Ask a typical Whitman student how they spent spring break, and you will probably get the same answers: traveling, relaxing, partying, working, and maybe a little bit of studying. In most cases, training with professional sports teams, especially ones outside of the country, is rarely mentioned.

Men’s soccer standouts Brett Axelrod and Stephen Phillips, both seniors, spent their break doing just that.

Axelrod and Phillips practiced with professional and semi-professional English soccer teams for two weeks over break. Men’s head soccer coach, Mike Washington, a native of England and former soccer player, made the trip possible with the help of a friend and former teammate.

“What they had was an invitation to go over and: I wouldn’t say ‘try out’: but to go over and participate in two weeks of training,” said Washington. “They were just hoping to get seen. And if nothing more, just gain some more experience, you know, from different coaches, different training, different settings, to see where their level of playing was compared with other players of their age.”

Since the system of cultivating young soccer talent differs so greatly between the United States and England, Axelrod and Phillips were in a unique situation because of their age. Conversations with English players helped Phillips and Axelrod realize why soccer in England has a much deeper, more developed tradition than in the states. Most players in Europe start out at a young age: as early as nine years old: and participate on elite club teams, often signing professional contracts in their late teens. For Americans, such a progression is rare.

“It’s become a little embarrassing for us to explain the American education [and] athletic system in the U.S. to the guys here,” Axelrod wrote in an online blog set up specifically for their trip (available at: whitmanlads.blogspot.com). “We’re relatively old, being 21 and 22, and it’s almost a joke to [the English] that we’re trying to start playing pro now, when they’ve been established for three years at least when they’re 21 or 22. It’s become pretty obvious to us why American soccer is so stunted in its growth and why more Americans don’t play in Europe.”

Despite having to deal with an unorthodox practice regimen and a significant cultural disadvantage throughout their trip, Axelrod and Phillips fared relatively well among the English players. They both feel that playing professionally or semi-professionally in the future, at some level, is still a possibility.

“We didn’t play our complete best. You know, being shuttled around for two weeks, pretty much playing everyday… we were kind of exhausted,” said Axelrod. “But we played pretty well. All things considered, [England] is definitely a place that we could play right now. We’re both very comfortable playing at the League 1 level, which is two levels below the premier league, the highest level.”

It may be the case that Phillips and Axelrod’s situation is really a blessing in disguise. While many of the English players have had more intense soccer training in their youth, Phillip and Axelrod have also benefited from an arguably more thorough education.

“One big reflection I’ve had is that a lot of these English guys, though it’s sweet that they’re so good [at soccer], aren’t going to make it professionally,” Phillips said. “I feel like, after soccer, a lot of those guys won’t have much in terms of an education. So it’s nice that Brett and I have a college degree to fall back on.”
For now, though, both Axelrod and Phillips need to prepare for and finish up their senior examinations. Though many of their graduating peers spent time over spring break studying at Whitman, the soccer duo do not regret their spring break excursion.

“Even though I have my thesis due in two weeks: I know a lot of people in my major worked for a whole week on theirs over the break: I don’t really care, I still would have done this whole two weeks in England without any question,” Axelrod said.

After graduation, Phillips and Axelrod hope to continue their soccer careers. Phillips is going to play for a semi-professional team in Bremerton, Wash. over the summer. Axelrod will also try to play semi-professionally in his home state of Virginia.

Regardless of their future as European soccer players, the trip to England was a valuable experience both for Phillips and Axelrod as individuals and for Whitman’s soccer program as a whole.

“We thought it’d be a good experience for them if nothing else, kind of a ‘follow your dream’ moment, I guess,” said Washington. “At least now they have better insight. Hopefully they can bring some of those experiences back and share them with our team. I’m hoping that when we start training tonight, we can get Brett and Stephen to address the team and say ‘Look, here are some things you need to understand, that you can be doing more of.’ Now the team has a reference point.”