Freeport launching its summer of soccer fanatics

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The Buffalo Avenue field in Freeport will soon be filled with cheering, referee whistles and hundreds of soccer cleat footprints. In anticipation for another summer season, coaches and board members of the Freeport Village Football (soccer) Club, or FVFC, are excited to see the growth of students throughout their soccer program.

The FVFC, a small soccer group founded in 2016, is dedicated to providing the opportunity for soccer fanatics from ages nine to 19 to sharpen their skills and participate on travel-teams or play at an intramural level.

Made up of nine travel teams, a minimum of 13 players is required for each group. The players then meet a coach runs each player through drills and practices. The team is then registered into a travel league. Each weekend, teams visit different Long Island communities like Smithtown, Stony Brook or other Nassau and Suffolk locations to compete in tournaments. Club treasurer and registrar Sonia Dixon says this club has its benefits for being a small organization.

“Sports are now an important part about getting into the right college. Universities look for a competitive, well-rounded student, and that’s what we try to do here at FVFC,” Dixon said. “If we [FVFC] didn’t decide to take it to the next level and create this club, players wouldn’t be able to have the experiences they have so far.”

Of the nine teams, the FVFC only has two girls’ soccer teams-the Freeport Lady Lightning, ages 12-13, and the Freeport Lady Stingrays, ages 14-15. Dixon and her husband have been the head coaches of the girls’ teams for the last few years, and have coached the teams to both win the 2015 Long Island Cup Championship for each of their age divisions at Stony Brook field.

“What an honor it was to see our girls win the cups,” Dixon said. “It’s more than just playing soccer, this club can show players leadership, how to work as a team, and it gives kids experience in playing soccer with other teams outside of Freeport,” Dixon said.

In comparison to other soccer league programs, players pay one flat rate, $150 for travel or $75 for intramural, for a registration fee into the Long Island Junior Soccer League. Dixon stated that FVFC takes care of maintenance fees, like uniforms and other expenses in order to keep the costs practical for players.

“We made this club to be affordable to all players, regardless of financial situation. We work with people to make this happen. Our goal here is to just play soccer,” Dixon said.

The FVFC is dedicated to not only fostering relationships with players, but parents as well. Dixon believes that when parents are involved, they are more likely to creative a more positive environment for both Freeport and the club as a whole.

“You have good people in this community that are willing to step up for their kids and take it to the next level,” Dixon said. “We’re about keeping everyone involved and everyone active.”

Registration is still open through the month of July and tournaments begin Labor Day Weekend. For more information, email Sonia Dixon at sonia.dixon13@gmail.com or visit the club website at freeportfc.com.