Authentic “pain au chocolat” for breakfast every day and scoring soccer goals next to the Eiffel Tower sounds like a dream to many. For freshman Caroline Beery, this became her reality. In April, Beery traveled to France with the United States Club Soccer’s id2 National Selection girls team, where she trained with and played against elite French teams.

“(My team) got to play some really good teams, (such as) Club León, which is a really impressive team and just playing with some of the best players in the country (was a lot of fun),” she said. “It’s crazy because usually (we are playing) a team in California, but playing with players from around the world was really cool.”

Besides training and competing on the field, she enjoyed sightseeing. The team visited popular landmarks including Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Being in a foreign country for two weeks without family was difficult for Beery, but it pushed her to learn more about time management.

“I think being conscientious about my decisions, (such as) what I ate, when I went to sleep, how I handled my homework (was difficult),” she said. “Making those decisions based on how I felt and what I felt comfortable with rather than what
other people would be doing (was an important lesson).”

After this experience in France, Beery is now focused on improving specific skills to reach her ultimate goal — qualifying for the U.S. Soccer Youth National Team.

“(I want to) work on my communication, leadership and the way that I handle myself on the field,” she said. “A goal for myself is to make the U.S. Youth National team. That’s a big goal, but performance-wise, (my goals are learning to) be calm and learning how to handle myself on
the field.”

Splish splash. Senior Alessandro Faraboschi’s hand glides through the water as he freestyles his way to victory. For the past four years, Faraboschi has dedicated his summers to swimming; training and competing in Italy with the swimming club Genova Nuoto, where his older sister trained as well.

“My sister originally swam with (the team), and we’ve always had a connection with the coach—we’ve known him for many years,” he said. “Every year, we go to Italy, so I ask if I can train and compete with them. They always say yes, since I help contribute points to the team.”

For Faraboschi — who swims year-round, competing for both Gunn and his local club team Palo Alto Swim Aquatics — this international experience has broadened his perspective and elevated his skills. During his time in Europe, he has encountered unique opportunities such as swimming with members of the Italian National Junior Team .

Beyond Faraboschi’s training and competitions, spending time in a foreign country has highlighted the cultural differences in team dynamics.

“I’d say the team is closer together,” he said. “I noticed that in the U.S., people are thinking about themselves only and (focused on) their goals. In Italy, they try to support each other more and (try to) help you reach the goals that you have for yourself.”

While hours of training at the pool are what push the team to succeed athletically, it’s also the teamwork they build outside of the water that helps carry them through competition.

“We’ve hung out and gone to the beach (and) played basketball,” he said. “It is really fun to do something that’s not (related to) swimming (with my team).”

Experiences like these help strengthen the team’s bond, fostering new friendships that transcend distance as the summer comes to a close.

“I think it’s really important to get to know the people you’re training with, the ones you see every day or even multiple times a day for hours,” he said. “You get to know not just (others’) swim goals, but who they are as a person.”