Visit to AFC Bournemouth Allows Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club to See Sport in a Different Light

Soccer has always been a prominent sport in the Las Vegas valley and around the world. After the addition of AFC Bournemouth to Foley Entertainment Group in 2022, the floodgates opened for the potential to grow soccer in ways never seen before in Las Vegas.

Part of the growth came in the form of a partnership between AFC Bournemouth and Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club. For the last year and a half, AFCB and DTLVSC have created more opportunities for youth soccer in the Las Vegas community by hosting youth camps, starting youth soccer leagues with free gear, and now taking trips to England to visit Premier League facilities. On top of that, young soccer players in Las Vegas have a team to point to as a favorite in one of the best leagues in the world.

The collaboration between AFC Bournemouth and DTLVSC has been spearheaded by Steve Cuss, Head of Community for AFCB and Gary Soresman, Executive Director of Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club. As the two organizations have come together, Cuss and Soresman have looked at the partnership strategically to enhance both of their operations despite being located across the pond from one another.

“We were delighted to welcome Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club to Bournemouth for a two-week football tour,” Cuss said. “The tour was part of the continued partnership between DTLVSC and AFC Bournemouth which promotes player and coach development and soccer in Las Vegas. We look forward to continuing the partnership and providing opportunities and memorable experiences for many to enjoy.”

Soresman took 21 players from two teams and his team of coaches to southern England to explore AFC Bournemouth facilities and gain new experiences on what it takes to be a professional soccer player. The club had the opportunity to be coached by AFCB Academy coaches, tour Vitality Stadium, meet Academy players, play against local teams and take in a friendly match between AFC Bournemouth and Real Sociedad of La Liga in Spain. The purpose of the trip was to show Las Vegas-based players the bigger picture of soccer (football in England), what it takes to be a Premier League player, and see the game in a different light.

“Travelling to visit AFC Bournemouth offered our players an invaluable experience at a Premier League club in England,” Soresman said. “They got exposure to diverse playing styles, cultural enrichment, team bonding in a new environment, and a chance to grow on and off the field. This trip inspired personal growth, sportsmanship, and lifelong memories.”

Before the group from Las Vegas began their travels, AFC Bournemouth First Team midfielder Lewis Cook and forward Antoine Semenyo sent the club special messages and well wishes on their trip. The group then travelled to England at the end of July and, after one night’s rest at Canford School, immediately hit the pitch with a tour of Vitality Stadium and training sessions with AFC Bournemouth Academy coaches. The following day, the club faced off against Academy players, an experience the Las Vegas boys called “once in a lifetime.”

By day five, DTLVSC players were settling in with more training sessions, this time with former professional footballer, Ian Cox. The former Cherry gave the young group insight on what it takes to be a professional footballer, including emphasizing an importance on nutrition, recovery, and skill.

After a few training sessions, the Downtown Las Vegas club put their learnings to the test with a five-a-side tournament against local England teams such as Wessex Sports, Holt United, and Highcliffe Hawks.

On day nine of the Bournemouth tour, DTLVSC’s players and coaches sat down with AFCB Academy players Ollie Morgan and Ben Purches for a Q&A. Morgan and Purches shared valuable knowledge about the Academy, what it takes to play at the next level, and the possibilities of growing the game with the young players. The club labeled their day with Morgan and Purches as unforgettable as they gained first-person experience about the regimented lives that Premier League players live.

After many intense training sessions and matches, the kids from Las Vegas enjoyed a day off at the beach and experienced Bournemouth as the locals do. On their last full day of their Bournemouth tour, the players got to see AFC Bournemouth in action for a friendly match against Real Sociedad. The boys stood pitchside and met their favorite players like Semenyo and Tyler Adams. The boys even got to sit down with AFC Bournemouth legend, Steve Fletcher and ask questions on his career in the Premier League.

Following the successful trip, Soresman and his staff were blown away by the experience the group had and the things they learned that will advance soccer in Las Vegas for years to come. Soresman said the experience was a success for DTLVSC because it allowed the players and coaches alike to see soccer in a different light.

“It wasn’t about going there to win soccer games and playing in a tournament,” Soresman said. “We do lots of that. It was about giving them a cultural experience.”

The trip out to Bournemouth was a once in a lifetime opportunity for a local Las Vegas team to visit a team that plays the highest level of soccer in the world. The Foley Entertainment Group has always placed an emphasis on growing youth sports, whether that comes in the form of hockey with the Vegas Golden Knights or soccer with AFC Bournemouth.

Jim Frevola, who serves as President of Business Operations for AFCB, spent five seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights helping the team forge invaluable connections with the Las Vegas community. He and the entire club call Las Vegas their “adopted U.S. hometown” and linking AFCB with the city of Las Vegas is a priority. As young soccer players in Nevada continue to learn from and support AFC Bournemouth, Frevola said the collaboration is just getting started.

“The entire AFC Bournemouth organization was honored to host Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club this summer,” Frevola said. “For the past two years, DTLVSC has been kind enough to host our team in Las Vegas, and it was finally our chance to return the hospitality. We hope that those who visited this summer enjoyed their time with us, as well as the experience of attending what, for most, would’ve been their first AFC Bournemouth fixture in the friendly against Real Sociedad.”

Soresman has high hopes the Bournemouth tour becomes an annual trip overseas. He aims to continue giving Downtown players the opportunity to go across the pond and see AFC Bournemouth. The Downtown club is even in the process of adopting a similar philosophy of the AFC Bournemouth Academy. This includes player development on and off the pitch, placing values on togetherness, integrity, and accountability.

Heading over to Bournemouth annually can continue to give young local Las Vegas players an eye-opening experience. The idea of the trip is to give these kids a bigger picture of what goes on with Premier League clubs. Seeing Premier League facilities was a new experience for the DTLVSC players, many of whom had never left the United States.

As the Las Vegas-based players got this all-access experience in the Premier League, they learned as much about themselves and their teammates as they did about the game. The trip was a major step towards Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club’s goal of helping players reach their potential and have soccer be at the core of their life experience. Though the trip is over, this is just the start of the players’ journeys from youth soccer in Las Vegas to the Premier League.