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Laughlin Coaches 1992 Boy's Region 1 Team in Spain
March 7, 2008
ORONO, Maine--University of Maine men's soccer coach Pat Laughlin recently returned from coaching the 1992 Boy's Region 1 Olympic Development Program team in Spain. The team competed in Barcelona, Spain, from February 23 through March 2 against some of the top European youth teams. The country is divided into four Regions, and Laughlin serves as head coach of the 1992 Boy's Region 1 team. The Region 1 team is made up of top players from the states on the East Coast starting in Virginia and going to Maine. All four Regions at this age group had an Interregional event in Catalonia which is the area of Spain where Barcelona is located in. The teams played four games against Spanish teams while staying in the same resort town of Santa Susanna. The Region 1 team won all four of its games, outscoring its opponents 9-1 in the tournament. The players and coaches were also able to see two games in La Liga, watching both Barcelona and Espanyol. The team also got to do some sightseeing while in Barcelona. "The trip was a great opportunity for the Region 1 players to immerse themselves in another culture," said Laughlin. "We were able to play against some very strong teams while in Spain. I feel that by the end of the trip the Region 1 team had come together and improved. It was a good experience for all involved." US Youth Soccer ODP was initially created in 1977 to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team could be selected for international competition.
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