International Travel











1993
Men's Soccer 1993 European Trip Pictures
In August 1993, head coach Andy Marcinko took 14 members of the Rhodes men's soccer team on a tour of the Czech Republic and Austria, marking the first time a Rhodes athletic team had ever competed outside the United States. Hosted by F.C. Brno of the Czech First Division, the team played seven games in nine days and posted a very respectable 2-4-1 record, considering the competition. They trained with professional F.C. Brno coaches, as well as with the Czech Republic national team assistant coach, Masapust, who was European player of the year in 1962 and a member of the Czech World Cup squad in the 1960s.
Rhodes also opened F.C. Brno's new athletic facility with a 3-2 victory over the Czech Division I champions of 1978. The team also traveled to Bratislava in the Slovak Republic, where they matched up with Slovan Bratislava for a match that ended in a 2-2- draw. The highlight of the trip, however, was challenging professional team Dukla Prague, resulting in a 2-0 loss, in their 40,000-seat stadium.

1996
In August 1996, the men's team traveled to Europe for a 10-day tour of Holland, Germany and Belgium. Based at the Bleyerheide Sports Center in Kerkrade Holland, not far from the German border, Rhodes played against three professional teams that were on preseason training tours of Holland--Kfar Saba and Hapeol Askolon from Israel, and Ismailya from Egypt. Other games were against Borussia Brand of the German First Division Amateur League, Dutch First Division Amateurs F.C. Venlo, and Lindenheuvel. The players attended several professional games, as well, including the final games of the Limburg Cup with Dutch teams Fortuna Sittard, MVV, Venlo VV, and JC Roda. The team also trained with Fortuna Sittard's head coach Pim Verbeek and assistant Jan Lauers. When they weren't playing soccer, the Lynx went on sightseeing trips to Liege, Belgium; Achen and Cologne, Germany; and Maastricht and Amsterdam, Holland.		Men's Soccer 1996 European Trip Pictures


1998
A group of soccer alumni also made a trip to Europe in 1998. Coach Andy Marcinko and four men's alumni: Everette Herring '94, Justin Klestinski '94, Brian O'Neill '94, and Andy Wildman '96, traveled to France for the 1998 World Cup. All were veterans of previous Rhodes Soccer tours. Based in Paris, the group was able to attend a game at Stade de France and watched several others at the main square. They also traveled to Bordeaux to see a second round game between Romania and Croatia. When not watching games, they visited sights in Paris and also traveled to Versaille, Mont St. Michel, Caen, and Marseille.


1999
1999 saw the men's soccer team travel to Europe in early August for an 11 day preseason tour of Germany and Austria. The team of 14 players was based at the Gundelfingen traning center in Gundelfingen, Germany (between Munich and Stuttgart) for 7 days before moving on to Salzburg, Austria for 4 days. Hosted by FC Gundelfingen, the squad trained daily and played several local amateur teams from Landesberg, Bachagel, Lauidinberg and Dillingen--winning each game. The most difficult match of the trip took place in Salzburg, against ASK-Salzburg, a Landesliga 2 team (Austrian 2nd Division).		Men's Soccer 1999 European Trip Pictures
Facing a much more skillful Austrian team, the Lynx played an organized and stingy defense, only to give up a goal in the 86th minute and settle for a 1-1 tie and a 4-0-1 record for the tour. Although it was primarily a soccer trip, the group was able to venture out and enjoy many of the surrounding cities and sights. Some of the most memorable sights were Neuschwanstein Castle near Schwangau, Ulm Cathedral, the second largest Gothic cathedral in Germany, Hitler's Eagle's Nest above Berchtesgarden, Salzburg Fortress, the concentration camp memorial at Dachau, Olympic Village in Munich, and the Royal Palace in Stuttgart. The team also witnessed a total solar eclipse, the last of the millennium, while visiting Berchtesgarden.

2002
Marcinko and the Rhodes men's soccer team added another chapter to an already storied international travel history August 1-13, 2002 with a preseason tour to Austria, Germany, and Hungary. After arriving in Munich, the team spent two days in Salzburg, Austria, sightseeing and adjusting to the time change. The team then moved on to its training center in Stubenburg, Austria, at the Schielleiten Sports Center-one of six National Sports Centers in Austria. Schloss Schielleiten (Castle Schielleiten) is an 18th-century palace that was converted into a sports center in the early 1930's.		2002 European Tour Pictures
Rhodes was able to play four of its six scheduled friendly matches, having to cancel two of the contests due to the the heavy rains and flooding that plagued the area during most of August. The team traveled to Szombathley, Hungary for its first match, which resulted in a tie with Haladas. Rhodes then hosted and defeated USV Kaindorf, but later lost to a very good Sturm Graz team-one of the top professional clubs in Austria. After an eight day stay at Schielleiten, the team moved on to Vienna for two days and was able to enjoy many of the sights of the Hofburg and the Imperial City. Rhodes also played its last match in Vienna, defeating USV Gablitz to end the tour with a 2-1-1 record. Although it was mainly a soccer tour, the team was able to get out and see many of the sights in the areas they visited. most memorable were trips to Riegersburg Fortress-a castle built on a 500 ft. volcanic cone; the Armory Museum in Graz; Hohensalzburg Fortress in Salzburg; the State Opera House in Vienna; and Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel, and the Hofbrauhaus-all in Munich.
2006
In 2006, the Rhodes men's soccer team traveled to Germany in August for their 5th International Tour since 1993. The team was based just outside of Frankfurt in Grunberg, at the Hessen Soccer Association's regional training center. The team also spent several days in Erbach, about an hour south of Frankfurt. The team trained every day and played three friendly matches during their stay, beating SG Birklar of Giessen, SV Hassenroth of Verinshiem and losing to TSV Grunberg. When not training, the team was able to explore the surrounding areas which included visits to the Gothic Cathedral in Cologne, Heidelberg Castle, Erbach Palace, Schloss Fulda, Marburg Castle, The Romerberg in Frankfurt and the medieval village of Alsfeld. The 2006 trip was coach Marcinko's 8th international soccer trip since arriving at Rhodes in 1991. Other trips have been as follows... 1993: Czech and Slovack Republics; 1994 (women): Finland and Estonia; 1996: Belgium, Holland and Germany; 1998 (women): Holland, Denmark and Sweden; 1998: Alumni World Cup Trip to France; 1999: Germany and Austria, and 2002: Germany, Austria, and Hungary.		Men's Soccer 2006 European Trip Pictures
2009
The Rhodes Men's Soccer team completed its 6th international preseason trip August 16th, just in time to return for the start of preseason 2009 on August 19th. The team traveled to Munich Germany, Salzburg Austria, and Vienna Austria, where the team was based for most of the trip at the sports center BSFZ Sudstadt. The team also traveled to Bratislava, Slovakia to play a friendly match with Slovan Bratislava, a team the 1993 team also played on the first ever Rhodes Soccer trip. The team was able to play three matches while in Austria, winning two against Austrian club teams ASC Modling and PlayPoint Vienna. While in Munich, the team was able to visit Allianz Stadium the day before Bayern Munich's 2009 home opener. The team also enjoyed the familiar sites of Munich, including the Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche, the Residenz, the Olympic Village, and Nymphenburg Palace. While traveling in Austria, the team visited Melk Abbey and Mathausen concentration camp just outside of Linz. Salzburg visits included the Old Nazi Documentation Center and Bunkers. When the team had time off from training in Vienna, they were able to visit the Hofburg, the Imperial Treasury, Schonbrunn Palace, and St. Stephen's Cathedral. It was an enjoyable trip for everyone (including player/coach Neil Brunetz '97) and a great way to get a jump on the 2009 season.
		Men's Soccer 2009 European Trip Pictures
International travel is an important part of the Rhodes Soccer program. Coach Marcinko's first experiences abroad date back to his youth playing days, when he spent a month in Great Britain, training and playing with a select team from Dallas, TX. Since those days, he has traveled to 34 countries on four continents with soccer teams, sharing soccer experiences along with priceless cultural experienes. The NCAA permits Division III teams to travel abroad once every three years, allowing members of each class the opportunity to make a trip during their four years at Rhodes.
2012 Fifteen members of the Rhodes Soccer team travelled to Germany and Austria an International pre-season tour, August 2-13^th. The team had a successful trip, winning 1 game and tying 3 games. The lone win came against SAK 1914 of Salzburg, Austria in the Lynx' opening match, a 3-2 result. While at the Austrian National training center in Obertraun, the team played 3 more matches, all resulting in 1-1 draws , against SV Ebensee, ASKO Gosau and SV Traunkirchen. The team spent the final 3 days of the trip relaxing in Munich Germany where they toured the Allianz Arena -FC Bayern Museum, The Olympic Village, Schloss Nymphenburg, Dachau Concentration Camp and the Altstadt of Munich. The Rhodes Soccer team travels to Europe for preseason every 3 years. This year's preseason trip marks the 7th European Preseason trip since Marcinko's arrival in 1991.