Daytona Beach, FL – Daytona State College (DSC) has unveiled the campus’s new 800-seat soccer stadium.
After a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 10, the soccer stadium was opened for the DSC vs. Florida State College men’s soccer match. Before the match, stadium tours were given and mementos and refreshments were provided. During halftime, the Seabreeze High School men's soccer team was recognized for their accomplishments at the 2017 state championship. A video commemorating the experience was shown on the stadium’s video scoreboard.
(Photo of the ribbon-cutting ceremony courtesy of DSC)
“I truly am honored to see so many DSC friends, soccer fans and community members here today to celebrate our inaugural season at this outstanding facility,” said Tom LoBasso, DSC President. “While this stadium is home to our men’s and women’s soccer teams, it is also about community. This is a place where young athletes can dream, where parents can take pride in their kids’ passion for the sport, and where our community can come together in the spirit of friendly competition.” Not only will DSC utilize the stadium, but other soccer clubs, school teams, and community partners will as well. Some of its anticipated uses are for soccer clinics, prep and club sports, the October 21 Homecoming tailgate party, and movie nights hosted by the Student Government Association. Students in the new Associate of Science in Television Production degree program will be able to utilize the stadium to practice by live broadcasting soccer matches on DSC’s public television station, WDSC 15. The Bureau of Labor Statistics believes over 500 broadcasting jobs will become available every year for the next decade, with up to 40 of those jobs being offered in Volusia and Flagler Counties. “DSC athletes continue to be among the very top academic students, not only at our college, but among Florida students and even nationally,” said DSC District Board of Trustees chair, Forough Hosseini. “We are very proud of them for making academics a top priority.” DSC’s soccer teams were introduced in 2016. The teams played at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University while the stadium was under construction. The men's team, coached by Coach Bart Sasnett, won Region 8 and Southeast District championships and earned a spot at the NJCAA National Tournament in Tyler, Texas, playing their way through the quarterfinals. The women’s team ranked within the top 20 NJCAA teams with 11-3. Their coach, Brittany Jones, earned Region 8 Coach of the Year. So far this season, the men’s team is 11-2 and the women’s is 9-1. Next year, the stadium will hold the NJCAA Men's Division 1 tournament. The tournament is 15 games and is slated for Nov. 12-17, 2018. According to Will Dunn, DSC Athletic Director, the stadium, “symbolizes our institutional growth and commitment to our students, staff, and community.” Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
