By Kaiya Wrigley, FCHS journalism student
FCHS sophomores Brady Crisp and Logan Bishop are getting the rare chance to do what they love in a foreign country. The two will head to Northern Europe to play soccer this July.
Crisp and Bishop will be playing on a Charlottesville Alliance club soccer team that will be out of the country for 12 days. They will spend three days training in Denmark and play one to two games per day for the other nine. They will be staying in a hotel with teammates and touring places such as Copenhagen, Denmark, when not practicing, training, or competing. If they reach the championship match, they will get a trophy and medals, regardless of the outcome of the game.
Crisp grew up in Fluvanna and has been playing soccer since he was six. Crisp said he got to where he is now by training hard, no matter what. He said he trains on and off the field, working out at home as well. He said he considers his time on the field as a chance to improve and excel, practicing at his full potential in spite of obstacles, so that he can compete at a high level in games.
“I’m super excited to be given this opportunity. I’ve never been out of the country, and just playing soccer out there is another big thing for me. I’m just really excited to play,” said Crisp.
Bishop has played soccer for the past six years. He was raised in Powhatan and lived there for most of his life before he moved to Fluvanna. He is also a member of the Charlottesville Alliance. Bishop is a goalie, and trains three times a week with Division 1 soccer players like University of Virginia goalkeeper Jake Bennett. He has a goalkeeping coach he works with, and also goes to the gym to work out on his off days.
“I love being a goalkeeper. My favorite part is diving [for the ball], but it’s also just a special position. It’s different from everyone else,” Bishop said.
FCHS Boys Soccer Coach Jason Davis shared how proud he is that Crisp is getting this opportunity to play overseas. “He is a hardworking leader on the pitch, and off of it, he is equally impressive. Brady loves the game, and I hope this summer brings him memories that last a lifetime,” he said.
Some student athletes never get the opportunity to play out of their state, much less out of the country. For Crisp and Bishop, the chance to play in Denmark is the opportunity of a lifetime.
“I’m so excited. I’ve been wanting to go to Europe for all my life, and now I get to go and play soccer,” said Bishop. “It’s just a really amazing opportunity.”
