Hailey Lightning Football Club Returns From England
with New Skills and New Perspectives
BY ROBIN SIAS
On a blazing hot July afternoon on Keefer field, Hailey Lightning Football Club players were laser-focused on drills, preparing for the Park City Extreme Cup. While their cleats were on the uneven field in the shadow of the Idaho mountains, their minds lingered on the pristine turf of the Manchester City football team training facilities — fields where they had run the same drills just a few weeks ago.
The team, accompanied by coaches Larry Schwartz and Weylin Barrett, and a small cohort of parents, spent a week as guests of the Manchester City Football Club in late June. The timing could not have been more exciting for soccer fans as Man City won the elusive ‘treble’ during the 2022-23 season, clinching the Premiere League, Champions League, and Football Association Challenge Cup.
The U-16 players from the Wood River Valley got to be a part of the excitement, training with the coaches of the Man City Academy teams, playing multiple games, touring not one, not two, but three professional stadiums (Man City, Man United, and Liverpool), and exploring historic Manchester. “Man City is the best in the world,” enthused Schwartz. “We love their style of play, so this was a perfect match for us.”
Coach Schwartz said the experience was beyond what he imagined. “I had extremely high expectations for this trip, and they were exceeded in every way,” he said. Aside from Barrett’s luggage being slightly delayed, the team had zero glitches. “I had been planning everything with our liaison from Man City for months and when we arrived, it all went exactly as anticipated. Our liaison was beyond professional, and our stay was seamless,” Schwartz added.
But beyond what was planned, it was the unexpected aspects of the trip that will remain with the team and the coaches for years to come. Schwartz said, “For me, as the coach and GM of the team who knew what to expect, the most important thing ended up being having all 21 of our players together. The shared experience, this ultimate bonding experience, can never be replicated.”
The players agree. When asked about the highlight of the trip, every member of the team expressed that this once-in-a-lifetime experience was made especially memorable because of their teammates. While the soccer training and competition were life-changing and the boys came home motivated to continue to improve their skills and their level of play, what they said they will remember most is being in England together. Mateo de la Torre only half-jokingly said one of the best parts of the week for him was piling eight teammates into his hotel room to watch a horror movie. Like every team of teenagers in any part of the world, some of the most lasting memories at a tournament are made off the field! Team bonding was made even more special for the boys when Alejandro Gutierrez, a longtime teammate who has since moved to Costa Rica, surprised the team when he came to train with them. “He arrived before we did with his father,” Schwartz explained. “He was waiting in the lobby when we checked in and the kids just went crazy.”
Other unexpected highlights included how much the team enjoyed staying in the middle of Manchester and having some down time to explore the city. “We gave them quite a bit of freedom and they were incredibly responsible,” Schwartz said. The whole group found Manchester to be a surprise in the best way possible. “I think it’s the nicest city I’ve been to. It’s very impressive,” Schwartz said. “Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful right out of the gate. And when they found out we were an American soccer team training at Man City, we might as well have been pros. Everyone was really excited for us and incredibly welcoming. We also had fun explaining to people where Idaho is.” The boys also made friends with some of the competitors on other teams, exchanging social media, and telling each other about their hometowns, explored cultural landmarks, and had fun seeing what unfamiliar items they could buy at the chain grocery/convenience store, Tesco’s.
And, of course, the training was exceptional and pushed the team. As goalie Victor Hernandez said, “On the second day, we got humbled real quick!” Nandy Inga explained, “They have a very different style of play, very fast. It’s very aggressive and technical. We learned a lot.” Victor added, “The intensity was much higher than we are used to.” Both the soccer and the experience, collectively, contributed to the group coming back tighter than ever, as closer friends, more supportive teammates, and full of new possibilities.
Possibilities are the greatest takeaway for Schwartz, and, he thinks, for the team, as well. “In the middle of all this excitement, we had an impromptu team meeting at the hotel,” Schwartz recalled. “It was initially about goal setting, but the theme became not only that but, ‘Tell me what’s impossible.’ We had just trained with Man City that morning. We were playing games in England that afternoon. I told them, given where we were at that moment, ‘I don’t know what’s impossible anymore.’ We never thought this could happen, so what else can happen? We are always talking next steps with the players, not only in soccer but in life. This was the perfect moment to remind them that we know they can do big things with their lives.”
Back on the bumpy grass at Keefer field, every single player said they were missing the pristine turf of Man City’s practice fields. But they were excited for the next game and to keep working to improve their skills. It was obvious they were a tight-knit group and more cohesive than ever for the experience they shared in England.
Schwartz and Barrett said they sincerely thank the generous Wood River Valley community who helped make this trip possible for every member on the team. And Schwartz added the community would be very proud of the kids. “They really rose to the occasion. Everywhere we went, someone commented on how respectful and polite the group was. They represented Hailey, Idaho, and America admirably. We were very proud of them.”