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The Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School boys’ soccer team has traveled all over the world to prepare for some of its most successful seasons. This year’s squad, which features 20 returning players from a unit that reached the Union County Tournament and North 2, Group 3 championship games last fall, will travel to Costa Rica this summer to face-off against teams from around the world.
Under the direction of longtime and NJSCA Hall of Fame coach Tom Breznitsky, the squad will train and play six games in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Over a 10-night, 11-day trip the players will also explore the beautiful environment and culture that the country has to offer.
Breznitsky has taken past Scotch Plains teams to Brazil three times and to Holland, Germany and Belgium twice.
“We plan these trips accordingly, every two years,” Breznitsky said.
After the team’s trip to Brazil in 2009, it posted a 19-win season that included a trip to the North 2, Group 3 championship game.
“The parents and everyone involved work very hard with fundraising to help defray costs,” Breznitsky said. “We had flower sales on Easter and Mother’s Day and we raised money with canister drives and also golf outings.”
Breznitsky partnered with Costa Rica Soccer Tours to plan the trip. By blending high-caliber international competition, team activities and cultural experiences, the company helps ensure that the trip is one that team members will not soon forget.
Between games and practices, players participate in one of two community projects. The athletes may choose to visit a community center, where they will play soccer with children and distribute donations of clothing or toys. Alternatively, the athletes may elect to promote English literacy by reading English-language books to Costa Rican elementary children.
“Of the previous trips abroad, I think we came back and did exceptionally well,” Breznitsky said. “It’s an experience for the kids to enjoy a soccer culture from another country. There’s a lot more to it than just soccer.”
But of course, soccer and improving as a team remains the paramount goal. “We’re not interested in getting trained by someone from Costa Rica,” Breznitsky said. “We’re interested in playing their best competition and have our kids in shape so they can be a step ahead of everyone else for the high school season.”
When the team returns, it will have about a week to go before practice officially commences for the 2011 season on Aug. 22.
For Breznitsky, this will be his 37th year at the helm of the Raiders, which began with the 1975 season. The fourth-winningest coach in New Jersey and No. 12 in the nation, Breznitsky is four wins away from gaining his 600th victory. He enters the upcoming campaign with a record of 596-136-46 (.814).
“I just love it,” Breznitsky said about his desire to continue coaching. “It’s something I always wanted to do and we’ve always had tremendous success. It keeps you going. I enjoy the kids and there’s no question about the tradition of the program here. I would like to continue - I’m 63 now - for a few more years and then hand it over to a younger guy…. We’ve built a program second-to-none here. If you’re a coach, you coach. If you have a successful program you keep on enjoying it.”
Not one to shy away from games against top-notch competition, Scotch Plains will open at home Sept. 8 against national power St. Benedict’s Prep of Newark.
“We used to play St. Benedict’s in the 1980s and 1990s, played them for 17 years,” Breznitsky said. “Then we stopped playing them. A couple of our kids have acquaintances with some of theirs, so they asked me if we could play them. This could be one of the best teams we’ve had here in six to seven years, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Michael
2:19 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
unnecessary. raise funds for something meaningful instead
BleedRaiderBlue
8:19 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
What could be more meaningful than a group of young guys traveling to another country to play soccer? How many high school kids can say they have had that oppurtunity? Should they raise funds for cool t-shirts instead?
Pele
2:37 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Does anyone know when tryouts for next fall's soccer teams took place?
How can the high school team go every other year if the team supposedly hasn't been selected yet?
Can anyone who has an interest in trying out for the team go on this trip or do you have to be asked?
This is a public school team, shouldn't spots on this team be open and transparent?
Does signing up for the raiders camp give you access to this trip?
I'm not really interested in the coaches record. Is it about him or opening opportunities to a select few of his choosing?
CostaRicaParent
11:30 am on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
First of all let me say that all of the boys going on the trip are returning varsity players from last years time. This is not a public school team. The team Raider Soccer Club is just comprised of players who have played high school varsity soccer at SPFHS. The writer is the one who refered to it as Scotch Plains Fanwood High School boys soccer team.As far as tryouts and picking a varsity team that will be in August when all high school teams start practice and tryouts. By the way my son has been a 3 year varsity player and never went to the coaches camp. If you haven't noticed all the coaches at the high school have camps in their respective spoprts.
Pele
12:07 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
This quote is from above. Breznitsky said. “We’re interested in playing their best competition and have our kids in shape so they can be a step ahead of everyone else for the high school season.” I interpret that to mean the team is selected already.
So the Raider Soccer Club is a non-school team that just happens to be made up of players who will play together as a team for the high school? And this club team just plays every other year in a foreign country? Please.
This is another example of a coach who does what he pleases because he thinks enough parents will toot his horn if someone calls him on it.
Congratulations on your son's career. It's not the players like him that I refer to. I'm referring to the 14th-20th kids who are not the automatic selection but may think they have a better chance of making the team based on lining a coach's pocket.
I'm also not saying it's just this coach. I know it happens in other sports. That's wrong too.
Lowell
12:22 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Wow! And if Pele knows it's true, then that's good enough for me! These fat cat teachers with their lined pockets! These snotty entitled kids thiking that if they made the varsity team last year theyve got a shot again this year! String them all up! Whoever heard of a club team traveling a broad - its NUTS I say!
Pele
12:52 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Well that didn't take long for the tooting to begin. How about we stick to what I actually said?
The article and the coach's quote both state or imply this is the team that will be playing for the high school even though supposed tryouts are in August.
I don't know how many of these players attend or attended the raiders camp, but I never said I did.
What I did say is I know this happens in other sports. That is the truth.
As far as fat-cat teachers, those are your words not mine and this coach is no longer a teacher. Supplementing their 10 month income is something that many of them need to do and I understand that. But to give the appearance (fact or not) that if you pay me you will have a better chance of making a team is just wrong. Read the camp literature from the website. It talks about the only camp that is on "our" soccer only turf field and it talks about how everyone who plays soccer wants to become a "raider". That to me says that the varsity coach knows the way to become a "raider" and if he's paid will teach your little darlings how to accomplish this.
A true "club" team does not advertise it's connections to a public school or talk about how to become a "raider". As I said, this holds true for the other sports camps that are run by our coaches.
fanwoodresident
2:49 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Good luck to the boys. However, I am sick and tired of someone begging for money everytime I leave my house on a Saturday morning.
ElDiez
4:02 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Michael & Pele need to relax. Very tense over this.
Pele
4:27 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
ElDiez, I don't feel tense over this. And would you kindly answer my question of when our PUBLIC tax payer funded high school had their tryouts for this fall's soccer team? How is our TEAM going to Costa Rica when tryouts haven't happened yet? Would you also answer my question asking if this trip is open to anyone who wants to try out for the team? If they are representing a public high school, then all students should have an opportunity to at least try out.
I also have a problem with camps run by high school coaches for a profit. The profit part doesn't bother me but the fact that a player will be putting a few hundred dollars in a coaches pocket for a camp and then that coach will determine who makes a team and what playing time they get doesn't add up for me.
Obviously the super stars are no-brainers. I'm talking about 2 players who are near the cut line. Player 1 went to the camp and paid their $300 for the week at the coaches camp. Player 2 had to work that summer and didn't go to the camp. Similar ability for each player. Who gets picked?
Machiavelli
5:18 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Pele, I totally agree with you and this applies to many other activities. ie. the kid who gets a spot in the rep theater musical because she takes private dance le$$ons with the choreographer or the kid who gets a spot in the jazz band because he takes private music le$$ons with the band director. Parents can say "What do you mean my kid isn't good enough, she's been taking lessons from you for years, if she's not good enough, its your fault." These conflicts should not exist. The BOE needs to tighten up its policy on this.
Patrick
6:33 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
If everyone hasnt noticed, but in this high school its all about politcs and who you know.Trust me its just like that with baseball and soccer. Its insane how some of these coaches even pick a whole team before the season. Bottom line in SPF high its all about who you know when it comes to sports.
bgporter
9:29 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Really? It's all about politics and who you know? Boy, I'm glad the real life is nothing like that. Has there ever been a selection process or audition where the losers didn't rationalize the outcome by blaming it on politics?
Scott Sinclair
8:37 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
bgporter...I enjoy your responses
haveaclueplease
6:57 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Good points all around. Bring it to the Board of Ed. Posting it on Patch is not the answer. Speak up and be heard if you feel that strongly about it.
Alex
8:59 pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2011
"Not one to shy away from top notch competition"? Brez has been dodging St Benes for years now. It's funny that the true best high school soccer coach in NJ does live in Scotch Plains. His name is Rick Jacobs and now that he's retired from coaching St Benes for the past year it's time for Brez to want to play them? What a tough talking joke Brez is.
never again two
12:56 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Perhaps CostaRicaParent should read the first paragraph of the article. It specifically refers to the SPFHS boys soccer team. "This year's squad...will travel to Costa Rica..." So either the author of the article misunderstood, was given incorrect facts, or misrepresented the facts if it is a PRIVATE soccer club that is going to Costa Rica - and will soon be standing outside our various grocery stores representing themselves as the SPFHS soccer team and asking for our money to send them abroad. If it's a private club, CostaRicaParent, then pay for it yourself.
Pat MaGroin
2:12 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Pat MaGroin here.
Our sons Cheq and Tug are quite the athletes. Holden and I thought that they both would have a shot at varsity this year. Holden even took a second job at the cannery to save money to give to the coach camp. (I personally think that Holden used that as an excuse because he's somewhat hung up on cans). Anyway, we didn't mind paying the $700 to the coach for the 2 boys to spend at the camp for 2 weeks because it would be well worth it so they could make the team. I did check the raider camp website and both my boys want to be raiders. After all it would look good for them when they try to get into college and would be a small price to pay. But I looked at the website for the costa rica tours that the school is using for this trip. It's no joke. I hope we can sell enough flowers and collect enough quarters from the shoppers at A&P, the banks, Fanwood bagel, CVS, Quick Check (both locations), and any other place that will allow us to beg in front of they're establishment.
I'm wondering how to announce the yardsale we will also have to have to raise this money. Should I put it on the Patch as an event? Do I have to pay them to advertise or can I just set up a blog to advertise for free?
If anybody is interested, I'm making Holden sell his collection of "pog mo thoin" magazines from Ireland. He's got a complete set, only missing the August 1999 issue, due to a situation that he and I will no longer discuss.
Machiavelli
4:27 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
I am so disappointed. I thought that haveacluepplease and fanwoodresident were real names. How do I know that Scott Sinclair is real? OMG! My world is crumbling around me.
Danny Ferrara
9:56 pm on Wednesday, June 8, 2011
You people make laugh, obviously none of you played for Brez, If you think that lousy $250 for the camp is going to give you a spot on the team or more playing time your dreaming. You need to be a player, camp or no camp. So u fools stopped the nonsense. Be happy that your child has a chance to be on the only consistent winning sport in town hands down.
Pat MaGroin
12:04 am on Thursday, June 9, 2011
Pat MaGroin here. But Danny the camp website says that every soccer player wants to be a raider and now my boys Cheq and Tug want to be raiders. It looks like from the website that for $700 they could both have a chance to be raiders. That seems fair to me.
I also am happy that my children could get a chance to be on the only consistent winning sport in town. However I'm afraid that even though the sport is right, you are confusing the gender. The most consistent winning sport in our town IS soccer, but it's WOMENS soccer.
Reg Dunlop
7:21 am on Monday, June 13, 2011
Is the golf cart going to Costa Rica too? Brez will need a place to sit while he is there.