ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, May 23, 1996 TAG: 9605230100
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
As soccer is lauded as the international sport, it naturally follows to play it internationally. But outside of the Olympics, which are limited to the elite few, most soccer players don't get the opportunity to tour and play soccer in foreign countries.
The Roanoke Star youth soccer club decided to change that five years ago, when it started making an annual trip to Germany and Denmark as a highlight of its year. The Under-15 boys' white team made its first journey in 1992. Since then, four other U-15 teams have gone, and this summer, the U-16 girls' team will join them.
``It's a little bit scary,'' said Lynn Genheimer, manager of this year's U-15 team. Her son, Christopher, has been playing with the Star since he was 9, and Lynn has managed his team for five seasons, but she admitted that there is much more involved in planning a trip to Europe than to Johnson City, Tenn., or High Point, N.C., for example.
Fund raising and administrative details are perennially two of the largest concerns, but with previous tour groups serving as able consultants, most of the problems have been eliminated.
Star executive director Danny Beamer has made all of the trips. He has cultivated a strong relationship with an out-of-state travel agency that coordinates a detailed three-week itinerary. Staying in players' homes, playing as much soccer as possible, and taking advantage of diverse sightseeing opportunities requires considerable planning.
The trip culminates with play in the Dana Cup, a five-day tournament in Denmark that draws 900 teams from all over the world. The tournament has an Olympic-type atmosphere, Genheimer said. The club pays a portion of each player's expenses, but as the total cost for each traveler runs about $2,000, fund raising is essential. Teams have run concession stands at tournaments as well as sold wrapping paper, umbrellas, ponchos and Gatorade.
As a number of parents and coaches accompany the team, discipline has never been a problem. "Not with Danny Beamer it isn't,'' Genheimer said, explaining that players who aren't ``with the program'' quickly will be dispatched to Roanoke.
One parent who made last summer's trip was Bob Herbert, city manager of Roanoke and father of soccer player Adam. ``I never really thought I could get away for that length of time,'' Herbert said. ``I thought 24 days might wear us [his office] a little thin. I'd never taken more than two weeks of vacation at one time.''
Herbert was surprised. ``Danny Beamer really prepared the team,'' he said. ``These boys had an opportunity to act mature and be responsible, and I think their behavior went beyond all parents' expectations.''
``I haven't heard of anyone who didn't love the trip,'' Genheimer said.
``It's the best thing I've ever done with my son,'' Herbert said. ``And I've done a lot of things with him.''
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