CAST had the pleasure of hosting students and staff from Texas Schreiner University at Saturday's game vs Mansfield Town.
The students, who hale from various majors of study - from Exercise & Sport Science, to Business to Pre-med - visited The Valley not only to gain understanding and experiences of football in the UK but also to learn about the benefits it has to the local communities and their culture. They also saw how its economic effect both locally and widely impacts the way football is seen in England. This hands-on visit meant that our American counterparts gained first hand learning.
The group spoke to CAST board member Sam White, who offered insight into the immense history of Charlton Athletic and the community's role in moulding the club and how that is hopefully moving forward. He also detailed how the Clubs’ Community Trust does vital work in SE London and Kent, and is born out of the community values and history engrained in SE7 Life and being an Addick.
Student Katelyn Boyd was keen to learn about how players differ between the much watched Premier League and League One, as well as comparisons to the attitude towards football in the UK and USA “It’s crazy to know that so many people play football over here, whereas back home football is something you play at an early age to increase your co-ordination before you graduate onto a more popular sport.”
Students were also keen to learn how fans ‘pick their team’ – with the usual go-to stateside being that you support the team of your favourite player, or just the team you have watched the most. Ryan Dilworth, a student who also plays for the Schreiner University Mountaineers Football Team, was surprised how most fans will pick Charlton based on family history. “It’s great that you pick the side that you are most local to or who your parents support- despite the league they may be in. In America, you do pick the side most local to you, but that’s usually because there’s only one pro team in your whole state! It’s mad that you have so much option in London, and get to pick a team that has so much history or that matches your vibe.”
Also joining the group was young Viviana Dilworth who was attending her first ever football match. Being the youngest on the trip (as a family member of one of the students) this keen under twelve football player wants to see more football and replicate her hero Lionel Messi when she plays as a striker for her team back home. Viviana and her mum were shocked at how academy football in the UK is typically free of charge “We pay a lot of money to enable Viviana to play football, so it is amazing that football is so much more accessible over here – it’s virtually ‘PayToPlay’ back in the States.”