UPDATE
The Michigan football team will officially be traveling to Rome this April, the school announced.
Michigan Football will travel to Rome, Italy, after finals toward the end of winter semester in April for an extraordinary life experience during the spring practice season. The players and staff will use three of the allotted 15 spring football practices in Rome, training at AS Roma, the professional Italian football (soccer) club in the city.
During the trip to Rome, the Wolverines will be immersed in the culture of Italy. The team will visit historic landmarks, spend time with youth at orphanages, and visit deployed U.S. military in the country amongst other team activities. The experience will culminate with a youth clinic, and the team will play a scrimmage that will be open to the Italian public.
"Over the past few decades student-athletes in other sports have had the opportunity to participate in international training trips to practice and prepare for the upcoming season," said Warde Manuel, U-M's Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. "This is a tremendous opportunity for these young men to learn about and experience another culture, connect with the people of Italy, and showcase American football internationally. The University of Michigan has always encouraged our students to gain knowledge through international experiences, and we are so glad to provide them with this opportunity."
"We were looking to provide our student-athletes with a great educational, cultural and international football experience," said Jim Harbaugh, U-M's J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. "I am excited that our student-athletes will be able to take advantage of this amazing educational opportunity, be exposed to another culture, and be ambassadors for the United States and the University of Michigan during our visit to Rome."
In addition, all of the students that participate in football will have the chance to explore international internships, study abroad or service opportunities.
Rivals.com originally reported that Michigan was planning the trip, which was reflected in the original article below.
Original Article
Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines created a good deal of controversy when they held a week of spring practice at IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL last year, and it was viewed as a recruiting advantage since IMG Academy is one of the premier high school football programs in the country.
On Friday, the NCAA voted to ban any team from holding spring ball away from campus, eliminating a potential return trip to IMG. However, Michigan is planning on taking the team to Rome for a week of spring practice and study abroad, according to Rivals.com:
The plan – not necessarily in response to the NCAA’s legislation, though it probably is – is to take the team to Rome, Italy this spring for a week of spring ball, followed by study abroad for several members of the football team (not just limited to Rome, we’ve heard).
This has been in the works since last fall but a trip like this requires plenty of planning and great detail. Team doctors were told to get their passports ready, etc., and to prepare.
Again, details are still being worked out , but they’ve tinkered with the idea of going in the last week of April after a few weeks in Ann Arbor, and instead of having a spring game having an open practice/scrimmage for fans before departing.
This doesn’t violate any NCAA rules – and the feeling is that the NCAA shouldn’t frown upon it given that this is an option open to all student-athletes. U-M’s strong international presence is one aspect that makes this possible, and it’s been unbelievably well received by many.
Those who don’t consider this Harbaugh’s latest “bombshell” aren’t thinking about what a great recruiting tool this could be. The feedback about its potential has been phenomenal, we hear.
While Rivals indicates that it would be a good tool in recruiting, it doesn't put them in direct contact or directly in front of prospects as the IMG trip did, which is why Michigan feels that the trip will be approved by the NCAA.
If the trip does happen, expect other schools around the country to follow suit.
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