Returning home with new experiences, perspectives and relationships
A week in Mexico with the IU men's soccer team gave four sports media students new experiences and unprecedented access, writes senior Eddie Cotton.
Indiana University is becoming a known name on and off the field down in Mexico.
Our Tuesday couldn’t have started better. We went to the training ground of Cruz Azul, one of the most popular teams in Latin America, to watch the soccer team v. the U-20s, or “La Maquina.”
As soon as we stepped foot into the facility, we saw the first-class cars of the first team Cruz Azul players. It was amazing, but up next came something even better.
We were heading down to the turf field where the IU game was to be played when we passed by a really nice training ground. There we got a firsthand look at José de Jesús Corona’s warmup before the first team practice.
Corona has represented Mexico in three World Cups. We were starstruck. Everyone, including a few IU coaches, wanted to have a picture of the legendary goalie on his phone.
The hype of seeing the Mexico international lived on as the matchup between the Hoosiers and La Maquina kicked off.
It was an amazing performance by Indiana. I thought IU played with more of a South American/Latino style during this game than any other I’ve seen.
It’s a style characterized by the amount of heart and hustle the players put on the field. We were all proud of our team as it defeated the Mexican side on its own turf. So were the players.
“It was huge,” IU’s forward Ian Black said. “Especially considering the altitude and a good U-20 side like this. It is just really promising.”
The players were even happier after assistant coach Zac Brown told them we were all going to Lucha Libre Night — professional wrestling — as a surprise adventure on the trip.
The Media School team still had another activity scheduled before that. Thanks to Dr. Clavio and ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe — who we met earlier in the week — we got to tour the ESPN Mexico studios.
The tour was fantastic. We got to see the “SportsCenter” and “Calla y Escucha” studios, and we got to be in studio when Sutcliffe and a panel of journalist filmed “ESPN Radio Fórmula” live. At the end of our visit, we met the reporter panel in charge of “NFL Live” in Mexico.
We got the chance to ask advice from Sutcliffe and Ciro Procuna on broadcasting, and what kind of preparation we as aspiring sports media professionals should undertake.
“You are only going to use 5 percent of what you prepare for,” Sutcliffe said. “But you better know all the other 95 percent.”
We took an Uber ride back to meet with the team and go to the Lucha Libre. Once at the venue, we all agreed this was one of our most Mexican experiences of the week.
The people were on their feet, the kids were screaming for their masked heroes and the IU squad was just very excited, and a little confused, to be there witnessing the fights between luchadores with masks of all different colors.
Three days remain in our trip here. We have seen a lot. Without a doubt, this city and country are too big for us to cover it all.
But this could mark the beginning of a new era of Hoosiers in Mexico.
