Written by Michael Lewis
UNIONDALE, New York – It’s not every day a youth team gets a chance to play a team from outside the country at its own venue, but two Long Island Soccer Club squads will get that opportunity on Monday, April 1.
Long Island Soccer Club (LISC) will host a pair of youth teams from FC Bascome Bermuda the first week of April.
FC Bascome’s Under-9 and Under-11 squads will meet LISC’s 2014 Academy Boys team and Boys 2013 Premier side at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y., on Monday, April 1 at 6 p.m.
“Hosting FC Bascome is a great opportunity for our club to present the benefit of sport beyond the pitch,” LISC Executive Club Director Meghan Frey said. “It’s about fostering cultural exchange, building friendships, and nurturing a love for the game that transcends borders. We look forward to hosting FC Bascome and are equally excited about the prospect of visiting them in 2025.”
FC Bascome chairman Henrik Schroder said that seeing how another club in another country operates will be so invaluable for everyone – players, coaches, and parents on the trip.
“I think just getting that experience to see things from the inside, to meet coaches, to meet parents, to meet players, that to me, to them, I think is going to be hugely, hugely rewarding,” he said. “Everybody’s super excited.”
The Bermudan teams are coached by former Bermudan international Andrew Bascome.
After Monday’s matches, the teams’ players, parents, and the organization’s front office personnel will partake in a potluck meal.
“I think that’s hugely important,” Schroder said, “because I think the players here know that we’re living shortchanged in terms of facilities. There’s just not the same level of funding available for youth activities as it is in America and England.”
The FC Bascome trip to Long Island will be longer than a two-day visit. The team will journey to New York City later in the week. It should be quite a memorable experience for the teams to see all those high-rise buildings in a city that boasts a population of eight million plus. Bermuda’s population is 60,000.
“We don’t have any high rises,” Schroder said. “We don’t have any kind of metropolitan area. It isn’t a big place. For them to go outside of this environment is going to be a fantastic experience.”
Globall International has organized the event. Schroder said the LISC and Globall International organizations have been “fantastic.”
“They are very detailed-oriented, and they’re very meticulous,” he said.
Long Island SC hopes to return the favor in 2025 and visit and play against FC Bascome.
“Providing opportunities for our athletes to experience new environments and different cultures is essential for growth,” Frey said. “With this exchange, we aim to enrich the player experience, facilitate personal growth, and broaden their horizons as athletes and individuals.”
The game on Monday night at Mitchel Athletic Complex is open to the public. FC Bascome will play LISC affiliate the Long Island Rough Riders on Tuesday, April 2 at Mitchel Athletic Complex as well.
For more information about the club, visit www.LongIslandSC.com.
