Mount Si High School’s boys’ soccer program recently welcomed a group of 16 boys and three coaches from England as part of a cultural exchange.

The group, from Bishop Heber High School in Malpas, in the Cheshire region south of Liverpool, was here for about 10 days and participated in a tournament with local soccer teams. They also got to play two games and watch several other contests, including the Mariners, Sonics and three Wildcat boys’ soccer games. The players and coaches were hosted by members of the Mount Si program and their families.

Bishop Heber is an approximately 1,200-student school for students in years 7-13, the English equivalent of our grades 6-12. The coaches, Mark Lindley, Rob Martin and Bret Lonergan, all teach at the school.

Lindley was pleased with how things went for his group. “It’s been fantastic, both for myself [and] the boys to experience the American sports and the facilities and the hospitality from the host families and all the students at the school,” Lindley said.

The English school was on their Easter break when the team came over. This exchange is one of many the school participates in. As an example, their school hockey team participated in a similar tour to Holland, also over the break, this according to the school Web site.

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