On Location: Epping, New Hampshire

I drove down to Seacoast United's field complexes in Epping, New Hampshire yesterday to watch a couple games between the hosts and the New York Red Bulls youth academy teams.

I hadn't fully appreciated the quality of youth soccer that's played just 75 minutes away from my home in Maine until I saw the Red Bulls rout Seacoast's U-17/18 team 5-0. The U-15/16 teams were scoreless when I left with a couple minutes remaining in the first half.

The Red Bulls' U-17/18 team, which is ranked by Top Drawer Soccer (TDS) as the No. 45 team in the country, features four players on their roster who are recognized as being in the top 65 in the U.S. by TDS, and their U-15/16 team features a couple players ranked in the top 20 in their age group:

U-17/18
No. 22: Brandon Allen (Georgetown)
No. 51: Ross Tetro (Rutgers)
No. 52: Mael Corbez (Rutgers)
No. 62: Scott Thomsen (Virginia)

U-15/16
No. 7: Adam Nejam
No. 16: Alex Muyl

After my experience yesterday, I've circled June 16 on my calendar. The New England Revolution's youth academy teams (ranked at No. 14 and 19, respectively) will be traveling to Epping to take on Seacoast.

- John C.L. Morgan

Freeport Officials Meet with Critics of Seacoast Complex

PPH:

Town councilors were unaware--and some were unconcerned--that a proposed indoor-outdoor soccer complex would require a major zoning change when they decided last year to provide town-owned land for the now-controversial project. That's the clearest bit of information that came out of a Town Council workshop Tuesday night with the Save Our Neighborhoods Coalition. The council called the workshop to address the coalition's concerns about Seacoast United Maine's proposal to build a $4 million soccer complex on town-owned land near Hedgehog Mountain.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Opposition Group to Submit Petition Against Seacoast Complex (December 20, 2011)

Opposition Group to Submit Petition Against Seacoast Complex

PPH:

A group of Freeport residents is expected to deliver a petition to the Town Council tonight asking officials to abide by a ban on commercial development of public open space and residential land west of the village center. The ban, part of the town charter, is the latest hurdle for the Seacoast United Maine soccer club in its effort to develop an indoor-outdoor field complex on town-owned land near Hedgehog Mountain.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Seacoast United Buys Topsham Dome (December 19, 2011)

Seacoast United Buys Topsham Dome

The Forecaster:

Seacoast United soccer club says its desire to build a sports arena in Freeport is not off the table, even though the club is buying the Howard Sports indoor facility in Topsham. Paul Willis, Seacoast's director of development and finance, said the nonprofit club plans to close on the Howard Sport purchase next week. It has leased the facility at 20 Atwood Road in Topsham for the past three years.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Seacoast May Take Field Complex Elsewhere (December 8, 2011)

Seacoast May Take Field Complex Elsewhere

The Forecaster:

Michael Healy, a spokesman for Seacoast United, said the Topsham-based nonprofit is still looking for ways to make the project fit in Freeport, but has also started to look for another host. "We will look to relocate in Freeport or outside Freeport," Healy said. After the Planning Board decision, which was an advisory vote, Healy met with the Town Planner, town councilors and the town attorney to discuss options that would make the project fit, including amending the zoning ordinance to establish an overlay district, creating a new recreational zone, or adding an additional permitted use to the zone.

- John C.L. Morgan

Related: Seacoast United and the Town of Freeport: A Timeline (December 3, 2011)