Think back on your years as a teenager. How many experiences helped shape the person you are today?

Maybe you joined a sports team and learned the importance of hard work, dedication and teamwork. Perhaps you were a member of a club, and formed friendships that lasted a lifetime. Or maybe you took a course which helped set you down the path to your career.

We learn so much about ourselves during this important time in our lives. Just imagine how your teen will learn and grow after a trip to a foreign country with their soccer team!

Of all the travel opportunities available to US soccer teams, Costa Rica is at the top of the list. Here are the top three things your athlete will learn after a soccer trip to Costa Rica:

1. The Value Of Teamwork

While in Costa Rica, your athlete will learn the importance of working together as a team to overcome obstacles and meet new challenges.

You may be thinking, “My athlete has learned teamwork after years on the field in the US! Why do they need to travel to Costa Rica?”

By traveling as a team to a foreign country, they arrive with the support system they need to face the challenges of acclimating to a new country and a new culture. Your athlete will work more closely than ever with their team to adapt to their new surroundings. This creates a bond of teamwork that no one can achieve by staying on their “home turf!”

Additionally, US soccer teams compete in a series of friendly matches with several different Costa Rican teams. While the matches are between teams of similar abilities, each Costa Rican team brings their own unique tricks and techniques unique to their country and its rich history in soccer.

The U.S. athletes must work closely as a team to work out these new techniques and come up with ways to defeat them and win the match. What an incredible opportunity to pick up some new skills to bring back to the US!

2. The Value Of Friendship

By forming such an incredible bond as a team, your athlete and their group will forge friendships that can never be broken.

A soccer trip to Costa Rica involves so much more than a few friendly matches with local players. Your athlete will venture into the jungle, zip line over a canopy of trees, hike down water falls, and spend a day on a catamaran watching the sun set over volcanoes. They’ll explore vibrant cities and sample exotic cuisine.

These experiences will be shared with their teammates. Just think of the memories they’ll create together! Your athlete will be forever bonded to their soccer team. Not only will this help them compete when they return to the U.S., it will provide them with a lifetime of stories to tell with their closest friends.

3. The Value Of Education

From the moment they step off the plane, your athlete will be exposed to unbeatable learning opportunities. How do the locals greet each other? What is their daily routine like? How do Costa Rican soccer teams compete? What is the history of soccer in this country? The list goes on and on.

While experiencing this brand new culture, your athlete will learn that there are so many different ways of life. They’ll gain a greater appreciation of the world around them by understanding that everyone is different, while learning how someone from such a foreign culture can be so similar to themselves!

Plus, if your athlete is studying Spanish, this is an excellent opportunity to brush up on their conversation skills!

Wait…Is It Safe?

As a parent, we know that your #1 concern is your child’s safety.

Costa Rica is a vibrant country with a rich history and beautiful culture. Even though it is on the same continent as us, it may seem worlds away. Sending your child to another country may seem scary at first.

Not only is the crime rate in Costa Rica significantly lower than the US, it is also a very healthy place to visit. There are no vaccines or medications required to visit Costa Rica.   In the unlikely event of an emergency, such as a sprained ankle during one of the friendly matches, Costa Rica Soccer Tours always places athletes in locations within a 20-minute drive of some of the nation’s best medical facilities.

And unlike some other countries around the world, the water in Costa Rica is safe and drinkable everywhere your teen will be traveling.  No need to worry about packing extra spending money for bottled water.

To cap it all off, Costa Rica was ranked the #1 happiest country in the world. Your athlete is guaranteed to have a smile on their face the whole time.

That’s not their only #1 ranking: Costa Rica ranks #1 in the world for soccer players per capita. There’s no better place to travel on a soccer tour than to Costa Rica!

If you have any more questions, we’re here to help! Click here for more information on our customized trips to Costa Rica for teen athletes.