Augsburg men's soccer assistant coach Evan Fuhs is sending daily diaries during the Auggies' team trip to Spain. Here's the team's diary entry for Thursday, May 13:

After returning from the Spanish tour, Augsburg's team captain, Peter Loyd (SO, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS), shared some thoughts on the overseas experience. In particular, he reflected on the Spanish culture that the team saw and the team culture that the trip helped them develop.

“The culture in Spain is so rich it is easy to recognize the impact it has on their society. The Salvaldor Dalí museum is the centerpiece of the city of Fegueres. Dalí's museum and all of his work were so extravagant and so detailed every piece of art could have multiple interpretations. Beyond that, Spain's history and culture begins from many smaller cities such as Toledo, where their history flourishes. While Madrid and Barcelona have museums and fancy statues, they seem to erase some history and the real nature of the cultures that have lived there over centuries.”

As we stood over a scenic roadside stop looking down on Toledo, Loyd looked over to a few teammates and said, “Wow, that image would make a really hard puzzle.” Beyond the comedy, Loyd's quote emphasizes that the team got an up-close look at both the countryside and the cities, while traveling throughout the country. Of course, those close-ups come at the cost of lots of travel. As any athlete knows, travel means time, and time means team bonding. Accordingly, beyond sharing his insights into Spanish culture, Loyd also shares his thoughts on how the team grew together during the trip.

“The pace of the travel, the early mornings, and the tight quarters on planes and trains would force any team to spend time together. Yet, this team did so much more. When we were tired and cramped, the guys found a way to have fun. We played every kid of name game, card game and rock-paper-scissors imaginable. Beyond those little things though, we shared some amazing experiences together. We soaked in the rain at the Nou Camp. We played on the beach at Sitges and Roses. We were in awe of Dalí's peculiar genius. You can't share those experiences without bonding tighter. We learned more about how we all interact and how we all contribute to the experience of being on this team.”

Obviously, the ways in which those experiences contribute to results on the field are hard to measure. More than likely, the team learned to communicate more effectively. Peter certainly learned how to lead the team against new challenges and in new ways.

With five matches worth of experience, the team surely gained deeper insight into individual tendencies and abilities. Nevertheless, the sum of those contributions to the on-field product is insignificant compared to the growth undergone by the Augsburg Men's Soccer family. From Braden's first trip outside the country to seeing first-year players interact with alumni and families and from two Messi goals to Gilmer's pile of goals, the experience clearly deepened the bonds within Augsburg soccer.