NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State soccer program is prepped and ready to embark on a spring tour in Costa Rica, as the Redbirds fly out March 8 for a week-long immersive trip.
"As a team, we have long awaited this opportunity to travel overseas to compete and get immersed within a new culture," head coach Brad Silvey said. "We want to thank each donor that has contributed to our fundraising efforts, as this trip would be impossible without their help. I also want to thank our administration and the wonderful staff at Zag Tours that have opened doors and worked to support us in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Some quality competition awaits the Redbirds when they land, with two games scheduled against Costa Rican squads during the trip. ISU will first face off against the Costa Rica U20 National Team (Monday, March 9 – 4:30 p.m. CST kickoff) at the National Team Headquarters in San Jose. Two days later, the Redbirds will match up with Dimas Escazu (Wednesday, March 11 – 11 a.m. CST kickoff) at Garabito Municipal Stadium in Jaco.
"Costa Rica is a soccer-rich country that will provide a high standard of competition and a unique style for our team to face," Silvey stated. "The Costa Rica U20 National Team will be a collection of the country's best players and Dimas Escazu is one of the top teams in the Costa Rican Fútbol Federation. Both teams will provide plenty of opposition and challenges as we look to implement our objectives from winter training and work to build a more connected team."
Beyond the soccer experience and competition, the student-athletes, coaches and staff are looking to make unforgettable memories as they learn about Costa Rican culture, serve the local communities, go on thrilling excursions, and grow closer together as a team. Â
Be sure to follow Illinois State soccer on Twitter (@Redbird_Soccer), Instagram (ISUsoccer) and Facebook for updates on the team's trip to Costa Rica and follow their daily travel log on GoRedbrids.com.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
Â
