Indie Chicas: from Boise to The Basque Country
Indie Chicas: from Boise to The Basque Country
Nine under-15 players from the Indie Chicas, the only all-girls club in Idaho, are training at Lezama in a week full of activities related to the Basque language and Athletic
The ties between Athletic Club and Idaho, through the Basque community living mainly in the capital city of Boise, have grown steadily over the last decade.
Ever since Iraia Iturregi, Erika Váquez and Ainhoa Tirapu visited Idaho in 2014 to take part in a football camp, there have been further initiatives. The most important of which was a men's first team match against Mexican outfit Club Tijuana Xoloitzuintles at Boise State University's Albertsons Stadium in July 2015.
The pre-season match coincided with the famous Jaialdia, a Basque festival held in Boise every five years.
This time a group of under-15 players from Indie Chicas, the only all-girls team in Idaho, are returning the 2014 visit. They stayed with local families during the first week of September and took part in activities related to the Basque language and Athletic.
In addition to watching Athletic Club Women under-15's training sessions and matches at Lezama, the nine players had the opportunity to visit places of interest in Biscay.
Iraia Iturregi (who, in addition to visiting Boise in 2014, played for Florida State University in 2006/07) welcomed the group upon their arrival to Lezama, showing them around the facilities.
Another former Zurigorri captain, Garazi Murua (who played a semester of university football in the US in 2014 with East Tennessee State University), talked about her experience in elite football and her time at Athletic Club on Wednesday morning, during a session that involved a Basque language workshop.