Brook Sports Consulting recently hosted the Vanderbilt University Women's Soccer Team from Nashville, Tennessee in the City of Cape Town. We are not in the sports tour business but were happy to act as consultants to MGR Sports Tours and to use our networks to put together a purposeful visit mixed with tourism, education, soccer for social change, inter-university links and the development of global citizenship.
The tour included Table Mountain, a guided trek up Lion's Head, Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Point & Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Penguin Colony. The group also dis a game drive at Aquila Game Reserve. On the educational front there was a visit to Robben Island, a historical walk around Cape Town including the District Six Museum and the Bo Kaap, Dennis Goldberg's House of Hope and a tour of the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
The group were based at the V&A Waterfront which is Africa's largest visitor attraction and also visited the Bay Harbour Market in Hout Bay.
To facilitate engagement between universities in the USA and South Africa a match was arranged with the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the team also attended a Hollybets League Match between UWC and JVW FC. At a reception following these matches the US Consulate Public Diplomacy Officer spoke of the importance of university links between the USA and South Africa in promoting international diplomacy.
The Vanderbilt University Women's Soccer Team also got to experience the power of soccer/football as a force for social change with visits to Oasis Reach for your Dreams and Hout Bay United Football in the Community.
Check out @VandySoccer on twitter for more coverage of the trip to Cape Town.
Contact Stephen Gilfillan at MGR Sports Tours for further details on their sports tours.