| Issue #33, November 10, 2006 |
THE HAMPTONS GETS A BIG LEAGUE SOCCER TEAM
Landmark Waterfront Complex in Montauk is Yours for $55M
By TJ Clemente
The true “thud” sound of a well-struck soccer ball is coming to the Hamptons in the form of professional indoor soccer.
The New York Hampton Surf open up their first season December 9th at the SYS Center, 1370 Majors Path in Southampton. Frank Cuzzi, president of the team, is excited about the prospects of having the East End of Long Island exposed to this level of soccer. The American Indoor Soccer League is in its fourth season. It has franchises in Rockford, Illinois (Rockford Thunder), The Massachusetts Twisters of West Springfield, MA (Massachusetts Twisters}, and the Cincinnati Excite in Ohio. This is the Eastern Division. There are three other divisions but season play is only within the division.
The Surf will have a few locally known players, three Brits, Defender Gary Easlick, Midfielder Rich Deli and Defender Mark Knowles, that Cuzzi has signed to the squad. All also played for Southampton College and have friends in the Hamptons. Goalkeeper Brian Hilton is from Holtsville, New York and was an NCAA college All-Star. The very heralded and gifted Swedish Striker is Oskar Tilly who also played a season at Southampton College and has turned down more lucrative pro contracts to pursue a business career in New York City. General Manager Andreas Lindberg reportedly said, “Our local fans already know these players from Southampton College and they can relate to them on and off the field. It is important for us to entertain our fan base and we are thrilled to bring them high caliber players with familiar faces.”
With the home matches scheduled at the Southampton Youth Center, The Surf hope to draw around 1500 spectators per match. It is great family entertainment and the action is much faster paced than traditional soccer. The skills needed are greater, due to the speed of the game.
In a scrimmage against the Washington Diplomats of the Old American Soccer League that featured Pele, I got to test the mettle of professional soccer players and found it humbling. Even though our GWU team was to lose to NCAA champs Howard University 1-0 that year, the pros trounced us 14-0. Playing next to RFK Stadium on their practice field in light rain, I remember missing a header as rain fogged up my glasses and the ball coming down from a great height to smack me on my nose, dead on. The whistle blew because everybody was laughing so hard, except me. It really hurt. Coach Davidson took me out, and, of course, I was extremely embarrassed.
Thirty years later I sampled professional indoor soccer at the Nassau Coliseum and could not believe the skill level of each player. Play was so much faster and fluid I felt I was at a hockey game. Indoor soccer is an ideal forum to bring younger players to see how various skills they are being taught are performed often at the highest level. Children under 18 are charged $10 and children under 5 are free. Adults $20 and seniors are charged $15. There is a 15% discount on a four-game season ticket plan. Night games start at 7:30 p.m. and day games are at 2 p.m. Information can be attained at www.cornerkick.com.
So on a cold winter’s night or afternoon perhaps, watching the hot action of the Hampton Surf may be a perfect way to warm the toes, and see the beauty and majesty of the world’s favorite sport.
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