Long Island Soccer Academy Breaks Down Socioeconomic Barriers with Free Enrollment

Score one for the community!

Harry Singh, CEO of Bolla Market, found it a no-brainer to support the launch of a free youth soccer academy on Long Island.

Based in Garden City, Singh is collaborating with the American Soccer Club to fund this initiative, aiming to provide local young athletes with opportunities without the financial hurdles often seen in pay-to-play systems.

“We’re eliminating all socioeconomic barriers. Our goal is to reach kids who are currently overlooked and not involved with youth clubs,” said Jim Kilmeade, general manager of the Fighting Tomcats, in a conversation with The Post.

“We believe there are quite a few such talents out there,” he added.

The academy’s mission is to discover “the next” Joe Scally. Scally, hailing from Lake Grove, is making waves internationally, playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach in Germany and recently gaining recognition on the Bundesliga team of the week.

Joining the academy’s staff will be huge names in the game, like Bob Montgomery, who ran the New York Red Bulls youth academy for over a decade, and also former U.S. national team captain Perry Van Der Beck. 

“The only way to identify, develop, and launch players to the highest levels of soccer in the U.S. and internationally is via a fully funded youth academy,” said Kilmeade, who is eager to make LI a recruiting hot spot in the coming years. 

Singh, whose company is a jersey sponsor for the Tomcats, too, gladly invested in local youth soccer purely because “he loves Long Island,” the GM added. 

A launch date for the academy is still in the works, and returns home to LI on May 16 to face Newport at Lavalle Stadium in Stony Brook.