Inside an inspiresport Inter Milan Football Tour

What does a successful football tour look like?

For ISFA‘s St Columba’s College, the answer was clear: a unique blend of elite coaching, cultural immersion and unforgettable experiences both on and off the pitch.

The students travelled to Milan to experience life at one of Europe’s most iconic football clubs. From training sessions delivered by Inter Milan coaches to visits to the legendary San Siro stadium and fixtures against local opposition, the tour provided an insight into the standards, work ethic and culture that underpin elite football.

We caught up with a member of staff from St Columba’s College following their return to hear about their experience, the impact the tour had on their students and why they would recommend the trip to other schools.

What did you want to achieve when you went on this tour? Do you feel like you’ve achieved these objectives?

The main priority was trifold – an outstanding cultural experience, elite coaching and friendly competition. Previous tours have shown me that it’s hard to get all three, but this Inter Milan trip was amazing and exceeded my expectations in all three areas.

It was an outstanding experience and even managed to surpass the previous amazing trip we had to Porto, which I was sure would be hard to do.

What aspect of the trip do you think has benefitted your pupils the most?

The way the coaches worked with the students was outstanding. The setting of high standards combined with the friendliness and approachability of the coaching staff was incredible. It felt as though they were coaches the boys had worked with for years, and the speed at which positive relationships were built was remarkable. We never once felt like visitors or tourists whilst at training – the atmosphere was fantastic.

What was your favourite moment or highlight of the trip?

For the students, it was certainly the visit to the San Siro Stadium. For the staff, it was seeing the cohesiveness and camaraderie that developed amongst the boys. As a mixed ability and mixed year-group tour, it was fantastic to see how they trained and played together, something that was fostered by both the coaches and the opposition we faced.

What do you think teams can learn from going on a trip like this?

Most importantly, they learn what it takes to be an elite footballer.

The students gained a greater understanding of the work rate required, the finer details of the game and the coaching points that can make a real difference to performance. They all left with a much clearer idea of their strengths, their weaknesses and what they should prioritise in their own development, all explained by the high-calibre coaches we worked with.

How do you think this experience will benefit you going forward when you return from this trip?

The standard of expectation and effort levels have shifted.

You could see the level the students were willing to work at to impress elite coaches, something that can sometimes diminish during PE and Games lessons in the colder winter months.

The trip has given us a new benchmark. We can now refer back to those standards and help students understand when they aren’t performing to their true potential. It has also helped us understand them better as coaches.

Would you encourage other teams to go on trips like this? Why?

Most certainly.

It is a trip I would happily replicate annually and encourage any other school to experience. The inspiresport rep became almost like a member of staff by the end of the week and couldn’t do enough to help us. He constantly adapted and supported us whenever needed, and that personal touch made it an incredibly smooth and high-quality trip.

Ready to create your own football tour experience?

An Inter Milan football tour offers far more than just time on the training pitch. It provides students with access to elite coaching, unforgettable cultural experiences and valuable lessons that continue long after returning home.

If you’re interested in giving your players a unique football development experience in Milan, get in touch with our team to find out how we can help create a bespoke tour for your school or club.