Bermuda Bound
Men’s soccer player Roger Lee is taking two weeks off from school and the University of Indianapolis soccer season to travel to Florida to play for the Bermuda U-20 National Team Oct. 16 -25.
Lee, UIndy’s starting forward from Southampton, Bermuda, is a leading goal scorer for the UIndy men’s soccer team. As a freshman, he started all 17 matches and was second on the team in goals with nine to his credit. As a sophomore, he already has two goals in just the first four games.
According to Lee, he will travel to Florida to train with the Bermuda team and play in the first round of the U-20 world qualifiers. The Bermuda team is grouped with Antigua and Barbuda, Haiti and the host Guadalupe.
At Key Stadium, starting forward for the Greyhounds Roger Lee attempts a goal during the second half of the game against Saint Joseph on Sept. 24. Lee will spend two weeks playing for the Bermuda U-20 National team this October. Photo by Chris Hartley.
While away, Lee will miss Great Lakes Valley Conference games against Rockhurst, Maryville and Missouri S&T universities.
According to head coach John Higgins, Lee will be missed greatly by the UIndy men’s team.
“He is one of the few players in our league that has the ability to hold the ball with his back to goal,” Coach Higgins said.“We’ve never really had that in our program before even when I was a player.”
“His speed and strength on the field are always a challenge to opponents and are very hard to replace,” senior midfielder Scott Gyllenborg said.
While playing for two different countries in two different leagues, Lee has noted the different styles of play for the American team versus the Bermudan team.
“Training for the national team focuses mainly on the technical aspect of the game,” he said. “In Bermuda the players are more technically sound, whereas at UIndy the play is more physical.”
This difference is emphasized by the fact that Lee is a forward for the Greyhounds, a goal scoring position, yet has played right back and center back for the Bermuda team, both defensive positions. Despite this, Lee said the overall styles of both team’s games are similar- a lot of passing and movement of the ball. Although Lee is an essential part of the UIndy men’s soccer game and will miss three crucial games, this opportunity has benefits.
“There is no way I would ever stand in his way,” Higgins said. “It is a great opportunity as a player. If I had the chance I would play for my country.”
Furthermore, while Lee is away, another player will get an opportunity to start and get some valuable minutes in before tournament time. Freshman Jason Krummen, among others, have seen time in the position as substitute and will benefit from the extra minutes.
While Lee is in Florida, he will get to brush up on his technical skills right before the GLVC tournament by playing at the national level.
“I feel that playing for the National Team is a great privilege,”Lee said. “And benefits me because I’m playing with the best players.”
In addition to missing two weeks of soccer, Lee will also miss two weeks of classes. He said he has already worked to get all of his assignments beforehand, so he will not fall behind in school and will complete them while in Florida via email.
“The plan is to get the work that I am going to miss so I can do it while I’m not here,” Lee said.
Lee’s first weekend back from the trip will see the beginning of the GLVC conference tournament.
If the Hounds win the conference tournament, they will gain an automatic seed in the NCAA tournament and a chance at the NCAA division II national championship.
