Seven Clarkston soccer players had the opportunity to play on the international stage over spring break. The group was part of a 19-player team that traveled to Europe to play teams from Italy, Germany and Austria.
The seven players included Clarkston High School’s Jake Przybycien, Jared Roan, Robbi Zielinski, Evan Dougherty and Joel Parrish and Clarkston residents Eric Kaltz and Collin Karchon, who play for Pontiac Notre Dame Prep.
The team also included players from Milford, Fenton, Grand Blanc and Windsor.
Soccer coach Franco Pertot, who has won state championships with DeLaSalle and Bishop Foley, takes a group to Europe each year. Pertot started doing the annual trip 23 years ago.
‘I took my own son the first time,? Pertot said. ‘We had a good time so I decided to keep doing it. I’m involved with a lot of soccer teams and it’s good for the players.?
Przybycien plays club soccer for Pertot’s Bloomfield Force and jumped at the chance to go to Europe when Pertot asked him to. Przybycien also helped recruit some of the players to go on the trip including Roan.
Przybycien introduced the Clarkston players to Pertot, who watched them play and asked the ones he liked to come on the trip.
The team practiced a few times a week to prepare before heading to Europe for two weeks on April 11. Przybycien said once they got there they didn’t know what to expect. Their first game was against a team from Austria.
‘They came out really cocky, but we beat them 7-3,? Przybycien said. ‘They were upset after the game about it. The officiating was rough and a couple of their guys got hurt. It was a good opening game for us. It helped us learn what the other games would be like.
‘We were nervous when we saw them warming up. They were doing crazy moves. They ended up not being as good as we thought. If we just played our game we could beat them and we did.?
The team ended up going 4-2 on the two week trip and showed the European teams they could hang with them. Pertot said it was one of the best groups he had.
‘They all did very well,? Pertot said. ‘Jake played great. He’s very quick and well coordinated for being such a big guy. The other teams were surprised. He’s a good defender and a very good athlete. I think he is a college bound player.?
Przybycien said the European teams were all good and didn’t expect the Americans to compete with them.
‘Most of the teams we played against thought we were going to be bad,? Przybycien said. ‘They just wanted to beat us really bad and prove European soccer is better. We won four of the games. They were surprised they lost to an American team and they were mad. They were still friendly after, but they were surprised. We gained their respect.?
The trip also helped the players improve. They got a chance to play some tough competition, including a semi-pro team from Italy. Roan said he really enjoyed the trip and was glad he decided to go.
‘It’s hard to describe what it was like,? Roan said. ‘It’s like a whole different world over there. It was worth the time and the money to go. It definitely helped to play against kids that are at a higher level. I came back here and I’m a lot more confident playing against kids my own age.?
The team didn’t just learn about soccer. For many of the kids this was the first time they were in Europe so the trip was nice learning experience.
‘I had never been there before,? Przybycien said. ‘It was cool going through all the towns. The towns are really old. There is nothing really like that here. We also got to go up in the mountains. Waking up in mountain was cool and we went to a few castles. It was fun, but there were more things I would like to do that I didn’t get a chance to.?
Przybycien, who is a junior at Clarkston, said he would like to go on the trip again next year and he wouldn’t be surprised if some of the other players went again.
‘I think everyone enjoyed it a lot,? Przybycien said. ‘Some of the guys were going for the second time. They said the team was better this year and it was a lot more fun. The team got along really well and the guys I recommended were glad they came.?