OFFICIAL: FA Euro has announced an exciting partnership with NY Greek American Soccer Club. With Joe Balsamo's appointment as First Team Head Coach for the 'Atlas' during the PDL off-season, both clubs have come into an agreement to work side by side in offering players who are not committed to college play, an all year round playing experience.
"The PDL is the zenith of our home grown player development system. However, whenever the season concludes, several players do not have a place to go to play competitively." says Executive Director Marco Balsamo. "Our partnership with NY Greek Americans fills that void. It is vital for us that our non-college players stay in shape throughout the entire year and this partnership enables us to prepare fully for the upcoming PDL season."
Formed in 1941, NY Greek Americans is one of the country's oldest clubs in existence. The seventy plus year old club have won five of eleven Eastern New York Championships between 2001 and 2012, including being four time Lamar Hunt US Open Cup winners. The club is one of only two teams, alongside Seattle Sounders FC, to have won the annual tournament on three consecutive occasions.
"The NY Greek Americans are very excited to announce our partnership with Joe Balsamo and the FA Euro family. We believe this relationship will give the flexibility of elevating and preparing players for the next level that very few soccer organizations currently have in New York. This partnerships offers players the opportunity to participate during year round training and matches under one, united coaching staff." - Tom Bouklis, NYGASC General Secretary
General Manager George Mellis believes that this partnership is ideal for offering
adult players an outlet for them to continue their dreams of a professional pathway. "Both clubs share the same ideology and we already feel that we are part of the FA Euro family. Together, we can make an impact in New York soccer. Our ambitions are clear, to develop elite players and to perform at the highest level. We plan on doing just that."
Joe Balsamo will be coaching the NY Greek Americans First Team in the upcoming Spring Cosmopolitan Adult Soccer League. Simultaneously, the team will prepare for the upcoming PDL season. "The objective is that our PDL team will be training all year round. The NY Greek Americans give us the perfect platform to have a successful, winning program for our players."