Pools Youth Team spent four days last week with the Royal Marines at their base in Lympstone.

Micky Barron, Terry Mitchell (The Director of Youth), Alex Seward (Physio) and Tommy Connor (Under 15 Coach) took the squad down to Devon for the team-building event.

Pools went to Lympstone last year and the Youth Team benefitted from the experience so much that Mitchell was keen to take the squad again this year.

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"It went really well, " The Director of Youth told hartlepoolunited.co.uk.

"It was a great experience for all of the lads again this year. It was a lot of hard work and all of the tasks were very difficult both physically and mentally but it was well worth it.

"From a team building point of view, to get all the lads to gel together, it was a great success.

"By the end of the week, the lads had really come together as a group and they really started to take on board what they had been learning."

Mitchell was also keen to thank the three Marines who worked most with the Youth Team; C/Sgt Mne Jan Hicklin, Mne Jonny Stephen and Mne Ben Tait.

"The Colour Sergeant was in charge of organising the event and the other two lads were with us for most of the time and they all worked really well with the lads.

"They put them through some tough team-building activities and instilled some real discipline.

"It was a great experience for all of the lads, with some valuable lessons learned."

Youth Team Schedule With Marines

Wednesday

Left Hartlepool at 7am and arrived in Lympstone for 2pm
Received kit, sorted rooms
Attended presentation on life with the Marines
After dinner went for three-mile run and circuit.

Thursday

Up at 6.30am for room and kit inspection
After breakfast, down on the assault course
Team-building games
Back to barracks for clean-up
After lunch, more team building activities
Went to Heritage Centre for presentation on history of Marines
After dinner, met some new recruits, chatted about being in Marines
7 v 7 matches against Marines football teams
Write-up everything learned about Marines

Friday

Up at 6.30am for room and kit inspection
Completed endurance course
4.5 mile run back to barracks
After lunch, swimming and team-building activities in the pool
Chat with the Colonel about how the week had gone
Clean all of the kit used that day
Presentation of awards, prizes given for Best Recruit and Most Improved Recruit

Saturday

Up at 6.30am
Clean room and all accommodation
Pack up kit
Breakfast and left for home at 8.15am