City player Casserly making an impact in American League with Lynn University

Young, up-and-coming local soccer players have been advised to ‘go west’ to America to advance their career prospects.

James Casserly from Mervue, who is on a sports scholarship with Lynn University in Boca Raton, near Miami Florida, says talented teenagers weighing up their options shouldn’t rule out US universities.

“England is obviously great, especially for the top, top players,” says Casserly, who was home in Galway for Christmas and New Year.

“But a lot of players go to England and don’t make it. They come back and they don’t have a contract, and they don’t have a Leaving Cert or a college degree. The great thing about America is you get to play soccer and my university tuition fees were free.”

And while the main attraction is obviously playing soccer at a high level, the Yanks are serious about ‘the books’ too.

“If you don’t keep your grades up, you’ll lose your visa. Every two weeks we have exams and my grades are sent to my (soccer) manager. Over there you’ve got to go to class, and you’ve got to get the grades,” he says.

‘Making the grade’ on and off the field hasn’t been a problem for Casserly. Even though Lynn didn’t do as well this year, compared with the previous season, the 22-years-old remains an automatic first-choice defender on the team. Back in class, he’s been impressing, too, winning a top academic award for best grades in the last semester.

Last season, Casserly was a key player on the university team that won the league and cup double at State level as well as a national title. Not since the 1990s has a university completed the treble.

And he played every minute (over 1,900) of the 21 games they were involved in as they marched to Sunshine State Conference (equivalent of league), and Sunshine State Championship tournament (equivalent of the cup) success.

The past season hasn’t been as successful but, bar one game for which he was suspended, Casserly again played every minute of his side’s competitive action. They reached the semi-final of the equivalent of the cup and finished fourth in the league.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.