July 18, 2019
Rising senior Luciano Iocco will be travelling to Spain for ten days to train with the Real Madrid C.F. and the Valencia C.F. Academy coaches. Iocco will be travelling with his club soccer team, F.C. Frederick and will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play inside of professional teams training grounds and stadiums.
Over the course of the trip he will tour each Madrid, the capital of Spain and Valencia, a city on the east coast of Spain. He could also get a chance to go to the beach on the Mediterranean coast. When he is not on the soccer pitch, he will be able to experience the culture and nightlife of Spain.
Iocco and his club team will spend six days in Madrid and four days in Valencia. In addition to practice every day, the club will play three or four exhibition matches against local club teams. Spain has a reputation as world leaders in soccer, winning the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Soccer in Europe is the equivalent to football in America, therefore, Iocco’s team will be facing some very strong competition, but they’re ready for the challenge.
“I’m excited to see how different teams across the world play differently than us. It should be tiring, but fun,” said Iocco.
Iocco has been devoted to soccer since he was four years old. He started his club soccer career playing for Alliance soccer club when he was 12 years old and then moved to F.C. Frederick two years ago. For his high school soccer career, he is a three year varsity player and was a first year captain for the 2018 season.
Alongside Iocco, 15 members of his team and other members of the club will be travelling to Spain. This international trip was made available for any members of F.C. Frederick who are in high school. A trip like this, is surely not inexpensive, however.
Iocco’s teammate and senior at Tuscarora High School, Jack Lillis is also excited for the trip. “I’m most excited for the chance to learn from coaches of the highest level,” said Lillis. “I expect the coaches to be tough on us, but I want to try and get the most out of each session.”
The club’s trip to Spain was organized by Generation Adidas International (GAI), a company that sets up international trips for teams around the world to experience new styles of soccer and cultures. GAI also helps kids grow by giving them the chance to learn from some of the most prestigious coaches in the world.
“This is an amazing opportunity that I never expected to be a part of and I am very lucky that I have the chance to participate,” said Iocco.
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