objectives in life and you must work hard at what you do. Always obey your parents. Respect your coach. Always be on time to practices and games." Miguel continued.
"You must remain focused on your task and you must know what is beneficial for you as a soccer player. You must eat healthy foods, rest properly, and abstain from partying, smoking, alcohol, and drugs. You must be willing to make sacrifices and work hard, very hard. " Miguel concluded by stating that although he had a very successful soccer career, the most important decision he made was when he came to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Miguel shared that with God everything is possible.
Miguel thanks the ABC Soccer School for this opportunity.
Five Time World Champions Named Host Nation for 2014 FIFA World Cup
Brazil has been named Host Nation by the FIFA Executive Committee for the 20th FIFA World Cup taking place June-July 2014. It will be the second time Brazil has hosted the competition after the 1950 FIFA World Cup and fifth to host the FIFA World Cup twice, after Mexico, Italy, France, and Germany.
The president of FIFA, Joseph Blatter, recently unveiled the name of the 12 venue cities for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The cities that will host the games will be Brasilia (the capitol of Brazil), Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Cuiaba, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre, Natal, Recife, Manaus, and Salvador. The 12 cities were chosen from 17 candidates after inspections of accessibility,infrastructure,and potential security arrangements were carried out in January and February.
Delima Soccer offers programs to Natal, Curitiba, Sao Paulo, and Belo Horizonte. With all of these cities chosen to host the World Cup, Delima Soccer is excited to offer special packages for players and teams in the near future. Do not miss out of this opportunity to experience the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Sao Paulo F.C. Wins Super Group Title at the Dallas Cup XXX
Pensacola (April 21, 2009) -- The Dallas Cup XXX was once again a success for Sao Paulo F.C. and for Delima Soccer.
Having won the preliminary games in the Super Group against the Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany), Dallas Texans Red (USA), and Manchester City (England), Sao Paulo came into the finals with high expectations. Sao Paulo scored four goals in the first sixteen minutes of the finals against the Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada) and won a secure victory.
Sao Paulo FC is the first club to win three Dallas Cup Championships. The team won in 1995, 2007, and has recaptured the title in 2009.
Delima Soccer commends the team for their victory and is looking forward to next year's tournament.
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