It was eight o’clock last Sunday night when a group of exhausted but elated young Toronto FC athletes walked off the plane at Pearson International Airport. The Toronto FC U14 Academy team had just returned home from spending the last nine days in Mexico City.

The Toronto FC U14 Academy were fortunate enough to be able to participate in the LIGA BBVA Bancomer U15 International Tournament. From the moment TFC stepped off the plane and met the greeter at the airport awaiting their arrival with the giant “Toronto FC” sign in the bus window, to the elaborate meals and gifts they received during their trip, every single athlete was given the privileged lesson of what it means to be treated like a professional.

Being a year younger and smaller than almost all other players here, TFC surprised people. Their first game was against Monarcas Morelia. TFC made it difficult for their opponents, especially in the second half and looked like the better team in possession. In the last ten minutes you could see the effects of the different climate, and higher altitude as their fatigue showed. TFC lost their first game 3-0, but heard the rumblings of their parents on the sidelines, who talked about how pleased they were with how the team competed.

After two more days of ups and downs (TFC put up a fight against FC Dallas, and suffered a tough loss to Atlas FC) they finished as the top MLS team in their group with a 1-0-2 record and were slotted to play against the Chicago Fire in the semi-final. Though they lost, the game was far from an easy win for Chicago. After the second Fire goal was scored TFC dominated. The only thing that stood in the way of the Reds taking the victory was Chicago’s very impressive keeper and some unfortunate missed chances.

After two very close chances, one that hit the post and one final push that resulted in our keeper almost scoring off a header the final whistle blew.

The tournament was over for TFC. However with a trip to Estadio Azteca (to see Club America take on Pachuca) and a bus tour of Mexico City still on the itinerary, their Mexican adventure had just begun.

The tournament exposed our players to a higher standard of play. Some of the key concepts that were so elegantly displayed by the Mexican teams were discipline on the ball and accountability for your role to the team as a whole.

The football passion entwined into the roots of Mexican culture is both infectious and inspiring. Witnessing 70,000 people make their way down to Azteca Stadium (the only stadium in the world that has hosted two World Cup Finals) to support their club – Club America, showed our athletes how powerful their commitment to football was. It was obvious that football was more than just a part of life for the people of Mexico, it was life. It’s no wonder why so many great footballers were born there.

TFC took many bus trips with Monarcas Morelia, although only a few of their players spoke English and only one of our players spoke Spanish, a friendship was forged. That friendship was what led to our athletes embodying the infectious Mexican energy. When they were ready to go places they would no longer quietly walk to the bus, but instead they would excitedly clap their hands together and yell out “Dale! Dale! Dale!” (a short form of the word “Andale” which means “Get up, let’s go!”), they learned that riding a bus is never better when there is lively Mexican beats and dancing and they learned how to play hard and never give up, even when you are down.

As those twenty young men walked off the plane on that warm Sunday night there was one thing they had not yet realized. They were walking off the plane as different people than those who had started the journey just nine days prior.

