Thirty-two football players departed the Wabash College campus early Monday morning for their final destination — Barcelona, Spain.
The NCAA allows Division III teams to participate in a foreign tour once every three years. Wabash has partnered with Global Football for the fourth time since 2003. The Little Giants previously traveled to Austria and Germany (2003), and Panama (2006 and 2013). The travel party to Spain includes players, coaches, and parents, along with a member of the Wabash faculty.
"This will be an absolutely incredible learning experience," Wabash head coach
Don Morel said. "We have some kids going on this trip who haven't traveled outside of the state of Indiana or the only air travel they've experienced has been on the Wabash football trips to Hampden-Sydney and Minneapolis last year. To be a 19-, 20-, or 21-year-old young man and get to go to Europe is pretty amazing. Our guys are really excited about it. I think it's going to be a spectacular trip."
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said rising senior defensive back
CJ McMann. "I'll be traveling with some of my best friends and teammates. This is just another great Wabash experience. This trip really has little to do with football. We get the chance to go to another country and learn about their culture and their history."
The group lands in Barcelona Tuesday and will tour the city before heading to the coastal city of Sitges. Wednesday features an excursion to Montserrat, followed by tours of Pak Guell, La Sagrada Familia, and a dinner in Barcelona Thursday. The team practices Friday before touring the port city of Tarragona. After playing a local club team, Barcelona Uroloki, Saturday the team will spend Sunday in Sitges with a tour of Cambrils on the schedule for Monday before returning to the United States Tuesday.
"This trip will be a tremendous mix of an educational trip, an opportunity to be immersed in the Spanish culture, as well as the chance to spend some time at a popular resort in Sitges," Morel said. "We will visit places that some people wait their whole life to see. All of these Wabash students will get to enjoy this experience.
"We're excited because this is a similar model to the spring break immersion trips that Wabash students get the opportunity to experience. The biggest difference is there will be a football game to play on Saturday."
Austin Nightingale came to Wabash from Gilbert, Arizona. This trip one of the possibilities he understood existed by becoming a Little Giant.
I knew when I chose to come to Wabash College there would be opportunities to explore the world," the rising sophomore quarterback said. " I knew there would be possibilities to go on immersion trips or study abroad my junior year. I never dreamed I would be able to travel to Europe my freshman year. I love seeing, experiencing, and learning new things, so I'm really looking forward to taking in all that I can during this trip."
Fans can receive updates and photos from the team's trip by following @wabashfb on Twitter.
