Holland Trip 2003

Throughout his long successful coaching career Scotch Plains coach Tom Breznitsky has never been one to shy away from a challenge, annually scheduling the toughest opponents that dared to play his squad. The past two summers Breznitsky has gone one better going to Brazil a year ago and Holland this year-a trip which begins August 6 and runs through the 16th.

The team will be housed in Roermand a small village in Southeastern Holland on the German border where soccer is like a religion.The Raiders will be busy playing six games during their short stay including a four team international tournament against teams from Yugoslavia and Germany as well as the host country.
Brenitsky’s talented son senior midfeilder Ryn Breznitsky, who spent the past week at an Olympic Development camp in Binghampton, NY will spend an extra week in Holland training with the Fortuna Sittard team.

Breznitsky credits Roger Bongaerts, a Dutch soccer coach who has taught at Breznitsky’s soccer camp for organizing the trip just as another friend of Breznitsky’s Pascal Clergio organized the Brazil trip a year ago. The team participated in numerous fund raisers throughout the year to defray the cost of the trip which will cost different amounts for each player depending on how much money they razed.

Traveling to find summer opponents is nothing new to Breznitsky who long ago realized the bonding and unity an away trip could provide for his team.

Senor midfielder Ricard Arrocha, who will be playing his fourth season on the varsity this fall and also made the Brazil trip concurred. “ It really helps to get closer with your teammates”.

“Since 1985 we have always taken the kids somewhere “, said Breznitsky.
Four times Breznitsky took his team to Pikes Peak, Colorado to compete against other club teams which are stronger than high school teams since they are an all star team from a particular area.

“We were the white elephant-the only high school team playing against all these other clubs, “ recalled Breznitsky.
“It made us better playing that kind of competition”. The Raiders also competed several times in the Friendship Cup in Blaine Minnesota but recent restrictions imposed by the US soccer association forced Breznitsky to seek international competition.

Changes in soccer with the super strong club teams like Player0s Development Academy (PDA) has made it hard to satisfy the association’s rules for domestic tournaments. “Our kids are split among a number of strong multi town club teams “, said Breznitsky.

“They would not be able to take a trip together to a US tournament representing Scotch Plains-Fanwood”.