TALENTED young footballers from Falmouth Town and Porthleven have said getting the chance to show their skills in the USA was a “great experience”, writes Sam Moore.

Truro College sent a team out to the Dallas Cup, an international youth football tournament held annually with hundreds of players going to the Texan city to be part of the action.

Future stars of the game like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney have featured in the competition and following in their footsteps were Port duo Jordan Annear and Chris Wormington along with Ambers squad members Harry Clarke, Connor Rhodes, Aidan Killen, Dan Evans and Dan Head.

Drawn in Group E of the Under 19s section with US sides Placer United and Dallas Texans plus Mexico’s Rayados Waller, Truro recorded a win, draw and defeat in their three games to finish second in the pool.

Speaking to the Packet, Annear who was also the team’s captain said making the 9,000 mile round trip and being around so many different teams and nationalities was fantastic.

Annear said: “It was a really great experience.

“I’ve played out in Germany before but most of the boys had never played abroad so it was very new for them.

“The standard of play out in the US is incredible, and I think that was the biggest difference between playing locally and internationally.”

Worthington added: “Their fitness level was so high. The heat was unbearable and at times we were playing in 30-degree sunshine, far from what we are used to in Cornwall.”

Team coach Gary Pascoe, who is also assistant manager at Falmouth, praised the boys for their performance in the USA, especially as they were only entered into the invitation only tournament just before Christmas.

“We would have liked more time to prepare for the tournament but that’s just the way it played out,” Pascoe explained.

“If we apply to be considered next year, as the organisers have already expressed their wish to do so, then we will make sure we begin preparing in September/October time.

“That being said the boys did a fantastic job and they were ambassadors for Truro College both on and off the pitch.

“This was not just about football though. This experience has helped develop these young men as people as well, expanding their cultural horizons for whatever the future brings.

“Playing at such a high technical level was for a few players a bit of an eye-opener, but I think they learnt a lot from that.”

Annear has already been making waves at Port this year where he is the third top goalscorer in the South West Peninsula League West Division with 28 goals.

The 19-year-old is now looking to use the American experience as a stepping stone to further his football career.

He said: “The Dallas Cup is a world-renowned competition, so to be able to say that I’ve been a part of it will really give me a boost.

“I’ll have to see what I’ll be doing in the next few years but it’s definitely a good start. There were loads of talent scouts at the tournament who represent American colleges so you never know.”

During their stay the players were hosted by Dallas-based families affiliated with Solar-Chelsea, a development team in partnership with the English Premiership side.

Apart from feeding and sheltering the players, the families showed them the sights of the Lone Star State.

Worthington said: “Obviously we weren’t with them all of the time but when we weren’t training or playing we went out sight-seeing, had dinner, and played a lot of golf. They really like golf over there.”