Twenty-two young players crossed the Atlantic to spend a week on the other side of the whistle — coaching alongside four New York area clubs, and taking their first steps toward a future in the game beyond playing.
The Bridge is a partnership between Flag Nation (New York) and Hype Merseyside (Liverpool, England) built around one idea: the fastest way to grow the game is to grow its coaches. Each year, the program brings a group of players aged 16–21 to New York for a week that trades the sideline for the whistle.
Over four days, the group ran real sessions for real teams — coaching kids across a wide range of ages and skill levels, in four completely different environments. For several participants, it was also a first look at the pathway into U.S. college soccer, with university coaches on hand to talk through what it takes to try out and compete stateside.
Flag Nation handled everything on the ground in New York: lining up four host clubs, building the day-by-day schedule, and pairing every session with written feedback the host coaches could put to use right away. Hype Merseyside brought the group — and the belief that the game travels best when it's shared.
Every day meant a new field, a new age group, and a new lesson in what it takes to coach.
The first stop was Harrison FC's home field, hosted by Coach Jhon Guevara. The group ran coaching sessions for local kids across U11 to U16, then closed the day with a run of friendly matches — the first chance for the visiting group to lead on U.S. soil.
A full day with the Englewood Eagles, hosted by Coach Jonathan Moreno. All 22 members of The Bridge coached across four age groups — U9, U11, U13, and U16 — before wrapping with a friendly match against the home club.
A shorter visit hosted by Coach Stiven Valencia, with a bigger focus on the coaches themselves. Alongside individual work with U9 and U11 players, Flag Nation's Coach Conrado Torres ran a session dedicated to building out the host coaches' toolkit — techniques they can keep using long after The Bridge moves on.
The trip closed with a friendly match against players from Mercy College in Mt. Vernon, hosted by Coach Jose Hernandez. The university's coach was on hand to walk interested players through what it takes to join a college soccer program in the U.S.
The Bridge returns in 2027. Leave your email and we'll let you know the moment registration opens — for players, coaches, and clubs who want in.
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