Ohio Elite Soccer Academy 256 East Sharon Road Cincinnati, Ohio OESA ITP Reviews

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Ambrose Rose
7 years ago
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1 OESA ITP Reviews Spain Brazil Marc - This was an amazing trip, filled with incredible experiences that I will never forget. Thank you (and Sergio) for your hard work and vision to make this happen. We had a blast!!! Each day was an adventure with its own highlights. Day 1 was an exciting start, starting with the 11 hour flight through the night, arriving in Rio, walking around the grounds of the Fluminense training complex as we dropped off the players and coaches and then arriving at the famed Hotel Debret on the Copacabana in Rio De Janeiro just hours after The Pope said mass to 2 million people on the beach. They all must have prayed for great weather, because all we had was fabulous sunshine during the day and cool evenings! The fact that there was so much soccer for the kids and lots of interactions with Brazilian players and coaches made this a tremendous learning opportunity for our boys. The Brazilian clubs we played against were very welcoming and hospitable - I think they liked playing against the Americans as much as we liked playing against them. I certainly enjoyed our excursions to the beautiful touristy places that you see on the postcards, like Cristo Redentor, Sugar Loaf Mountain and the days I went running on Copacabana Beach and Ipanema Beach, but you can't visit Rio without being touched by the poverty you see all around, with one favela after another after another. I would add, the people we saw seemed happy and I never felt unsafe for a minute. I really enjoyed meeting so many new Ohio Elite parents and spending time with them throughout the day, starting with breakfast each morning on the 12th Floor, overlooking the beautiful Copacabana to unwinding at the end of a long day at a local establishment or at one of the many "beach bars." We all struggled with the language barrier, but after a few days, we just had fun with it and I think it helped to bring our group closer together as we commiserated with each other, shared experiences and helped each other to manage the day.

2 There are so many highlights, but the two matches we saw at Maracana Stadium stand out for me. The excitement of going to a legendary stadium to watch professional soccer in Brazil is hard to imagine. I thought how fortunate I am to be able to experience this and that so few people ever would ever even think of taking a trip like this. Of course, our first game to watch Fluminense play was marred by a 2 hour traffic jam and we arrived just as the game started. But, even the traffic, is just part of the experience and we all took it in stride. The place erupted when Fred scored to give Fluminense a 1-0 lead, which they held on to win. We made sure to get to the second match at Maracana early, and that made all the difference. I knew we were about to experience something extraordinary when we got off the bus at Maracana Stadium and walked past a security force that was several hundred strong. They looked serious and ready to take action if need be. On our way into the game, our kids got their faces painted, which made them feel like authentic South American soccer fans. Shortly after we took our seats in the Botafogo section inside the Stadium, lots and lots of Botafogo fans start piling in. A group of about 50 enthusiastic Botafogo fans sat directly behind us and start waving their 20 foot flags, chanting their songs and banging that bass drum. Soon, the whole stadium was chanting. They were nice enough to give our boys smaller flags and appreciated that we would be cheering for them. My ears were ringing from their loud chants and drum and it was still 30 minutes before the game was supposed to start. The drum pounding and chanting increased 10-fold as the game started. Shortly after, when Botafogo scored its first goal, the fans went completely crazy. IT WAS UNREAL. And we were right in the middle of it!! Of course the drum kept pounding and the fans chanting for the full 90 minute game. But that's not all. As we exited the stadium, walking down the ramps, they were still chanting and pounding that bass drum. I have never experienced anything like that, nor will I probably ever again. South American soccer at its finest!! I think we all became Botafogo fans for life!! Ken Gorski The best experience about Brazil was being able to play with the Fluminense youth academy. Also being able to have this once in a lifetime opportunity to go to Brazil. Another is knowing how much this country loves to play "FUTEBOL." Thank you, Justin Milov

3 Argentina Welcome back! The description of the trip from Sam sounded amazing. He said, "It was the greatest thing that has happened so far in my life. It was a bit of a challenge for him to readjust to life here, but it didn't take too long; a day or two. Thx. Bob Thank you for organizing such a wonderful experience for the boys. This was an unforgettable trip for Woody. He learned so much and we are very appreciative of all you did to make this happen. Thanks again for all you do. Carol Rosenau Thank you Marc it was a fantastic opportunity! Rielly loved it and I hope he learned something as well - we will see how he plays shortly! Best Regards, Pat Dowling Thank you. Despite possibly getting a little home sick near the end, Jack had an amazing time. We have heard great stories and enthusiasm regarding the experience. I hope he can continue to build upon it. Melissa F. Berner, Esq.

4 Thank you again for not only providing the boys the opportunity to go, but also taking time away from your personal lives to go down and remain involved. Caleb was really and is still intrigued by the lifestyle at the Gimnasia complex. And it wasn't glitz and glamour; it was more basic things... from playing on the first division fields (which he seems to recognize the importance of) and experiencing the game to the rustic way of cooking and simple accommodations. I really hope the "newness" and recent memory of the trip is something Caleb holds onto because he's seen a glimpse of a true soccer lifestyle and it was overwhelming to him. But really and sincerely, thanks so much for taking the responsibility and offering this to all the boys. I hope they all took away as much from the trip as Caleb did. Benjy W Marc - First of all, a HUGE thank you being the visionary of the ITP! I can only imagine the planning & re-planning, communications, preparations & everything else that goes with managing & executive such a trip! We sure knew that the trip to Argentina & Uruguay would be very exciting for Soham & the traveling kids. I also though that Soham being traveling to India (through Europe) for almost every months, this trip may not be as much extraordinary. Was I wrong? And, very happily so. The football-soccer part of it made such a huge difference! This trip sure made a strong impression & world of impact, literally, on Soham's mind. It is obvious the participants' understood what is different & what could be good & better given the culture, heritage, passion & history of the place & their people. No school can teach such understanding & live experience. Their is also a direct impact on the siblings Thank you so much for all the trouble you took & obstacles you had to go through in building this program & personally coordinating the trip!

5 Safe travel back... And, Best Wishes for 'Long Live ITP'! Regards. Bitan & Sandip Argentina I just wanted to send you a quick note about the Argentina disks with all the pictures and video you put together. Thank you for all the time you put into it. I really appreciate all the work. The trip is one of the highlights of my life so far and I really value the time and effort you put into it to make it a quality experience. I hope all is well. Sincerely, Matt I was blessed to have the opportunity to train in Argentina. It was a life changing experience. It was great to experience a different culture and to experience the lifestyle of Argentina. The level of soccer was extremely high and it was fun to compete with and against great players. Thank you, Trey Lonneman I'd like to thank you all in advance for what you about to do for our boys. Never has Joey ever been more excited! This is an experience that he will always remember. Marc - you have no idea how much appreciation we have for all you have done. Thank you for being more than just a soccer coach. You have proven again and again that you are a great mentor for these boys. They will always remember you May God Bless all of you and keep you safe from harm. The Kunkels

LESSON TITLE: Jesus Visits Mary and Martha THEME: Jesus wants us to spend time with \ Him. SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:38-42

$LESSON TITLE: Jesus Visits Mary and Martha THEME: Jesus wants us to spend time with \ Him. SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:38-42$ Devotion NT249 CHILDREN S DEVOTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF: LESSON TITLE: Jesus Visits Mary and Martha THEME: Jesus wants us to spend time with \ Him. SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:38-42 Dear Parents Welcome to Bible Time