| Are you really ready to study abroad at an | | | | fall behind in academic credit. |
| international soccer boarding school? It's something | | | | Register with an online correspondence accredited |
| you've been looking forward to ever since you signed | | | | high school. This way, you can get credit for key |
| up or thought of registering. | | | | subjects online while abroad. One online high school |
| To get the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime | | | | that we recommend to our North American students |
| opportunity, it's recommended that you make the | | | | is Make sure that your international soccer camp |
| proper preparations first. Follow these tips to make | | | | allows you online access so that you're able to take |
| sure you're ready for your study abroad academic | | | | these courses. |
| year soccer program, and make sure you get full | | | | With summer school before and after the soccer |
| credit for it. | | | | program, and two or three online courses while you're |
| 1) Make sure you get your passport and student visa. | | | | abroad, you'll be in a good position academically with |
| First thing before studying abroad in a soccer boarding | | | | your home school and won't have to postpone |
| school: acquire or update your passport and your | | | | graduation to meet your requirements. |
| student visa. Start this process about six months | | | | 4) Train daily before studying abroad in a soccer camp |
| before you go to allow ample time, just in case of any | | | | or boarding school. |
| mishaps. | | | | It's vital to make sure you're physically prepared for the |
| Although most of the time the visa process is pretty | | | | daily training. Although you may think you're in good |
| straightforward, there have been a few rare instances | | | | shape training two or three times a week, it's not |
| where a student ended up needing another piece of | | | | enough to prepare you for the strenuous training |
| documentation at the last minute. If you've started the | | | | regime at an international soccer camp. |
| process early enough, then you have plenty of time to | | | | Most students, unfortunately, aren't ready for the strain |
| make any corrections necessary so you aren't | | | | of being out on the pitch every day. Some of our |
| scrambling at the last minute. | | | | coaches have seen unprepared players handle the |
| 2) Talk to your school to make sure you're on the | | | | training for only a week or so before their body starts |
| same page. | | | | to break down. |
| When you first decide to attend an international study | | | | Ensure that you are ready by running, doing cardio, and |
| abroad soccer program, talk to the appropriate person | | | | working with the ball every single day. Vary your |
| in your high school to work out credit for the courses | | | | routine (ball work one day, gym the next), but get your |
| you take while studying abroad. | | | | body used to a good daily workout. This way, you get |
| You may have to share the foreign study curriculum | | | | your body to the point that you can live with the tough |
| and get your school's approval, or have them sign an | | | | physical demands of daily professional soccer |
| agreement giving you credit for passing certain | | | | development training. |
| classes. This ensures you'll know where you stand | | | | Remember: discipline is a very important part of the |
| with your school when you return from studying | | | | program. This is your professional reputation as a |
| abroad in a soccer school. | | | | player. You need to arrive on time for sessions and |
| 3) Take summer school to make up the classes you'll | | | | make sure that you are physically and mentally |
| miss. | | | | prepared for all the training. |
| Surround the study abroad soccer program with | | | | Like many things, you'll get out of your international |
| summer school two months before you leave, and | | | | soccer school experience what you put into it. If you |
| two months after you get back home. The program | | | | push yourself both in the classroom and on the pitch, |
| runs from September to June, so you'll have July and | | | | you'll come away with experience and skills far |
| August both before and after the program to take | | | | beyond your peers at home. |
| your summer school courses. This will ensure you don't | | | | |