Annual Easter Tour · North Carolina
North Carolina College Tour
Every Easter break, Stride USA takes a boys' squad and a girls' squad to North Carolina for seven days of matches and training at NCAA and NAIA colleges. Play on real college pitches, train with college coaches and see campus life for yourself.
Why North Carolina
A soccer state, packed with college programmes
North Carolina is one of the strongest college soccer states in America, with NCAA Division I, II and III and NAIA programmes all within a short drive of each other. That means more games, more coaches watching and less time on the road — the perfect first taste of US college football for boys and girls.
Easter break
Runs every year over the UK Easter holidays, so no school or college time is missed.
Division I, II & III
Fixtures and sessions hosted at NCAA college programmes across the state.
NAIA programmes
Games against NAIA sides — one of the strongest routes to scholarship money for UK players.
Separate squads
Dedicated boys' and girls' squads, each with its own fixtures, coaches and schedule.
Example itinerary
Seven days. Four college levels.
This is an example schedule. Exact colleges, opponents and times are confirmed closer to each year's tour, and boys' and girls' squads follow their own fixture lists.
- Day 1Travel
Arrival in Charlotte
- Fly UK to Charlotte, North Carolina
- Group transfer to team hotel and kit issue
- Welcome meeting and tour briefing with the Stride advisor
- Day 2NCAA Division II
Training & first fixture
- Morning recovery session and light training
- Campus tour at an NCAA Division II university
- Evening match vs the college squad on their home pitch
- Day 3NAIA
College training session
- Train alongside an NAIA programme, led by their coaching staff
- Meet the coach: admissions, scholarships and life on the team
- Afternoon film review of Day 2
- Day 4NCAA Division I
Match day
- Stadium and facility tour at an NCAA Division I university
- Fixture vs a Division I reserve / development side
- Individual feedback from Stride coaches
- Day 5NAIA
Training & match double
- Morning session at an NAIA college venue
- Evening fixture vs the NAIA college squad
- Coaches receive player profiles and match film
- Day 6NCAA Division III
Final fixture
- Campus visit and academic talk at an NCAA Division III college
- Final match of the tour
- End-of-tour team meal and awards
- Day 7Travel
Reviews & fly home
- One-to-one recruitment review with your Stride advisor
- Coach follow-up plan and next steps agreed
- Transfer to Charlotte airport and overnight flight home
Stride USA on tour
Boys' and girls' squads, State-side
Travel with Stride
What's included
- Fixtures and training at NCAA and NAIA college venues
- Team hotel accommodation and local transport
- Campus tours and coach meet-and-greets
- Match film and individual performance feedback
- Player profiles sent to attending college coaches
- Stride advisor and coaches with the group all week
Tour price
The tour price is all-in, and it is also included as a choice in The Complete Journey package (£4,995) — the full scholarship pathway plus your choice of trip.
Could you play in the USA?
Our recruitment team reviews every submission and comes back with an honest verdict on your scholarship potential.