Trinity Students Gain International Knowledge of Sports in England

Imagine stepping off a plane in London and realizing your classroom is Wembley Stadium. The next day it's Wimbledon. It's the roar of a football crowd and the hush of Centre Court.

That is exactly what a Trinity University class experienced over the winter break by participating in Sport in England VI. Named after an 1857 novel set in an English Rugby School, Trinity's "Tom Brown's School Days: Sport in England" course consists of an 11-week class in the fall, a two-week trip to England during winter break, and a 12-week spring class. According to the sport management curriculum, "the program examines club and team ownership, sport media, athlete development, revenue production, and the historical evolution of sport and sport stadia of the United Kingdom."

"The program explores the cultural, economic, political, and social forces which shape the British landscape," says program co-founder Jacob Tingle '95, Ed.D., associate professor and chair of the sport management minor. "England represents an ideal location because it is the home to a multitude of sports, which are popular globally. The notion of amateurism as a counterpoint to professionalism stems directly from the British class system, which has had, and continues to have, a major impact on NCAA sports in the U.S."

The fall semester course prepares students for the trip to the U.K. by assigning them to teams to create a podcast and deliver a presentation about a selected venue, lead travel while in London, and facilitate a course session in the spring semester that links the fall prep class and experience in London to a specified course topic (e.g., sport philanthropy). After returning, the spring course pushes them to discuss their experiences from the journey and add additional layers and depth.

Angela Breidenstein '91, M'92, Ed.D., professor and chair of the Department of Education, and Paul McGinlay, a native of Corby, England, who has been the head coach of the Tiger men's soccer team for 35 seasons, joined Tingle in the U.K. as course leaders.

"It's always a treat to head back to my home country and to London, the place where I went to college," says McGinlay, who has led the Tigers to an NCAA Division III Championship and three appearances in the finals, including last fall.

The Trinity cohort visited iconic sports and historic venues around London and Southern England. The itinerary included Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Wimbledon, Wembley Stadium, Lord's Cricket Ground, Twickenham, Loftus Road, and Portsmouth. There was also a reception for Trinity alumni and families held at the Founder's Arms, a pub in the heart of Central London.

The students researched the economic, cultural, and community impacts of each location, then presented their findings to the larger contingent.

"When people in England hear about what we're doing, they are amazed at the amount of work we fit in over two weeks," McGinlay says.

Breidenstein, now a veteran of four "Sport in England" trips, is proud of the program's evolution.

"We've added more to the course that comes before the in-country study abroad experience," Breidenstein says. "That has been a marked development over the program and has also refined the follow-on course, as well as in-country experiences. The students continually demonstrated curiosity, and it was terrific to see them engaging with each site visit and the guest lecturers."

For Halle Hamilton '26, a member of the women's track and field team, who is majoring in communication and with a minor in sport management, the "Sport in England" experience was nothing short of inspiring.

"This trip was full of meaningful takeaways," says Hamilton. "The post-study abroad class continues to help me make a deeper meaning of my entire experience. One of the biggest themes we are focusing on is intercultural competence, understanding how to be aware of our own assumptions, emotions, and behaviors while engaging with a culture different from our own. It helps us to grow personally and professionally."

Guest speakers were featured at many of the locales, explaining the significance and history of the sites.

One such speaker was Alison Fleming '91, a resident of the area and a full member of the All England Club, headquartered at Wimbledon. Fleming, a psychology major with a minor in economics, was ranked ninth in women's doubles with Jane Holdren Roberts '89 while competing for the Tiger women's tennis team in the NCAA Division I era. She has played at Wimbledon numerous times and was consistently a top-five competitor as a junior in Great Britain.

"We talked about how the Club provides funding, offers in-kind support, and delivers programs that build healthy communities using the power of sport to inspire young people," Fleming says.

Fleming also spoke of the exclusive nature of the private membership of the All England Club, noting that there are only 500 members. New members are only considered when existing members die, leading the Trinity contingent to agree that winning the Wimbledon singles title would probably be the easier route to a new member's badge.

A more recent graduate and former women's tennis player, Samantha "Sam" Miller '25, is an American who is earning a master's degree in sport business management from Leeds Beckett University in England.

Miller, who received a bachelor's degree in communication, along with minors in sport management and education, was awarded the Jim McKay Graduate Scholarship in her senior year at Trinity. The scholarship honors the legendary ABC sportscaster.

"I decided to move to the U.K. because I always wanted to experience living abroad," Miller told the Trinity students. "After taking 'Sport in England' two years ago and getting to see the country firsthand, I knew I wanted to come back to continue school."

"I was so thrilled the students were able to experience what I did! I shared the journey of applying to postgraduate programs abroad, the process of moving over, and some of the amazing things I've been able to do so far. My advice for them," she recalls, "was to never limit themselves because there is a huge world out there for them to explore."

One of the most popular sports in the U.K., and the world, for that matter, is soccer, universally known as football. The group was treated to a number of football matches, including Queens Park Rangers (QPR) F.C., held at the historic QPR Stadium on Loftus Road, a special highlight for Tingle, proudly QPR's No. 1 fan in the U.S.

The influence of this sport was not lost on Trinity students, especially Scott Lebo '26, who serves as a commentator for Trinity soccer on the Tiger Network, writes for the Trinitonian, and hosts podcasts. He was also a member of the Tiger men's soccer team for a season.

"I've grown up watching the English culture around soccer from a distance, but it's very different to actually be there and be a part of it," says Lebo, a political science major. "The stadiums have a different atmosphere about them. To them, it's about being around life."

Bria Woods '16 participated in the first year of the program in 2015. Although she was not a sport management minor, she was studying abroad in London at the time. Tingle invited Woods to join the group, and she helped students "navigate the Tube" around London.

Woods, who majored in communication with a minor in film studies, is now the content director for KRTU. The trip will forever be etched in her mind.

"Historic and culturally significant sporting venues and the city of London became our classroom. I remember the conversations, lessons, and revelations in that two-week course more vividly than some of the lectures that were part of my actual major," Woods says.

"The educational experience was unforgettable. As someone who didn't grow up steeped in sports, this was my first time really understanding that a sports stadium is so much more than a hollow space with seats and concessions," Woods says. "From the pitch to the stands, this is the ground where generations of hopes and dreams are realized, and where individuals become communities. The colors of a jersey are not just the result of good branding and marketing; rather, these colors become symbols of tribal loyalty and unity."

Tingle thanks the family and friends of Rick Hill '91 for creating a "Sport in England" scholarship that fully funds one student each class. Nearly 100 donors supported this year's class during Trinity's 1869 Challenge. Every dollar received directly funded student meals while in London.

For Trinity students, "Sport in England" is more than a course. It's an immersion into the origins of global sport, a study of culture and community, and a reminder that sometimes the most powerful classrooms echo with cheers.