Centre's Pat Martin enjoying life and soccer while studying abroad

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Pat Martin (second left) is representing the Centre men’s soccer team while studying abroad this term. One of the soccer stadiums they’ve visited is Camp Nou (above) in Barcelona, Spain.

DANVILLE, KY (04/22/2011)(readMedia)-- Pat Martin of Monroe, a junior at Centre College in Danville, Ky., is studying abroad this semester with the Centre-in-Strasbourg program. More than 85 percent of Centre students study abroad, and like many of his teammates on the College's men's soccer team Martin's past few weeks have involved papers, exams, museum tours, and lengthy travels. But he's found more than enough time for soccer.

Martin and another teammate have been taking advantage of the soccer culture of Les Francais, training and playing pick-up as much as he can in Strasbourg. "We've managed to play at least three times a week when not traveling, and try to get once a week in on travel weekends," Martin says. "Most times we walk about 10 minutes through the city to the military outpost where they have fields. If there are people there, we try to jump on. So far, we've gotten into a few pickup games there with a pretty good level of play."

They're also looking forward to watching some professional games from the various leagues around the area. "Living in Strasbourg has given me the unique opportunity to experience a wide variety of leagues within a feasible traveling distance," he adds. "Strasbourg has its own team, Racing Club de Strasbourg, who currently sit in the French 3rd Division. This Saturday we went to a game-Strasbourg defeated Pacy 1-0 on a goal in the 75th minute. You could feel the energy of the place. RCS has their typical diehard fans in the corner, equipped with megaphones, flags, horns and drums. I had seen videos of their chants, songs and cries on YouTube, but it is truly something one must witness firsthand. Even in a relatively empty stadium, their presence was felt."

The five Centre Soccer players abroad will return home in May after what will have been a 12-week terms in Europe. Less than three months after their return, they'll be back in a Centre soccer uniform, training hard in preseason for what will be each of their senior seasons.

Martin is the son of Fred and Dee Dee Martin of Monroe and is a graduate of Masuk High School.

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 24th among all the nation's colleges and universities and has named Centre No. 1 among all institutions of higher education in the South for two years in a row. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices.