2016 has been quite a year for Manhattan Soccer Club. In January, alumnus Jack Harrison, 19, was selected first overall in the MLS Superdraft by the Chicago Fire, then promptly traded to New York City Football Club. He scored his first goal for his hometown club on June 2. Then, on July 18, Manhattan Villa–the club’s under-16 boys team–won the National Premier League’s championship in Denver, CO.
The championship-winning team is a perfect example of Manhattan Soccer Club’s diversity. The roster includes players who come from all over the world, some of whom have been with the club for years, and others for just one. Director of Coaching Ray Selvadurai believes that the international makeup of the team really benefits the players. “We have West African players, we have players of Canadian descent, of Swedish descent… they’ve come together on this team–if not for this team, they would not even know each other.”
To Selvadurai, the team is more than the sum of its parts. “They’re a really tight group, and I’m very proud of how they’ve all come together,” he says. This past season, the U-16s specialized in thrilling victories, as they went undefeated in their regional NPL league, including a championship win over New York Soccer Club. They fell behind 2-0, and were playing with a man down because of a red card before they came back to tie the game and ultimately win on penalty kicks. They went 5-0 in the national tournament, winning in overtime in the semifinals before taking the final game down to the wire, scoring in the last minute against Chicago Soccer to win it all.
Manhattan Soccer Club is the largest youth soccer travel club in the city, with over 1,600 players at all levels, and 1,100 players across their 60-plus travel teams. They became independent in 1997 after originally being part of the American Youth Soccer Organization. Executive Director and CFO Rich Corvino believes that the organization benefits from the depth and experience of the people who work there. “It’s well known that we run a tight ship, that we are very professional, [and] that we have an excellent staff.”
Corvino is proud that Manhattan Soccer club can provide quality soccer training and coaching for any age or skill level. Their travel teams start at 8 years old and run until players finish high school. Their programs for children ages 3-7 focus on increasing comfort with the sport. Corvino says, “We have a director and staff that are there to train these kids… they introduce them to a comfort level with soccer.”
These various programs have produced young athletes who have played at all levels of collegiate soccer. Selvadurai has seen his graduates become All-Americans, captains of their college squads, and even conference players of the year. Harrison is their first graduate to reach the MLS, but MSC has had female graduates play professionally in Germany, Scotland, and England, and for their respective national teams, including Poland and Jamaica.
Corvino believes the core of the club lies in the versatility they offer. Despite being national champions, MSC offers a place for any young player, at any skill level. “We can accommodate children until they’re 18… we have a place for you, if all you’re looking to do is to hone your skills, and not necessarily become a career player and compete for national championships. But if that’s what you aspire to, we’re absolutely the place to go.”
For more information about Manhattan Soccer Club, visit manhattansc.org!
