Saints overseas: CSS men’s soccer prepping for preseason tour in England

The College of St. Scholastica (CSS) men’s soccer team kicked off their first week of practice on Monday, but they’re preparing to hit a pitch much farther than the Northland.

The Saints are heading overseas for preseason practice in England. The team departs this Friday for a 10-day practice tour in the home country of their head coach Barry Chastey and five players.

“We’re allowed to do it every four years, well every three years, but we choose to do it every four years so that everybody gets an opportunity to go,” Chastey explained. “Unfortunately our seniors last year didn’t, so that was a little disappointing, but now these guys get to experience it and it’s a trip of a lifetime. It’s unbelievable.”

While in England CSS will play four exhibition games against local clubs, and watch three English Premier League events. They will also have training sessions at top-level academies.

“It’s an enormous pleasure to be part of the team and to have this opportunity to go abroad, especially to England, a country that is really important for soccer,” junior midfielder Guilherme Silva said. “I hope for us, for all the team, that we enjoy it at the most.”

The Saints last made this trek in 2018 and will first face Tooting & Mitcham United FC on Monday.

They will return home August 29, then officially kickoff their season September 3 hosting the Milwaukee School of Engineering.