An international school curriculum makes Gothia Cup possible for the only South Korean team

Chadwick International came for the experience.

Chadwick International is here for their third Gothia Cup tournament. They’re also the only South Korean team attending.
- It’s the first time being in a tournament for our boys. This experience is great for them, says head coach Kely Jacobsen.

The Korean club season goes right through the summer. This means that teams involved with a Korean football association are busy during the Gothia Cup season, making it difficult to participate.
- Chadwick International runs on an academic school year, meaning our summers are free. That’s why it’s easier for us to participate. The parents are all on board with sending the kids on this experience, so we’re always successful with getting teams here.

Chadwick International strives to be as international as possible for several reasons.
- 95 percent of the kids are Korean but we’ve got students from South America, Africa, Europe – all over. The common language is English and the curriculum is all in English. Therefore, the kids can receive a good education, learn English and move on to schools mostly in America.

One could think that with coming to Gothenburg all the way from South Korea, cultural differences might be an issue. However, Kely Jacobsen has a positive mindset towards this.
- The ability to meet many different nations is the reason we came here. We’re staying at a school and with the kids being Korean, they’re used to sleeping on the floor. The other day they were on the playground playing with Egyptians, Singaporeans and Americans. What we had hoped for in the tournament is transpiring, says Jacobsen.

Gothia Cup isn’t the only new experience the boys are getting lately.
- Apart from this being the boys’ first tournament, they’ve also gone from playing 7-a-side to 11-a-side. For the boys it’s all about the experience, getting better and hopefully falling a little bit more in love with football.

Other than practicing football, the team has another smart way of preparing for their week in Gothenburg.
- We keep in contact with the parents through an app on our phone. I share the daily activities with the parents throughout the days. The goal is for the boys to have a fantastic time and want to come back next year. That’s our version of success.