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FC Buffalo is pleased to announce a cooperative effort with Buffalo Public Schools to increase exposure for the best and brightest boys soccer players in BPS Athletics, and to honor one of the brighter luminaries in WNY Soccer.
Select players from Buffalo’s High School teams will assemble for a 7v7 tournament at Robert Rich Sr. All-High Stadium before FC Buffalo’s match against the Rochester Lancers on Friday, June 2. College coaches from around the region have been invited to attend the matches, which will run between 3-5:45 p.m., approximately.
FC Buffalo and Rochester will kickoff at 7 p.m., and all tournament participants and visiting coaches will be welcomed to stick around for the match. Select FCB players will officiate the games, and help award the trophy.
The winner of the tournament will receive the inaugural Hector R. Vasquez Memorial Trophy, named after the celebrated late coach. In addition to 25 years as a teacher’s aide in Buffalo Public Schools, Hector founded the Riverside Express youth soccer club, coached at Holy Angels Academy and Daemen College, and led teams for Delaware, Kenmore, and Riverside youth soccer.
An immigrant from Guatemala, Hector also helped conduct FCB tryouts alongside former head coach Brendan Murphy, and coached FC Buffalo’s reserve team in the BDSL. Hector led the team to a Round of 16 match in the Tehel Cup as one of the only non-Premier Division teams remaining in the tournament.
“The club remains indebted to Coach Murphy for introducing us to Hector and his wife Liz, who gave their time and effort to the club,” said FC Buffalo co-owner Nick Mendola. “To honor Hector’s family in any small way is a humbling and happy moment for us. We thank Buffalo News writer Ben Tsujimoto for the idea of naming the trophy after Hector, and Hector’s family for supporting it.”
Anyone wishing to support the tournament can contact FCB by emailing nick@fcbuffalo.org.
