Alabama ODP

Club Brugge KV and Koninlijke Belgische Voetbalbond ´´KBVB´´

Brussels and Bruges (Belgium)
June 21 to 30, 2019
Kvbv
Club brugge

Faq

Soccer

Plan for games and training to be on either turf or grass. Many clubs and professional facilities now feature both grass and turf surfaces and they will assign a field depending upon availability and weather. If a player brings only screw-in studs to play and train in, it could certainly be a problem. Molded cleats and training shoes will be ideal to bring for all training and games. Unless otherwise recommended by your coach.

While friendly matches during a training program are important, keep in mind they are only one element of the program. It is our philosophy from a player development standpoint that training sessions are even more important than the competitive matches. Having said that, it is possible that the team your son or daughter plays for is considered a very high level team. In those cases, your coach will provide certain qualification information for us and request the highest quality opponents possible.

Competitive friendly matches are one of the last scheduled items our operations team finalize before departure. Local clubs many times do not know their exact schedules and field availability until much closer to the program's departure time. Once the matches are scheduled and confirmed you will receive a pre-trip document with the final itinerary which will show opponents and the location of the fields.

Hotel

generation adidas international works with numerous hotels. We will arrange a stay that fits your budget

Player rooming is pre-arranged at the discretion of the team's coach. Players typically room with teammates. A player rooming with a parent is possible but must be approved by the coaching staff.

The pre-trip document distributed by GAI will include this detailed information.

Triple occupancy and family rooms are limited. We can place a request with the hotel but we cannot guarantee availability of triple and family rooms. If triple and family rooms are unavailable we can place your party in adjoining or connecting Twin rooms.

Transportation

For early arrivals, we recommend that you meet the team at the hotel. All hotel information - names and addresses will be provided ahead of time in a pre-trip document.

Non-registered travelers are welcome to meet the group for various activities at the specific locations, but they must coordinate their own transportation and pay entry fees when required. Due to insurance and safety policies, non-registered guests cannot use the program's chartered buses for transfer.

Our groups travel in top quality charter buses and/or minivans.

We only provide one group transfer. This is scheduled according to the group flight arrival time. The bus is only able to wait up to 30 mins after the group's arrival. If you arrive within this time you are welcome to take the group transfer. If you arrive outside of this window you can use a taxi or we can assist with scheduling a private transfer for an additional charge.

Insurance

Yes, medical and travel insurance is included in the landed package price. It is effective from the date of your deposit payment. Our travel insurance plan offers a wide range of coverage and 24/7 travel assistance to meet the challenges of today’s travel and help you enjoy a worry-free trip. At generation adidas international we put the athletes safety and well-being first so all of our programs have travel insurance built into the cost of the trip and is not optional.

Our travel insurance plan includes trip cancellation/interruption coverage which allows you to cancel or interrupt your trip and be reimbursed for non-refundable expenses related to your trip, protecting your travel investment.

Flights

Yes, travelers can fly out of their local airports at their own cost.

We can only add registered persons to the group flight. If you only want to use the flight option we can assist you with speaking to our flight agent.

Miles/ Points cannot be used to book a seat on the group flight. If you would like to uses miles/ points you will need to book your flights directly with airline.

As a complimentary service we can book roundtrip flights group upon request and airfare will be quoted separately from the landed package. We also provide the flexibility for your team to use your own travel agency for flights (in case they are able to get a better rate) or for individual team members or parents to book their own flights using sky miles or other online deals if preferred. The goal is to give you options and to get you to your destination on time and safely in order to enjoy the program whether it is through your own source or ours. If you prefer to accept our group flight offer, then you will be given the opportunity to select this service during registration. The group flight price will be included in your balance due after it is selected. If you choose to decline the group flight offer, then you will simply bypass this selection during registration and the balance due will not reflect the group airfare.

As a complimentary service, we provide group flight quotes and options for our programs so that teams can travel together as they typically wish to do. As part of the process we put a “hold” on a certain number of seats for group flights when the coach or team leader approves an offer (dates, price, routing etc.) as the one their group can best use. As you can imagine, the hold has minimums and deadlines that come with it. It is standard policy that airlines require at least 10 travelers from a group agreeing to take the group flights. Having less than 10 registered travelers (with group flights selected) at the deadline date results in us requesting extensions but sometimes we lose the seats that are on on hold for the team, if the airline cannot grant our request. At that point we do our best to source new flights for the group that may or may not be similar in routing and airfare. We encourage our customers to take advantage of the offer before the deadline if possible so we can smoothly continue travel plans for the team.

It is a common occurrence and completely acceptable for a group flight option to be announced and then some members of the group search for better deals online. This is fine and certainly understandable especially if the group rate is higher than expected. There WILL be excellent rates found on many travel sites no doubt as anyone in your group goes searching in the weeks and months ahead. We often hear that a small group of maybe 3 or 4 can get seating together for a fantastic price and naturally wonder why we can’t get the same airfare for the entire group? As you can imagine, the challenge for us comes with getting excellent group rates from the airlines for 20 or more seats. So the question becomes… will it be better for me to book my own flights? Consider these points: You will be traveling with the majority of your team/group on the group flight. You can secure seats on the group flights for $350 per person instead of payment in full typically required for online bookings and which are normally non-refundable. You won’t need to coordinate transportation from the airport to the hotel with the group flight. If your arrival time with “own booking" is significantly different than the rest of the group, you will. Our insurance will cover your cancellation and refund if you are forced to withdraw from the trip for acceptable personal reasons. If there are delays or cancellations with connecting flights, our customer service will assist the group leader with the coordinating of a solution to get the group back on track.

Most airlines allow one check-in piece and one carry on. However, please keep in mind that once outside of the US your group will be traveling either on a bus or in vans, depending on the size of the group. Therefore, please try to pack accordingly. Checked Baggage: A general rule of thumb for checked luggage is that the bag be no more than 62 linear inches (sum of L+W+H) and 50 pounds. Airlines do impose fees for oversize and/or overweight bags, for which you will be responsible. Airlines currently do not charge a fee for the first checked bag on international flights. Once your flight is confirmed, please check the airline website for specific details on checked baggage. Carry-on Baggage: Your carry-on bag should be the size of a school backpack and fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin. All liquids or gels in your carry-on bag must be in three ounce size containers (or smaller) and placed in a clear quart-size zip-top bag. All medications must be carried in original containers.

Team Coordinator

Yes, each program will have at least 1 team coordinator with the group at all times upon arrival.

Team Coordinators are with your team from landing to departure at the destination you are visiting and they are virtually always bi-lengual. They stay at the hotel with the team and they are available 24 hours each day for any/all emergency situations. They are well trained professionals ready to respond to virtually all eventualities.

Yes, along with any coaches and supporters that come on the trip, there will always be a tour director with your group. This person is available at all times, and will be with your group at soccer events and any outings.

Extra Activities

Yes. We offer the option to watch professional soccer games. Please, keep in mind that we offer this option only during soccer season. There may be times when there are no games being played.

General

Taking and using credit cards and debit cards is very common while traveling in Europe. To avoid problems, the card should have the purchaser’s name on the card. Ask your personal bank for their recommendation. Answer 2: Yes, ATM’s are readily available all over the world. You can take money out of an ATM with your bank card from home, and only a small fee will apply.

The best practice for protecting money and for general safety is to be “practical but not paranoid”. ALL travelers should avoid carrying or showing large sums of money during sightseeing activities and players can usually enlist the help of a supporter/parent to hold money if needed. Team Coordinators are instructed to NOT hold money for travelers. Always keep money/wallets out of plain sight and hold in front pockets or carried with bag/purse in front and not over shoulder on your side or back. Do not leave money (wallets, cellphones, cameras or computers) on tables or counters unattended. It is advised to use reasonable caution, but do not let the worry ruin your trip.

Go to your local electronics department store (i.e. Best Buy, Target etc.) to purchase the required plug adaptor for the country you are visiting. Spain requires “Continental Europe” type adaptor for outlets. England has a different adapter that is required for electrical connections.

Typically, the hotel where you are staying will have Wi-Fi access for guests. There will be a charge for the service unless the hotel includes Free Wi-Fi service with your accommodations. Many times the lobby is free for using Wi-Fi while rooms have an additional service charge. Be sure to check with your supervisor or front desk to avoid unwelcome surprises. Premium Wi Fi services are also available at most hotels for an additional charge, if desired.

Yes, travelers can bring their own computer (and electronics) to use on the trip at their own risk. It is sometimes advised for a team manager or coach (depending on the ages of team members) to allow players to use their system to connect with home at planned times through Skype or Google Hangouts if you are set up to use. This practice helps to avoid players losing or damaging their personal computer during the trip. Most hotels have safes to store your computer while out of the room.

You are invited to follow your traveling group via Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, you can search “generation adidas international – parents and players”. Our Twitter handle is @genadidas_intl. Go there before your trip to check it out.

Sorry but we do not set up laundry services for supporters. The laundry services we enlist as resources are limited to the care/cleaning of the team's uniforms only. Many times there are coin operated laundry machines at or near the hotel that can be used for personal laundry. You can also ask the front desk at your hotel for more information regarding laundry services that you would pay separately.

Every team we take overseas has a player or players that have never traveled abroad before or traveled without their family. So we are mindful of parents who are worried and players that are nervous about flying so far away from home and their parents. Our supervisors are highly trained and professional. They will be there to assist teams/individual players when they arrive at their destination airport and they are with the group 24/7 throughout the program. We immediately emphasize the rules and guidelines for safety to all travelers at the welcome meeting and let them know that abiding by the rules will keep them safe. Players are never allowed to go out by themselves during their stay and walking in groups is mandatory during sightseeing and leisure time. An adult must be present within a group always. The hotels and locations we choose are selected with security as a high priority. The bus companies we choose are always driven by professional drivers. The professional facilities where we visit and train are protected by security systems and guards at all times. It is also customary for coaches and parents to keep an extra close eye on the player(s) who do not have a family member on the trip. Your player’s safety is very important to us and you are welcome to schedule a call with our managers to discuss this topic in more detail.

It is advisable to make a copy of your passport to carry with you during travel. This of course could be useful/helpful in the unlikely event that a passport has been lost or misplaced. We strongly encourage all travelers to keep a close eye on their passport at all times especially when they are pulling it out and putting it away several times for security checks during airport procedures. We also encourage you to make a copy of the pre-trip travel reference document we will provide that includes important contacts information (phone numbers for our offices, hotels, supervisor). Take one copy with you and leave the other copy with family members back home. Also make a copy of the e-ticket that we provide, or your own agency provides, for reference of booking number and other details related to your departure and return flights.

We make efforts to provide updates about your program and with the itinerary during the development stages as much as possible. There are usually three factors that cause a delay in finalizing day to day schedules and unfortunately the reasons are beyond our immediate control. 1. PRE TOURNAMENT FRIENDLY MATCHES are requested with teams well ahead of time with the respective clubs we are targeting for competition, however we are at the mercy of these clubs and their own scheduled events that have adjustments and rescheduling needs. Many times they will not confirm with us until their own league and club obligations are met. This could be just days before our trips begin. 2. PRE TOURNAMENT ACADEMY TRAINING is also requested many months ahead of schedule with the professional clubs, but similar to the friendly matches, there is a possibility that an academy may have changes in their schedule or we may have changes to report based on the needs for scheduling friendly matches. There are always multiple moving parts to lock in before we can provide a final itinerary.

The final itinerary will be released closer to the departure date. The reason for this is there are some items - such as friendly competitive matches, that will not be finalized until closer to departure.The reason for this is that the teams that we work with to coordinate these friendly matches often do not know their schedule this far out, so it is one of the last items addressed before departure.

A “Full-board” meal plan includes 3 meals each day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during a program. It does NOT include snacks and refreshments during leisure time and sightseeing. Most meals are served at the hotel for full board programs. Many times, we ask the hotel to prepare a “boxed meal" if we have plans to be away from the hotel for most of the day. A “Half-board” meal plan includes 2 meals each day (breakfast everyday, plus EITHER lunch OR dinner. The itinerary will indicate the meal the players are supposed to purchase on their own each day. It is usually indicated in the schedule by (your choice) shown for lunch or dinner. These occasions will typically be at a local restaurant or even a fast food place if needed for a quick meal unless the coach has requested a higher quality restaurant to enjoy authentic cultural meals.