Cadets from Dar Młodzieży Represent Poland in Sail 250 Virginia Football Tournament

The matches were part of the wider Sail250 Virginia festival and brought together 40 teams from around the world, representing tall ships, naval vessels, and military units and formations. The tournament was played on the pitches of the Captain Slade Cutter Athletic Park in Norfolk. Squads consisted of 12 players, and the matches followed a 7-a-side format with two 15-minute halves. 

The Dar Młodzieży team was drawn into Group H, where they competed against Argentina (A.R.A. Libertad), Spain (B/E Juan Sebastián de Elcano), and the USA (Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads). 

News of the opportunity to participate reached the ship about a month before kickoff, during its Atlantic crossing. Master Mariner Paweł Kołakowski, took on the role of head coach, with more than 20 cadets coming forward for the initial selection.  During the interviews, candidates were asked about their club experience, position on the pitch, match fitness, and sporting achievements. Ultimately, a 12-man squad was selected, with Robert Taube named as captain. 

Due to the ongoing ocean voyage, preparations for the tournament required some serious lateral thinking. Training sessions took place directly on the decks of the Dar Młodzieży, including the open area known as Plac Kaszubski (named after the landmark square in Gdynia), focusing on strength and conditioning. In addition, thanks to the kindness of Chief Steward Aleksandra Marcinkowska, the players participated in yoga sessions twice a week to improve muscle flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. The first training session with a ball on land did not take place until the Bahamas, where due to the lack of a proper pitch, the cadets trained right on the beach.  It was also at this point that Master Mariner Rafał Górski joined the team to offer his support, taking on the role of team manager.   Upon arriving in Norfolk, the team completed their required gear, including boots and shin pads, and held their final pre-tournament practice that very evening.

In their first match, the Poles faced Argentina. The game started exceptionally well, with the Dar Młodzieży side commanding a 2-0 lead at half-time.   In the second half, however, the Argentinians staged a furious fightback to level the score, ultimately snatching a 3-2 victory. A few hours later, the GMU cadets lined up against Spain. Following a goalless first half, the Poles broke the deadlock to take a 1-0 lead and held onto this favourable result until nearly the final whistle.  In the final minute of stoppage time, however, their opponents equalised after the Spanish goalkeeper hit a spectacular volley into the top corner following a corner kick. 
 

The final group match, against the USA's Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, took place the following day.  The Poles controlled the rhythm of the game for the most part and carved out several excellent scoring opportunities, but conceded a late goal to lose 0-1. These cumulative results meant the Dar Młodzieży squad missed the cut for the knockout stages.

Even though the Dar Młodzieży cadets were competing against teams drawn from much larger ship crews and established military formations, they represented Gdynia Maritime University and Poland with dignity throughout the international tournament in Norfolk. 
 

Dar Młodzieży Squad: Igor Mitura, Grzegorz Romańczuk, Maciej Goszczyński, Maciej Sztubiński, Jakub Molenda, Oskar Długozima, Szymon Puckowski, Kajetan Zaborowski, Piotr Piotrowski, Robert Taube (Captain), Jan Liszyński, Norbert Stempczyński

Team Manager: Master Mariner Rafał Górski
Coach: Captain Paweł Kołakowski