Renaissance Men

After a late arrival to the Tuscany Inn last night, we had a few extra hours to sleep in. Wakeup call was 7:30 and after some light jogging we had breakfast and got back on the bus. We headed into Florence where we met a local guide who took us on a walking tour of the city center. As we walked the same streets as Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael we saw the Cathedral of Florence, or Duomo, and its accompanying baptistry and bell tower. The streets were crowded and the weather was warm and sunny. Our tour guide also pointed out the Gates of Paradise, the Medici Palace, and the Statue of David.

We then had free time for lunch, shopping, and exploration. Corey Howard, who spent his last semester studying in Florence, pointed out some of his favorite haunts (he knows where to get the best pizza and gelato). Many of the guys also enjoyed bartering with the street vendors to pick up some gifts and souveniers. We reconvened as a group to tour the Uffizi. We actually saw some of the paintings we have been studying in the course which was very cool.

After the Uffizi, we boarded the bus for a quick trip to Coverciano, the Italian "Temple of Soccer." Here the guys were privileged to hold a training session on their field, which is not open to the public. The team trained with the director of coaching for the entire National Italian Program. He was very excited and eager to work with an American club and teach them different Italian strategies and tactics. The session was focused on defensive zone positioning, 1v1, and defending as a unit. One aspect the team found to be difficult was the language barrier. Thankfully one of our players, Alex Mazzella, was able to bridge the gap by interpreting the instructions of the Italian coach which helped the practice run smoothly. It was a great experience for the team to play and train in the same facility as the Italian National Soccer Team.

The bus ride back to the hotel was energetic and after brief showers we had a dinner of ravioli, chicken cacciatore, and gelato. Class was held post dinner and we discussed many of the things we saw that day. After class everyone relaxed in the hotel as we have another early wakeup call tomorrow.