Dear Gothia-bound families,
 
I am passing on some information from our tour organizer about things to do while you are in Gothenburg with your families.  There is additional information for all the players that you will should have already received;  this info is for those of you joining us there.  Here are some important logistics:
 
Arrival in Gothenburg: There is the usual array of taxis and buses for getting into Gothenburg from the airport.  Here is a useful link on the various options:
http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/travel-guide/getting-around-in-sweden/airport-transfers/from-gothenburg-airports/
 
Meeting up with the team: The girls are staying at Anas Skolan, Falkgatan 8.  Those of use coming from Denmark via ferry will arrive at the school at approximately 4:30-5pm on Sunday afternoon.  The girls must check in with the tournament officials with their passports when we arrive to certify the roster.  If your player is arriving with you, please let me know when you expect to arrive in Gothenburg so we can get your player certified.  Ideally, you can meet us at the dormitory at 4:30-5pm.    If you are not yet in Gothenburg at that time, we will need to take your player to a central check-in point after arrival to be added to the roster. 
 
After we've checked in, we will receive the Gothia cards/bracelets.  If you are NOT travelling with your player, you are welcome to come visit us at 7:30 to get your Gothia cards.  We ask that you not arrive before then as there are 24 teams at the school who need to be certified and it is a bit chaotic until they are all checked in.  We also realize that Sunday night is the final of the World Cup, which starts at 9pm.  We are looking into a venue where we can watch the game.
 
Game schedule: We are scheduled for 3 games so far in the tournament on Monday-Wednesday afternoon.  If we advance, there will be more games later in the week.  The games are unseeded, so we have no idea what caliber of teams we will be facing.  Our Lions team page will have links to the tournament results page.  (see previous email for the webpage)
 
Other things to do/see: Gothenburg is a charming city and is very welcoming to tourists.  Gothenburg hosts Sweden's largest amusement park, the Liseborg, which is a favorite destination for teams and families.  There are also boat and ferry rides to smaller islands and nearby beaches.   The team's non-soccer time is likely to be a combination of "hanging around" time at the school with teams from other countries as well as team excursions.  The attached email has ideas on activities in Gothenburg.
 
I look forward to seeing you and your players in Scandinavia!
 
Betsy Munz
(415) 346-3447
 

Dear Lions families:
 
Our trip is fast coming up!   This email has some general information about the tournament schedules and preparation for the trip.
 
Schedules:
I have attached the overall travel and game schedules.  Each tournament has a Group Play round where we play a  game against each of the other 3 teams in our group.  The top teams from the groups advance to the semi-final and then championship round.  The groups are unseeded, so we have no idea of what level opponent we will face.  All of our opponents are from Norway, Denmark, or Sweden.
 
We have a team website at <lions.weebly.com/scandinavia-2014.html> where we hope to post pictures, results, blogs, etc.
 
Chaperones:
Michelle Spinner, a coach who is a student at USF, will be staying with the girls in the dormitories.  The girls have met Michelle since she has worked with Norman in the past and has been at some of the practices this month.  You will find Michelle's biography on our website.  In addition, Teeka James (Norman's wife) and I will be travelling with the team to both tournaments.  In Gothenburg, approximately 20 parents and siblings will be joining the group as well.  The boys travelling with us will be staying with the boys team they are joining.
 
Money:
All meals are included during the tournaments themselves.  The players will need to purchase meals on our 3 travel days and will also need to pay for snacks, drinks, and incidentals.   I am attaching a list of items/expenses that Mattias's teams have purchased on past trips to give you an idea of the kinds of expenses the girls might incur. As I have mentioned previously, Sweden and Denmark each have separate currencies.  Your player can change money at the airport or bank.  Having an ATM card is preferable to carrying a lot of cash.  Be sure to inform your bank of your travels so they don't block the ATM card and also ask them about exchange fees at foreign ATMs.  Some banks have foreign correspondent banks where there are lower ATM fees; you can ask if your bank has such a relationship with any banks in Frederikshavn and Gothenburg (slight chance, but worth asking!)
 
 
Leisure time:
When not playing soccer (either games, practice, or friendlies),  we will be exploring the region, enjoying water parks/beaches/amusement parks, visiting with other teams, or just relaxing in the dormitories.  Norman has been contacted by a Swedish girls team that is going to be in San Francisco this spring and we will make plans to meet them while in Gothenburg.  Gothenburg is home to Sweden's largest amusement park, so there will probably be an excursion to it as well.
 
 
Go Lions!