WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Williamsville South High School and its beautiful soccer field is home to the FC Buffalo Men's and Women's soccer teams this 2023 season. When the team's take the field, fans will get the chance to see the players, the nice jersey's, the passing, the goal-scoring. All of that is nice, but it's the stories off the field for these players that are so compelling.
I had a chance to catch up with four players. Two on the Men's team. Two on the Women's team. Both with their own stories of how they got to FC Buffalo.
On the Women's team, Marcy Barberic and Carissima Cutrona are Buffalo born and raised. Marcella from Grand Island, and Carissima from Williamsville. Their journey to playing in the United Women's Soccer League, which is only one step below National Women's Soccer League (The best women's soccer league in the United States) started in the 716 and continued on at the University at Buffalo.
Both Cutrona and Barberic were Forwards on the team, but went to play overseas in Iceland and Norway to better their games, and continue their soccer dreams.
Now, in the FC Buffalo colors, the two are pursuing full-time careers outside of soccer. They're both grateful to still be able to play high level soccer back home.
"Ultimately this is my home. I have other things going on in life. I coach, I have a job, but being able to play soccer and pursue that passion means a lot to me," Cutrona said.
While Cutrona and Barberic went to Europe to pursue their soccer dreams, Elias Ehlin and Olle Brorsson came from Europe to chase theirs.
Both from Sweden, Ehlin and Brorsson came to the United States in 2020 to pursue college soccer and beyond.
They played against each other in Swedish Academy teams, and even when they began their collegiate careers in South Carolina.
Now Ehlin is playing for the University at Albany, while Brorsson is at Monmouth University. Even though they're still learning about Western New York, they're pumped to get out onto the Will. South field and continue to chase their professional dreams.
"It's really fun. You meet so many new people and make so many new friends," Brorsson said.
For more FC Buffalo scheduling and information, click here.
