November 2005

PAGE 19

Journey of a Lifetime:

ODP Players Take

Three Washington State Youth Soccer Association players were selected to tour

Prague, Czech Republic with the Region IV 1989/90 boys ODP team from

March 20-28, 2005:

WSYSA Team Name

Gender/Age Level of Play

Soccer To Prague

Brooks Hopp

LWYSA Crossfire Premier `89-James

BU-15

Premier I

Daniel Wenzel

T-PCJSA FC United `89

BU-15

Premier I

Brandon Zimmerman LWYSA Crossfire Premier `89-James

BU-15

Premier I

It was a great opportunity to explore that part of Europe, which has a dark past

and to experience some of the best soccer in the world. In the August issue of

wouldn't be telling the entire truth.

DAY 6 - 3/25/2005

Play On!, Brandon Zimmerman shared his perspective of the trip. This month,

Yes... I scored, but... when the team

Well today is Friday and it is hard to

we hear from Daniel Wenzel.

walked out... they looked about ten

believe I have now missed an entire

years old!! A couple of them were no

week of school. Prague is so different

taller than my chest!! We beat them 17-0

from Federal Way that I may as well be

when it was all said and done. I guess the

on the moon. I am finally adjusted to the

European contact who set up all the

time change, which means that I'll have

games didn't emphasize that we were a

to deal with it even worse on the way

REGIONAL ODP team--and so they

back home. To top it all off, they are hav-

didn't take us seriously, sending out a far

ing the end of daylight savings here on

younger team to play us. I can't even

Saturday night, and that will make the

remember their name--tomorrow is

time difference 10 hours ahead of every-

against Sparta Praha - and promises to be

one back home instead of nine. Besides

better. Much better.

missing an hour more of sleep...

Today we went back to Old Town

Roster:

Region IV Prague Tour

DAY 3 ­ 3/22/2005

which is my favorite place. In Czech

NAME

STATE

Today we toured the Prague Castle

By Daniel Wenzel

they call Old Town "Stare Mesto". Let me

in the morning which was amazing, then

Brooks Hopp

WA

tell you about the Astronomical Clock in

saw where they filmed XXX with Vin

DAY 1 ­ 3/20/2005

Kyle Verle

CN

the tower of Old Town Hall. This clock

Deisel, and some older movie about

got up at 4:00 am to get ready so I can

I

was built in 1490 by Jan Hanus. 1490!

Daniel Barrera

CS

Mozart. Supposedly the Prague Castle

meet Brooks Hopp, a player and friend

That's before Columbus even sailed the

area looks more like Vienna, Austria,

Mykell Bates

CN

on the trip at 4:45 by the ticket counter.

ocean blue! This clock is incredible.

then Vienna does! There were gargoyles

Rodrigo Da Silva

CS

My flight is at 6:30 am. Brandon

Every hour it chimes and the crowds

hanging off buildings, and all sorts of

Zimmerman, the other Washington play-

eagerly gather around it. The clock is not

Alexander Deitz

CO

incredible architecture. Afterwards we

er on the trip is flying out of Portland

meant to tell you the exact time of day,

went into Old Town and got to be

Caleb Escobedo

OR

since he lives in Pasco. Unfortunately,

but an approximate. Yet it comes pretty

tourists.

Rod Fahmian

CS

and because of the early hour I had a stu-

dang close. When it was built, they

In the afternoon we arrived at the

pid argument with my dad on the way to

Cody Felipe

HI

thought that the Earth was the center of

Sparta training facility. It is incredible--

the airport. I can't even remember now

the universe and the sun and moon orbit-

it can seat 100,000 people. Now THIS

Mizuki Hamada

CN

what it was about! We were both tired

ed around the earth! It can tell you what

team was more like it. They were big.

Christopher Harris

CN

and cranky and I felt bad to leave in a dis-

season of the year we are in, and shows

Tall and built. They snickered at us when

Temistocles Molinar

AZ

agreement. He was checking his and my

the orbits of the sun and moon through

we were warming up and laughed at my

mom's baggage in after helping to get

the 12 signs of the zodiac and what part

Mauricio Murillo

CN

Dad taking pictures. They really laughed

me settled. My parents are flying direct

of the zodiac is currently in the sky --

when the So. California boys knelt and

Damir Trncic

CO

to Prague at 8:00 am, where as Brooks

which was very important when the

crossed themselves before the game--

Abraham Villon

CS

and I will be meeting up with Brandon

clock it was created. The clock has an

chanting in Czech what I can only guess

Daniel Wenzel

WA

and the rest of the Region IV team in LA,

outer ring with medieval Arabic numer-

was something like "you'll be needing

and leaving for Prague from there. It will

als that measure old Bohemian time in

those prayers!!" We ended the half (with

Victor Yanez

CS

be a LOOOOONG flight. I'm used to fly-

which a day of 24 hours was reckoned

one of their club players reffing) at 0-0

Brandon Zimmerman

WA

ing a lot now, and try to remember the

with the setting of the sun. Then there is

after some questionable calls. We came

importance of staying hydrated. Once

a ring of Roman numerals which has

back hard again in the second half and

DAY 2 ­ 3/21/2005

we get to San Jose at 8:30, we'll have a

time as we know it.

pressured hard, finally Timi from Arizona

Well today we are all dragging from

2 hour lay-over before flying to LA at

made a heck of a run and scored with

When the clock chimes first a skele-

the time change and are stiff from so

maybe 10 minutes left in the game. We

10:45. THEN we have another 4 hours

ton pulls on the chain ­ the skeleton

many hours in the air. Our hotel is not

sat back and defended hard for another

before finally leaving for Europe. Lots of

represents both Time and Death, as

that comfortable either and the bed

15 to 20 minutes... yes--it went on

hurrying up and then waiting. I have

everyone in their own time WILL die.

was.... for lack of a nicer word, it was

MUCH MUCH longer than it should

games on my cell phone, and brought

Then a dude in a Turban who is next to

BAD. That is as nice as I'll get. My bed-

have. The whistle blew immediately

the Skeleton called the Turk shakes his

along homework, a book, and some

room at home is bigger than this 4 per-

after they called a foul in the box and

head. The Turk represents "Lust". On

cards. I'm sure we'll get some games

son room here. Already it stinks from so

tied it up at 1-1. Talk about being home-

the other side a man holding a hand mir-

going. It's also fun to just chill and peo-

red!! But, it was one of the most exciting

many bodies--and we haven't really

ror nods up and down at himself, he is

ple watch or get in a corner and juggle.

and physical games I've ever played in. I

even trained yet. I can only imagine how

"Vanity" and lastly next to him is a man

We also grabbed a bite to eat and made

started and was not subbed out. It was

much worse it will be by the end of the

with a purse who represents a Jewish

some final cell phone calls to friends

hard to be upset, even though we felt

trip as the laundry starts to pile up!

money lender and is named "Greed".

back home before taking off and not hav-

robbed of our win after playing at such a

We met our tour guide Peter, a

Greed just stands there. When "Death"

ing cell access for 10 days!

competitive level. We stayed and

Czech college student who goes to

has pulled the rope in his right hand, the

Here's a roster of who is going. Most

watched the Finnish National team train

University in England. He speaks six lan-

hour glass he has in his left hand is

of these players I know from either ODP

for a bit--they play the Czech National

tipped upside down. Above these char-

guages and is a cool guy. We're all excit-

Regional camp, other Region IV trips

team our last day here for a World Cup

acters and the clock face are two doors

ed for today's afternoon game and did a

such as Inter-regionals in Austin over

Qualifying match. They were great. I

like on a cuckoo clock (not 1, but 2) Out

light warm-up work out this morning.

Thanksgiving, or the ODP regional tour-

talked with my parents for the first time

of these doors while Death is pulling the

The excitement was building as our

ney in Las Vegas in January. I also know

on the trip. We rode the bus back to the

rope, 12 Apostles move in and out of the

tour bus pulled through a small town

a few from National camp last summer.

hotel and ate pizza for dinner.

doorways. Actually there are 11 Apostles

and up to the town's soccer complex

Several of them have become friends

and St. Paul. The first one out the door is

and club house. Pretty nice--locker

that I instant message with, so it's always

DAY 4 and DAY 5

St. Peter which is both appropriate and

rooms, turf fields, two story club house.

fun to get together with old friends. I'm

Editor's Note: Due to the excitement

I could tell you all how I scored a couple

really getting pumped for this trip. I've

of the trip and busy schedule the team

of nice headers-- which I DID, but that

endured, Day 4 and 5 were a blur.

never been to Europe.

(continued on next page)