FC Bascome Ready For USL Academy Cup
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Andrew Bascome, the FC Bascome coach, has urged his players to make the most of their opportunity as they prepare for their opening matches of the four-day United Soccer League Academy Cup in Tampa, Florida, today.
FC Bascome, who will become the first non-Canada/United States team to compete in the competition, have travelled to the Hillsborough County Tournament Sportsplex with 55 youth players and will participate in the under-13, under-15 and under-19 divisions.
“We’re very happy with the preparations and the development of our players and coaches, they have put in a lot of hard work over the years and have really earned this opportunity,” Bascome told Bernews.
“The USL and the Academy Cup are a very important part of our programme’s vision, and we’re very excited to finally be here. The target is always to win, but there’s so much more involved in this opportunity.”
Bascome, a former Bermuda coach, believes the experience of travelling to Florida and testing themselves at a higher level of competition will help accelerate his players’ development.
“However, most importantly, we are here to give the players a chance to express themselves and to use their own pathways toward a lifelong passion for the beautiful game. Only good things can come out of this.
“The USL helps us in so many ways to fulfil these requirements, and they have been outstanding to work with.”
FC Bascome were due to compete in the USL League Two, a development league for Major League Soccer, and play in the seven-team Mid-Atlantic Division in 2020.
However, they withdrew from the league and deferred participation because of the uncertainly surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.
