Venice

BASEBALL

CITY SECTION

Palisades 2, North Hollywood 1

South Gate 5, Sun Valley Poly 4

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alta Loma 5, Schurr 3

Anaheim Canyon 6, Segerstrom 4

Beaumont 13, San Jacinto Valley Academy 3

Bethel Christian 15, United Christian Academy 1

Brea Olinda 8, Tustin 2

Buena Park 5, Savanna 3

Cajon 9, Granite Hills 5

Claremont 13, Littlerock 2

Compton 12, Compton Centennial 3

Covina 9, San Marino 6

El Segundo 13, Palos Verdes 4

Ganesha 13, Santa Ana Foothill 3

Golden Valley 9, Lancaster 8

Hesperia 8, Miller 7

Katella 6, Canyon Springs 3

La Serna 5, Alhambra 2

Linfield Christian 10, Woodbridge 0

Long Beach Cabrillo 17, Hawthorne 1

Montclair 2, Vista del Lago 0

Moorpark 16, Foothill Tech 11

Oxford Academy 7, Century 6

Rancho Mirage 1, Indian Springs 0

Rancho Verde 9, Riverside Poly 5

San Dimas 13, Irvine 2

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 14, HMSA 11

Sonora 7, Long Beach Wilson 6

St. Paul 5, El Modena 3

Troy 5, Hacienda Heights Wilson 2

Valley View 16, Carter 10

Whittier Christian 9, Estancia 3

INTERSECTIONAL

Dominguez 13, King/Drew 2

Downers Grove 11, Santa Ana Calvary Chapel

Downtown Magnets 12, Long Beach Jordan 5

Inglewood 10, Stella 0

Layton 5, Schurr 4

Kentucky Trinity 5, St. John Bosco 0

Murrieta Valley 10, Galena 7

Orange Lutheran 7, Florida Venice 6

Santa Barbara 14, Douglas 6

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 16, Collins Family 1

St. Bernard 7, San Diego University City 5

Tonopah 23, Lone Pine 8

SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION

San Fernando 5, LA Roosevelt 3

San Pedro 11, Legacy 1

Sun Valley Poly 8, LA Roosevelt 2

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alemany 9, Canyon Country Canyon 1

Burbank Burroughs 2, Rosary Academy 1

California 16, Whittier Christian 13

California 7, San Clemente 1

Camarillo 4, Chaminade 3

Camarillo 18, Rio Mesa 0

Capistrano Valley 9, Beckman 3

Chino Hills 15, Chino 3

Corona 10, Ridgecrest Burroughs 0

Crean Lutheran 11, Avalon 2

Crean Lutheran 13, Avalon 2

Edison 7, Crescenta Valley 5

Edison 2, Vasquez 1

Irvine 7, Long Beach Wilson 5

JSerra 2, Capistrano Valley 1

Leuzinger 11, Hawthorne 0

Marina 2, Los Alamitos 1

Mater Dei 10, Redondo Union 0

Mira Costa 9, Newport Harbor 3

Palos Verdes 2, Los Altos 1

Paraclete 11, Saugus 1

Rancho Mirage 14, Cathedral City 6

Rosary Academy 7, Fountain Valley 2

San Clemente 7, Whittier Christian 2

Simi Valley 7, West Ranch 1

Simi Valley 5, St. Bonaventure 5

St. Genevieve 7, Sacred Heart of Jesus 4

St. Paul 6, Warren 2

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy d. Hoover, forfeit

Thousand Oaks 8, Rio Mesa 0

United Christian Academy 13, Bethel Christian 5

Vasquez 4, Woodbridge 0

Warren 5, La Serna 0

Westlake 4, St. Bonaventure 2

Westlake 0, Chaminade 0

Westlake 4, St. Bonaventure 2

West Ranch 10, Thousand Oaks 4

West Torrance 6, Hart 0

INTERSECTIONAL

Alemany 11, Arleta 1

Arleta 10, Canyon Country Canyon 8

Downey 6, Legacy 0

Downey 10, San Pedro 0

Granada Hills 8, La Serna 5

Muir 8, San Fernando 4

Muir 12, Sun Valley Poly 3

San Luis Obispo 7, Torres 6

St. Paul 8, Granada Hills 4

BUSY waterways, beautiful cottages and riverside hotels – this might sound like Venice, but it’s not.

Giethoorn has been compared to the ‘floating’ Italian city but in fact it’s over 800 miles away, and much smaller.

Two hours from Amsterdam in the Netherlands is the village of Giethoorn, a car-free village which has been called a ‘fairytale’ by visitors.

It’s also known as the ‘water village of the Netherlands‘ and has over 55 miles of waterways to explore.

One visitor called it a “beautiful and fairytale village in the Netherlands” and another even said it was “too perfect to be real”.

Another said: “Giethoorn is a dream place that looks like it came straight out of a picture book.”

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There are multiple hotels in the village to choose from. One of the most popular is the Giethoorn Old Art Hotel.

With rooms starting from £70, guests can even rent boats to take to the water themselves.

Another is Hotel Giethoorn, where guests can get a very authentically Dutch breakfast with fresh bread and toppings like hagelslag (which are chocolate sprinkles), cheese, or sliced meats.

No cars are allowed in the village, but it can be navigated by foot, or via boats – of which there are many.

These vary from large tour boats which you can hop on, or if you fancy being a captain yourself, self-navigated Whisper Boats can be hired out, as can Sloops, from €17.50 (£15.23) per hour.

Anyone taking the wheel doesn’t need a boating licence, just to be over the age of 16.

There are rules though, and one is that if you’re navigating your own boat and come across a tour boat – you must move out of the way as they have a VIP pass.

Like on the tube, there’s a certain side to stick to, and this is the right.

And anyone on the water cannot be too noisy – there are water police around.

Those wanting to avoid the water, or wanting to see the village at a different angle, can see it by foot.

There are around 180 narrow wooden bridges across the water and from here you can see more of the village’s pretty thatched cottages.

The village is usually quite busy with tourists and is a popular daytrip destination from the city of Amsterdam.

For those who want to stay a little longer without the crowds, the village tends to be quieter after 4pm.

If you fancy a similar experience but with fewer crowds, the nearby village of Dwarsgracht is also navigated via canals but is considered much-less busy than Giethoorn.

To explore both is possible as the villages are just a 10-minute cycle apart.

For more on the Netherlands, here’s the European city that one writer returns to every year and is reachable without having to fly.

And the lesser-known Dutch city nicknamed “Little Amsterdam” that’s cheaper and less crowded but just as cool.

Why limit yourself to one beautiful, romantic Italian city when you can pack two into the same break and see, discover, enjoy and eat twice as much?

Italy has so many fascinating cities to explore and it’s incredibly easy to hop between them, and that’s exactly what I found out on a dual-destination interrail trip to Milan and Venice, reports Abby Wells

With its biannual fashion weeks and designer shops galore, Milan is known as the fashion capital of the world – and as something of a seasoned shopaholic, I was looking forward to discovering its glamorous side. Our base while in Milan was Avani Palazzo Moscova, a historic hotel in the Porta Nuova district that housed the city’s first railway station back in 1840.

Its rooms are chic and modern, with everything you need for a comfortable stay.

READ MORE: This champagne-soaked city is the perfect train-travel alternative to a Paris mini-break

How to cover the classic sights of Milan

A number of experiences can be booked through the hotel, helping to make your stay an unforgettable one. First up for us was a two-hour tour of the city in a vintage Fiat 500, during which our driver, Milan-born Federico, took us to places you wouldn’t normally see.

One hidden gem was Villa Invernizzi, a serene oasis in the middle of the bustling city where you can catch a glimpse of flamingos roaming in the gardens. It was great fun whizzing around with the car’s sunroof open, and a must to get a feel for the city.

The next day we had a personalised cosmetics experience at City Lab Cosmetics, where we got to make our own lipstick. Here experts help you discover a shade suited to your skin colour, and you get to choose the finish, formula, scent and even the shape of your lipstick, and see it being made from scratch in the lab – a unique experience.

Then, finally, we got to do some shopping, courtesy of an expert-led tour around some of Milan’s best vintage boutiques. It started with the bargain ones, where I picked up a gorgeous little black bag for five euros, before finishing in a more upmarket store filled with Chanel dresses and Gucci bags (sadly out of my price range).

All the sightseeing certainly helped me work up an appetite and the food I had in Milan was delicious. I mainly stuck to the Italian staples of pasta and risotto. Avani Palazzo Moscova’s restaurant specialised in fish, but our tiramisu, made at the table, was a particular highlight.

Another restaurant definitely worth a visit is Osteria del Gambero Rosso, barely a five-minute walk from the hotel and where the friendly atmosphere made for a really special evening.

Fitting Venice into the same trip

Then it was on to our next stop, Venice, a speedy and easy two-hour train ride away. We walked out of the station to a postcard-worthy view of the canal in all its glory, with gondolas and water taxis going up and down the waterways. It felt like walking onto a film set.

A short walk away was our hotel, Avani Rio Novo Venice, which is tucked away in a sought-after neighbourhood where Venetians actually live, away from the main tourist drag. Here I enjoyed kicking back and enjoying the views of the canal through my room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

How to cover the classic sights of Venice

As it was my first time in Venice, a gondola ride was top of my hit list and it didn’t disappoint. Our gondolier was lovely, happily entertaining us with facts and answering all our questions. One top tip is to make sure you have cash on you, as it’ll often mean you pay a bit less – and the more of you there are, the cheaper it is. As in Milan, the Avani hotel here can book various experiences to show off the best of Venice.

First, we paid a visit to Lunardelli Venezia, a workshop specialising in making wooden furniture and objects. Here we saw the intricate processes behind creating the exceptional designs and also had a go at crafting a piece ourselves.

The hotel also arranged a water taxi to the interconnecting Murano islands, an area known for its glass-making workshops.

The one we visited even supplies beads for Milan Fashion Week. Here we learnt to make our own beads to take home as a one-of-a-kind souvenir. I couldn’t wait to wear mine on a necklace.

Another must-visit in Venice is St Mark’s Square and we made our way there through narrow alleys and over the historic Rialto Bridge, which crosses the Grand Canal at its narrowest point. Obviously popular, it was very busy, but getting to St Mark’s Square as the sun was setting had a magical feel.

Both of these iconic cities exceeded all my expectations, and the country’s excellent rail network makes city-hopping a smart option when planning your next Italian escape.

Booking the two breaks

Single rooms at Avani Palazzo Moscova Milan Hotel start from £205 per night. Standard rooms at Avani Rio Novo Venice Hotel start from £167 per night.

Friday’s Results

BASEBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION

AAE 14, Silver Valley 0

Alhambra 4, Bell Gardens 1

Arcadia 5, Pasadena 0

Arlington 6, Heritage 2

Ayala 9, Glendora 2

Baldwin Park 6, Duarte 5

Banning 9, Desert Hot Springs 0

Bishop Amat 3, St. Bernard 0

Buena 9, Ventura 7

Buena Park 5, Segerstrom 4

Burbank Burroughs 6, Muir 2

Camarillo 4, Moorpark 2

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 10, Bosco Tech 0

Canyon Springs 17, Perris 0

Capistrano Valley 5, El Toro 4

Castaic 2, Golden Valley 1

Cerritos 5, Artesia 1

Citrus Hill 2, Lakeside 0

Compton 3, Long Beach Jordan 2

Cornerstone Christian 11, Packinghouse Christian 0

Corona 8, Corona Santiago 3

Costa Mesa 7, Laguna Hills 1

Crespi 3, Hart 1

Cypress 5, Santa Ana Foothill 3

Desert Christian Academy 8, San Jacinto Leadership 2

Diamond Bar 6, Garey 0

Downey 5, Claremont 1

Downey Calvary Chapel 15, Fairmont Prep 1

Edgewood 15, Bassett 0

El Segundo 21, South Torrance 2

Estancia 8, Westminster La Quinta 0

Firebaugh 8, Lynwood 3

Fountain Valley 1, Corona Del Mar 0

Fullerton 7, Ocean View 4

Garden Grove 11, Westminster 4

Garden Grove Santiago 15, Santa Ana Valley 12

Glenn 14, Whitney 0

Grace 12, Cate 3

Great Oak 7, Vista Murrieta 7

Hesperia 10, Serrano 3

Hillcrest 3, Orange Vista 2

La Habra 5, El Dorado 4

Lakewood 3, Long Beach Wilson 2

La Mirada 5, Gahr 3

La Salle 4, Gardena Serra 0

Los Alamitos 2, Marina 0

Los Amigos 2, Western 1

Lucerne Valley 14, Victor Valley Christian 3

Malibu 9, Nordhoff 0

Maranatha 12, Heritage Christian 0

Millikan 7, Long Beach Poly 0

Mira Costa 6, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 2

Monrovia 4, La Canada 1

Montebello 10, Mark Keppel 0

Murrieta Mesa 15, Murrieta Valley 2

Newbury Park 7, Oaks Christian 6

Newport Harbor 2, Edison 1

Nogales 17, Azusa 5

Norco 10, Bonita 0

Oak Hills 16, Apple Valley 7

Orange 13, Saddleback 1

Oxnard 5, Santa Barbara 3

Palm Springs 20, Glendale 0

Paloma Valley 7, Liberty 2

Palos Verdes 6, West Torrance 1

Paraclete 12, St, Anthony 2

Paramount 14, Dominguez 0

Pasadena Marshall 14, Mountain View 4

Placentia Valencia 14, Godinez 0

Pomona 15, La Puente 5

Rancho Christian 11, Valley View 4

Rancho Verde 12, Hemet 2

Redlands East Valley 8, Kaiser 1

Redondo Union 3, Torrance 2

Ridgecrest Burroughs 13, Sultana 8

Rim of the World 5, Excelsior Charter 3

Rio Mesa 2, Oxnard Pacifica 0

Riverside Poly 9, Moreno Valley 2

Rosemead 27, El Monte 0

Rowland 7, Montclair 2

Royal 17, Oak Park 0

San Juan Hills 3, Mission Viejo 1

San Marcos 6, Dos Pueblos 3

Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 8, Animo Leadership 0

Santa Paula 12, Channel Islands 1

Servite 5, Santa Margarita 4

Shalhevet 16, Valley Torah 3

South El Monte 3, Gabrielino 1

South Pasadena 4, West Covina 3

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 11, Verbum Dei 1

Sunny Hills 4, Troy 3

Temecula Valley 8, Chaparral 3

Tesoro 3, Aliso Niguel 3

Thousand Oaks 16, Calabasas 4

Trabuco Hills 11, San Clemente 4

Valencia 15, Saugus 3

Valley Christian 12, Village Christian 1

Westlake 2, Agoura 1

West Ranch 7, Canyon Country Canyon 5

Whittier 8, Pioneer 4

Yorba Linda 14, Esperanza 5

INTERSECTIONAL

Capistrano Valley Christian 14, Layton 9

Douglas 6, Citrus Valley 5

Garfield 4, La Serna 3

Grand Terrace 6, Douglas 4

Orange Lutheran 2, Casteel 1

Sierra Canyon 10, Granada Hills 2

St. John Bosco 11, Trinity Classical Academy 6

Viewpoint 10, Monroe 0

Wilsonville 2, Katella 1

SOFTBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION

Bolsa Grande 15, Westminster La Quinta 8

Cathedral City 25, Desert Mirage 7

Colony 1, Ontario 0

Dos Pueblos 8, San Marcos 0

Edgewood 16, Bassett 0

El Monte 10, Rosemead 0

Estancia 2, Saddleback 0

Garden Grove Santiago 10, Los Amigos 9

Mira Costa 10, Peninsula 6

Nogales 19, Baldwin Park 7

Orange Lutheran 11, Mater Dei 1

Paloma Valley 22, Moreno Valley 2

Rancho Alamitos 6, Orange 1

San Marino 19, Immaculate Heart 0

Santa Ana 8, Godinez 0

Santa Margarita 1, JSerra 0

Segerstrom 6, Placentia Valencia 0

South Torrance 15, Bishop Montgomery 1

Ventura 8, Buena 7

Villa Park 12, Don Lugo 2

Vista del Lago 25, Perris 6

Thursday’s Results

BASEBALL

CITY SECTION

Central City Value 14, Rise Kohyang 3

Chatsworth 6, Taft 3

Downtown Magnets 14, Collins Family 4

Granada Hills 4, El Camino Real 3

Harbor Teacher 2, Fremont 1

LA University 10, Palisades 2

Maywood CES 23, Elizabeth 0

Port of LA 7, King/Drew 0

South East 6, Legacy 4

South Gate 6, LA Roosevelt 0

Sun Valley Magnet 16, Valley Oaks CES 0

Sun Valley Poly 4, San Fernando 2

Sylmar 13, North Hollywood 3

Torres 13, Maywood Academy 0

Verdugo Hills 15, Granada Hills Kennedy 1

Westchester 8, LA Hamilton 7

SOUTHERN SECTION

Adelanto 5, Victor Valley 4

Alta Loma 10, Colony 5

Anza Hamilton 6, Bethel Christian 2

Barstow 3, Silverado 2

Beverly Hills 12, Lawndale 2

Burbank Providence 10, de Toledo 0

Chino 7, Ontario 6

Chino Hills 6, Bonita 4

Classical Academy 3, Fallbrook 2

Diamond Ranch 4, Montclair 1

Don Lugo 10, Chaffey 6

Fontana 10, Colton 0

Great Oak 10, Vista Murrieta 9

Hawthorne 14, Comtpon Centennial 3

Heritage Christian 5, Maranatha 4

Irvine University3, Sage Hill 2

Laguna Beach 19, St. Margaret’s 2

Loara 10, Anaheim 1

Murrieta Mesa 17, Murrieta Valley 5

Norte Vista 3, West Valley 1

Nuview Bridge 16, California Military 0

Oaks Christian 11, Newbury Park 2

Oakwood 6, Milken 2

Orange Lutheran 3, Trinity Classical Academy 2

Portola 7, Northwood 4

Redlands 14, Carter 3

Rio Hondo Prep 10, Webb 1

Rio Mesa 9, Foothill Tech 0

Riverside Prep 3, Rialto 2

Rosamond 12, Frazier Mountain 2

San Dimas 4, South Hills 1

San Jacinto Valley Christian 22, SJDLCS 0

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 2, Tustin 0

Shalhevet 6, Environmental Charter 1

Southlands Christian 11, Legacy College Prep 1

St. Bonaventure 21, Thacher 4

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 8, Glendale 1

Temecula Valley 5, Chaparral 0

Thousand Oaks 7, Calabasas 5

United Christian Academy 20, California Lutheran 4

Valley Christian 9, Village Christian 4

Vasquez 6, Desert Christian 2

Westlake 9, Agoura 4

Whittier Christian 18, Whittier 1

INTERSECTIONAL

Animo Leadership 12, Compton Early College 7

Casteel 3, St. John Bosco 2

Central Catholic 6, Highland 1

Ida B. Wells 6, Grand Terrace 5

Jesuit 4, Aquinas 3

Layton 6, Northview 5

Quartz Hill 12, Brighton 7

Sacramento Grant 7, La Palma Kennedy 6

Sacramento Grant 7, Eastvale Roosevelt 5

Venice 12, Harvard-Westlake 0

SOFTBALL

CITY SECTION

Arleta 3, LA Marshall 0

Carson 10, San Pedro 0

El Camino Real 16, LA University 3

Garfield 14, Huntington Park 1

Jefferson 16, Diego Rivera 15

LACES 26, Fairfax 2

LA Hamilton 13, Palisades 9

Legacy 9, South East 2

Mendez 22, Belmont 15

Northridge Academy 19, East Valley 2

Panorama 22, Grant 21

Port of LA 19, Locke 2

Rancho Dominguez 16, Gardena 3

SOCES 25, Vaughn 6

Venice 21, Westchester 0

Wilmington Banning 22, Narbonne 0

SOUTHERN SECTION

Arcadia 16, Burbank 0

Alhambra 12, Montebello 2

Aliso Niguel 7, Mission Viejo 1

Anza Hamilton 6, Bethel Christian 2

Bonita 14, Rancho Cucamonga 2

Burbank Burroughs 18, Pasadena 0

California Military 13, Nuview Bridge 3

Camarillo 8, Moorpark 4

Canyon Country Canyon 18, Golden Valley 4

Capistrano Valley 10, Tesoro 7

Chaminade 15, Louisville 2

Chino 12, Ontario 1

Claremont 6, Ontario Christian 4

Colton 12, Citrus Hill 1

Costa Mesa 16, Downey Calvary Chapel 5

Crean Lutheran 30, Troy 7

Diamond Ranch 12, Montclair 8

Don Lugo 12, Chaffey 2

Downey 7, Gahr 6

Etiwanda 11, Corona Centennial 4

Fillmore 14, Hueneme 2

Garden Grove Pacifica 2, Cypress 1

Great Oak 11, Murrieta Valley 7

Hacienda Heights Wilson 7, Southlands Christian 4

Huntington Beach 6, El Modena 2

Irvine 4, Woodbridge 3

La Habra 11, Anaheim Canyon 9

Lakewood 12, Compton 0

Lakewood St. Joseph 6, Bishop Amat 3

La Salle 10, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 0

Lawndale 15, Beverly Hills 11

Lennox Academy 26, Glenn 24

Los Alamitos 10, Edison 3

Los Altos 8, San Dimas 1

Maranatha 12, Mayfield 1

Marina 12, Corona del Mar 0

Mark Keppel 13, San Gabriel 1

Millikan 9, Long Beach Wilson 9

Murrieta Mesa 15, Chaparral 0

Newbury Park 14, Calabasas 0

Newport Harbor 10, Fountain Valley 6

Northwood 10, Irvine University 1

Norwalk 11, Bellflower 1

Paraclete 5, Tehachapi 5

Paramount 18, Lynwood 0

Ramona Convent 25, St. Anthony 0

Rio Hondo Prep 2, Flintridge Sacred Heart 1

Riverside Prep 11, Oak Hills 6

Rosamond 23, Frazier Mountain 13

Rosary Academy 19, Portola 0

San Juan Hills 2, El Toro 1

Santa Ana Foothill 10, Sunny Hills 5

Santa Monica 20, Leuzinger 3

Santa Paula 16, Channel Islands 1

Saugus 5, Hart 1

Schurr 10, Bell Gardens 0

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 10, Sierra Canyon 0

Silverado 9, Barstow 2

Sonora 5, El Dorado 3

South Hills 12, Colony 1

St. Bernard 28, St. Mary’s Academy 27

St. Bonaventure 11, Santa Clara 3

St. Paul 12, Bishop Montgomery 1

Temescal Canyon 8, San Jacinto 0

Trabuco Hills 12, Beckman 6

Valley Christian 11, Village Christian 0

Valley View 8, Citrus Valley 1

Victor Valley 7, Adelanto 4

Westlake 4, Thousand Oaks 3

West Ranch 16, Valencia 6

West Valley 15, Tahquitz 5

Yorba Linda 7, Brea Olinda 6

INTERSECTIONAL

Castaic 13, Cleveland 5

Environmental Charter 39, HMSA 20

San Dieguito Academy 14, Fallbrook 0

San Marino 19, Dymally 0

Angelo Gasca, a one-of-a-kind high school football coach who grew up using football to escape from gangs and became a beloved special education teacher, mentor and coach for 36 years at Venice High, died Monday night while watching a Lakers game on television, according to longtime friend, Steve Clarkson. He was 65.

The 1978 Venice graduate never left his neighborhood. Gasca won his first and only City Section Division I championship in 2021. He was known for his innovative passing schemes and producing numerous top City Section quarterbacks, led by former NFL player JP Losman. He was such a fixture at Venice that coaching sons of former players became the norm. He loved the concept of “neighborhood team.”

Perhaps his most important contribution was training, supporting and preparing players to become teachers and coaches. Most of his staff at Venice has been made up of former players. He’d help them stick with the difficult task of earning a teaching credential and find jobs for them.

He was most proud of former running back Byron Ellis, who became an orthopedic surgeon, and receiver Brycen Tremayne, who walked on at Stanford, went undrafted and made the Carolina Panthers.

Last month, Gasca was asked if he ever learned anything from a player and he told the story of having a coaches meeting and one of his ex-players reminded him how he wanted to quit football but Gasca wouldn’t let him.

“I’m not accepting your resignation today,” Gasca told him. “You need to go home and think about it.”

Said Gasca: “He went home and thought about it and stayed on the team and was the starting center. He taught me the best thing we can teach kids is come to school and you never know what connections you’ll make at the school you grew up at. He taught me there’s more to coaching than winning games and scoring touchdowns. In our lives as teachers and coaches, we do learn from players. When we stop learning, it’s time to stop coaching.”

Even though there were rumors last season of Gasca retiring, he insisted he was coming back because he loved teaching and coaching and believed that sports competition can change someone’s life for the better.

“My parents didn’t attend high school,” he said. “When you play, you get a little taste of success and want to play harder and people come into your life and help you. It’s just as easy to do well as it is to do bad. Sometimes when your friends zig right, you have to zig left. The life lessons we learn together is what it’s about.”

Forget Paris and Venice for an intimate getaway, as there’s another city that has been ranked as the most romantic in Europe, with rooftop bars to catch the sunset and a serene boating lake

Europe’s most romantic city has been named, but it’s not where you might think.

Paris, France, has long been hailed as the ‘city of love’, with proposals in the masses, while Venice, Italy, offers sunset gondola rides along the canals. Yet, according to one new ranking, they’ve both been overshadowed as the most romantic cities in Europe.

Instead, the sun-soaked capital of Spain, Madrid, has taken the crown with its historic charm and intimate settings. There are cosy restaurants, rooftop bars, luxury hotels, along with majestic landmarks, vibrant street art, and passionate flamenco performances, all making for a truly spectacular getaway.

Some of the most notable places to visit include hiring a rowing boat on the serene, picturesque lake at El Retiro Park, or taking a leisurely stroll around the enchanting El Capricho Park or the beautiful Sabatini Gardens at the Royal Palace. The city offers some of the best spots to catch the sunset, including the restaurant Azotea del Círculo, which offers panoramic views from its rooftop terrace, and the gardens in Cerro del Tío Pío, perfect for a sunset stroll.

READ MORE: Easter passport warning for Brits as common mistake could see you turned away at the airportREAD MORE: Underrated island with famous neighbour has 22C March weather and £25 Jet2 flights

However, one popular area that has been hailed as the ‘best sunset spot in Madrid’ is the ancient Egyptian temple, Templo de Debod. Catching the sunset last year, one traveller shared on TripAdvisor: “The magic hour to visit is sunset!.. The temple’s ancient stones turn a rich orange, and the reflective pools surrounding it create a mirror effect that is a photographer’s dream.”

For a break away from exploring the city, there’s the Arab baths at Hammam Al Ándalus for a relaxing soak and a step back in time among its historic buildings, or lively flamenco shows at Corral de la Morería. Couples can enjoy a glass of wine and tapas at the Mercado de San Miguel, a fresh food market, or ride the cable car, the Teleférico de Madrid, which crosses the river.

But a stroll around the city is enough to leave you enchanted, with vibrant graffiti decorating its quaint streets lined with tapas bars and coffee shops, and magnificent architecture. From the iconic Plaza Mayor, Plaza de la Villa, and Puerta del Sol square, to the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum, it’s easy to spend hours exploring this bustling yet charming city.

Madrid was named the most romantic European city following research by Icelandair. The airline analysed data from various European cities, comparing their location, nightlife, single population, inclusivity and happiness, along with Tripadvisor romance ratings and sunset visibility, with Madrid topping the list.

The list proves even more valuable, as Icelandair found that 1 in 10 Brits, in a study of 3,000 people, said travel is the best way to meet a partner. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 Brits said they’ve fallen in love while flying, and further research found that most holiday romances occur while volunteering abroad, during a work trip, or while solo travelling.

Most romantic European cities

1. Madrid, Spain
2. Prague, Czech Republic
3. Lisbon, Portugal
4. Barcelona, Spain
5. Zurich, Switzerland
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
7. Helsinki, Finland
8. Vienna, Austria
9. Copenhagen, Denmark
10. Rome, Italy
11. Athens, Greece
12. Geneva, Switzerland
13. Oslo, Norway
14. Berlin, Germany
15. Reykjavik, Iceland

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com