Caleb McDowall Expresses His Appreciation
Bermudian Caleb McDowall has expressed his appreciation after residing in Germany from April to June 2022 in order to attend The Academy in Arnstadt, a comprehensive football training program.
A spokesperson said, “A young Bermudian is making his experience in Germany this summer count on and off the football field.
“When Caleb McDowall was given three weeks to pack his bags and head off to Germany for a three month training course, his only response was ‘I guess I’d better start learning how to speak German.’
“As a National Junior Athlete awardee [an achievement received from the Bermuda Government one year prior], the 19 year old defender traveled to Germany and resided there from April to June 2022 where he attended The Academy in Arnstadt a comprehensive football training program that focuses on academics, personal development and sport. While in Germany, Caleb trained and lived with other aspiring football players from around the globe.
“The time in Germany yielded many pleasant surprises. One special moment came when he met Coach Lenny Taylor, a Jamaican coach who lives in the US and runs a foundation to help Caribbean boys with the opportunity to become professional footballers. The highlight moment was to learn that Coach Taylor played with the Brazilian football legend Pele and Bermudian Randy Horton when he played with the Cosmos.
“Now as a freshman at Anderson University in South Carolina, Caleb is settling in as a student and is a starting player for the school’s NCAA Division II Soccer Team Trojans. He is now fully embracing the time and sacrifice away from friends and family to improve his stamina on the field and his mindset about the game.
“Caleb’s overall sentiment is that ‘the opportunity to be in Germany for three months was timely and likely instrumental in my realizing what it would be like to be away from the comforts of home and really concentrate on becoming the player that I envision. I learned some beneficial and transferable skills that are making the difference in my response as student-athlete here at Anderson.’
“Caleb would like to thank the Bermuda Government National Junior Athletes committee for selecting him to represent Bermuda in Germany this summer, as well as his local coaches at Saltus, the Bermuda Football Association, X-Roads Senior Team Premier Division, Coach Bascome at BAA and his family and friends for their ongoing support and encouragement. Caleb is currently a Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Interior Design.”
