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May 9, 2023

Looking ahead to its 28th year of travel, Global Football is proud to announce the first officially

committed team for the 2024 Global Ireland Football Tournament, Maclay School of Florida. The Marauders will be traveling from Tallahassee to compete in the multi-team invitational high school event in its first-ever international football game, on the island nation of Ireland!

No better time nor place to do so than alongside Florida State University and Georgia Tech

when they open their season Saturday, August 24th at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. During their 6-day educational sports tour, the Maclay student athletes will learn about the rich history and folklore of Ireland, try the traditional Irish sports of Gaelic football and hurling, then enjoy the city center Pep Rally celebrating all the GIFT athletes. Friday, August 23 the Marauders will showcase their skills against another American high school in an early season contest in front of rabid Irish fans, plus American friends and family who will be eager to travel and experience the Emerald Isle.

Head of School, James Milford commented “We are excited to partner with Global Football on this wonderful adventure for our students. Maclay is always looking to provide opportunities to enrich our student-athlete experience and this ‘across the globe journey’ is a spectacular example. In our highly connected but isolated world, providing this travel abroad opportunity for exposure to another culture while building team and camaraderie will be a memory our students will never forget. We are happy to represent Tallahassee and the great state of Florida alongside Florida State University in Ireland!”

The Maclay School football team is led by Head Coach Jason Cauley who stated “we are beyond excited to represent Maclay School in the beautiful country of Ireland. Words can’t express the gratitude we have to Global Football, and what this opportunity means for the Marauder football program and our school. We here at Maclay strive to give our students and athletes opportunities and advantages you can’t get at any other educational institution, and this trip to Ireland will be an experience our scholar athletes will never forget.” 

“As we finalize preparations for the GIFT 2023 event this August, I am thrilled to welcome the

Maclay School, Tallahassee to GIFT 2024, our 5th in the series that began in 2012. Just as the previous 26 GIFT schools before them, the team and supporters are about to experience a totally unique lifelong memory the entire Maclay community will be talking about for decades to come,” notes Global Football founder and president, Patrick Steenberge.

For more information or to stay up to date check out our website: http://www.globalfootball.com/

Instagram: gift_ireland

Facebook: Global Football LTD

Patrick Steenberge, President

(817) 219-7274

Patrick@globalfootball.com

Jessica Gryder, Marketing and Media Director

(817) 243-4618

gryderjess@gmail.com