The Bridge
Where Soccer and Travel are your Education
what we do
Our Mission is to create a pathway for young aspiring athletes to continue their education with a cross cultural experience while pursuing their dream to be a professional soccer player.
Our Vision is to lead and differentiate our brand from all current models available for learning and player development by being innovative, adaptive, ever expanding yet staying personal
Our Value proposition is to make Soccer Universities the Gold Standard in the marketplace while delivering incredible value in the opportunity that we are providing.
Trust the process
Bridge Program
Take this year to work on your soccer career, chase the dream and accept the challenge to train harder than ever before. Receive top coaching, experience first class locations, travel and play overseas, be seen, compete and see just how good a soccer player you can be. Discover more about your strengths and your interests; be better prepared for what comes next whether it is college, armed forces, trade school, job market or a career in soccer.
Not everyone is suited for the college experience as we know it. Recent reports on NPR and from educationdata.org illustrate just how unprepared many students are for college. In the United States, the overall dropout rate is 40% and almost one in three freshmen withdraw from college (Nov 22, 2021 https://educationdata.org /college-dropout-rates). About 6 out of 10 students who start college will not have earned their degrees after 6 years. There are many reasons for this including academic, financial, or a lack of motivation & direction.
Not every player knows what he wants or what he is capable of achieving. Many are not certain of what to study at college, or what profession will best suit him. This is OK.
In an effort to provide athletes with an opportunity to not only pursue their soccer career but also to give them time and experiences outside of academia, we offer the Bridge option. Some students choose to take a gap year while deciding about college, but it is important to have structure for this year. The Bridge experience can offer a framework, with soccer at its heart, that provides a year of training, competition, travel & self-discovery. We believe these experiences and challenges will help the student athlete to be better prepared and motivated for what will be on the other side of the Bridge.
All players will participate in the Advancement series of presentations, given by various coaches and experts we meet along our path. It can be enlightening to hear about others in the soccer world talking about their journeys, or listen to topics related to selling oneself, including marketing, momentum, legacy and so forth. If the Bridge program is the option you wish to pursue, be sure to let us know. At any time during the year a player can choose to start his academic career with Purdue Global or take another path connected with soccer: sports agent, marketing, management, scouting, recruiting, coaching, athletic training, social media, travel agent, sport psychologist, match analysis, officiating and more.
Transfer students
The Bridge option is also available for those who have started college but found, because of the lack of soccer playing opportunities, the desire to pursue a professional playing career, academic concerns or for personal reasons, that they now wish to challenge themselves to see just how far they can go in the soccer world. Transfer students can choose to take the semester or the year off, or may transfer to Purdue University Global when ready to continue their education as they pursue their soccer career.
Seeking a professional contract
Three Soccer Universities players from the present 2021-22 squad have been invited for a trial and to train with FC Pirin, of Bulgaria’s top division. FC Pirin defeated league leaders Ludogorets 5-3 in their final game in December and now, with the addition of the 3 Americans, begin the 4 week winter preseason.
This is an exciting time and a great experience for the Soccer Universities athletes. New Jersey native Chris Hawkins, 6’2” forward, Desmond Williams from Westerville, Ohio, 6’3” center back, and Baltimore, Maryland born Caleb Pritchett, 6’3”center forward, all impressed during the fall of 2021, first in Orlando, Florida and then in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria.
SU Coach Matt Driver noted “This is the opportunity the lads work for when you join Soccer Universities; our players are able to train more often, work with top coaches and to travel to Europe than allowed in other settings. They play top competition and therefore can be seen, scouted and now invited to train overseas on trial with a professional club.”
An excited Caleb Pritchett commented “Six months ago I was walking at my high school graduation, but not really knowing what would happen next, so this is a thrill. I have learnt so much about the game with Soccer Universities and now so excited for this next challenge.”
