The fourth annual New York/Pennsylvania Soccer Showcase is nine months away, but the 2020 renewal is already undergoing some tweaks, mostly due to timing, including a switch from Saturday to Sunday.
Kris Linderman, one of the Showcase’s two founders, along with Dave Talbot, revealed the games will be played on Sunday, May 17 at Pitt-Bradford’s Kessel Athletic Complex, with the boys match set for 1 p.m. and the girls set to meet at 4 o’clock.
And if you’re wondering what happened to the original idea of the Showcase alternating sites between St. Bonaventure’s Marra Athletic Field and UPB’s complex, Linderman had an explanation.
“Our plan has always been to hold the games on the third weekend of May,” he said. “The games cannot take place during the high school (soccer) season and we wanted to have it played during the school year.
“That being said, our original intent was to rotate between St. Bonaventure and Pitt-Bradford. The first year we held it at Bona, but since then its school year has been moved forward a week which means graduation events conflict with the third weekend in May.”
He added, “We looked into moving the games to another weekend but the weekend after May 17 is Memorial Day and that’s definitely a no-go. The following weekend in June is a big one for both the Olean and Bradford Soccer Clubs with each playing in tournaments at Buffalo that weekend.”
Linderman continued, “It would also not be possible to move the games prior to the May 17 weekend due to Pitt Bradford’s graduation events, not to mention concerns about the wet springs in this area that could affect the practice opportunities both New York’s and Pennsylvania’s teams would need between the time snow melts and the game itself.
“We exhausted all of our options for moving to another weekend and we’re left with the May 17 option.”
Of the switch from the games being played on Saturday, he explained, “We moved the games to a Sunday afternoon for the first time. The games have previously been held on a Saturday afternoon but we chose the move to a Sunday to avoid prom conflicts. Plus, a possible rain makeup day for the Pennsylvania state track meet would be Saturday the 16th. We also feel that we can increase attendance on a Sunday afternoon as many people work on Saturday.”
As for playing on a college pitch, Linderman added, “We’re often asked why we don’t move the games to a high school field. The answer is we want to have a neutral playing field and show no favoritism toward any one school.
“Pitt Bradford is also a centrally located field considering the large geographical area we cover. UPB’s staff and administration are also very welcoming and we feel it’s a good venue.”
He also noted, “The idea behind the games is to ‘showcase’ the players’ talents to college coaches and provide an opportunity for players in this area to potentially play at the next level. Pitt Bradford (Divi. III) and St. Bonaventure (Div. I) are examples of the next level.
“UPB is excited to have us back next year and for the foreseeable future. It’s a win-win situation not only for us but also for Pitt-Bradford and all the players and coaches involved.”
Linderman concluded, “I’m sure the New York fanbase will be disappointed in not having the showcase at a venue in their home state. But taking into consideration the previously mentioned issues, and the location of Pitt-Bradford itself, we believe we can continue to have success and provide the opportunity for the soccer players in this area that we initially intended.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Bradford Publishing senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
