By Dennis Miller
When Ballistic United Soccer Club Executive Director Kevin Crow was 13 years old, he travelled to England as part of a local district all-star team.
It was a great experience and provided some context for Crow as he looked at his possible playing career.
“It really whet my appetite,” said Crow. “It lets you know you can play there.”
It certainly worked as Crow went through a successful high school career at Amador Valley, followed by highly touted college career at San Diego State.
Crow then went on to become a star outdoors and indoors for the San Diego Sockers, and eventually reaching the pinnacle of representing the United States in international play.
When his playing career ended, he eventually made it back to Ballistic United and it was an easy decision to start the Ballistic Abroad program.
“I reflected back on when I got to do it when I was in under-14 and wanted to give the Ballistic players the same chance,” said Crow.
The first trip came in 2012 and was originally for MLSNEXT and comp kids.
The trip is held during spring break in the Pleasanton Unified School District and lasts for nine nights and 10 days. The kids only miss one day of school.
It was going great, then COVID hit. When everything opened back up, BUSC made a big decision – they would allow anyone that wanted to go on the trip but couldn’t, because of COVID, to make the trip.
Moving forward they decided to open it to players of every level in the Under-14 age group. That is when they hit to high water mark with a group of 100 people making the trip.
Now back to the under-14 group, the itinerary each year is basically the same with some of the logistics changing. The time of the trip also plays well in England with the timing of the professional season as part of the trip includes a chance to see a pair of professional games. Usually, it’s one England Premier League game and one lower league game.
“It’s a great time of year for the weather in England,” explained Crow. “It’s also towards the end of the season the games are more intense.”
And while the EPL games are great, the lower-level games are fun for the kids.
“Sometimes the lower-level games are better,” said Crow.
Ballistic Director of Operations Tevin Jones was with the Ballistic travel party this year for the trip. He agreed with Crow about the lower-level games.
“I think the passion may be more at the lower levels,” said Jones. “They have their hope that one day their team may make it to the top division.”
But Jones also was amazed at the EPL games. This year one of the games they saw was the Manchester City vs. Arsenal game. You think NFL games are intense in the United States? The EPL takes it to another level.
“It’s pure passion,” said Jones. “The volume of the fans – it’s like you are in it. No one is on the phone having a conversation or texting. There’s nothing else going on but the game. Their team has to win the game and you can feel that.”
There are also 3-4 training sessions with a professional academy group, as well as a couple scrimmages set up with youth clubs based on the talent level that Ballistic brings.
The group spends 2-3 days in Londan and built into the itinerary is the requisite sightseeing. After getting out of London, there is more sightseeing along the way.
One of the highlights this year was stopping in Wrexham, the site of the TV documentary “Welcome to Wrexham.” The show is about actors Ryan Reynolds and Robert McElhenney owning the lower-league team and all that comes with it.
It’s been a hit show in the United States and was recently renewed for a fourth season. There is a pub in the show and when the Ballistic stopped by, there were a pair of regulars from the show on hand.
“There was one of the bartenders, and the lead singer from a band that plays there,” said Jones. “Everyone was taking pictures and asking questions.”
For more questions, please go to BUSC Abroad – Ballistic United Soccer Club.
