RVC Soccer Club alumni going strong

This year might be a turkey but that did not prevent three Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) clubs with a long history in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) from hosting their Alumni Games over Thanksgiving weekend, including the Rockville Centre Soccer Club.
It’s a time to renew old friendships while the weather is still conducive for kicking around a soccer ball on an open field. These Alumni Games have endured for decades as the friendships made on youth soccer fields often last a lifetime. In addition to RVC, the Oceanside and Garden City clubs also hosted games.
Founded in 1971, the RVC Soccer Club has the oldest Alumni Games, as it started over 50 years ago in the mid-1960s when the graduates from South Side High School boys’ varsity team got together. It evolved into a club-run event approximately 25 years ago, said Peter Bralower, a 1971 SSHS graduate and one of the club’s original members.
Bralower played for legendary coach Art Raynor and is instrumental in running the alumni games each year. It is now named the Bob Livingston Alumni Game in memory of the original RVC Soccer Club Board Member. This year’s event took place on Saturday, Nov. 28 at the newly-turfed Tighe Field, named after board member, coach and former player Steve Tighe who was killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Past sites include what’s now named Hempstead Lake State Park, Covert Elementary School and RVC Park.
“This year's game was dedicated to long-serving board member, coach, club treasurer, field scheduler plus Eastern New York ODP coach Richard Schroeder, who passed away this past October,” Bralower said. “We didn’t have as big of a turnout as usual because of the pandemic, but last year we had over 50 men and 20 women play.

“It’s very informal and more about the friendships and camaraderie that everyone has developed over the years,” he added. “For the men, we rotate in three teams, old, older and oldest.”
Dan Bernstein, 67, is the oldest playing alumni and the younger brother of Alex Bernstein, one of the founders of the RVC Soccer Club. Dan, a 1972 SSHS graduate, was the Cyclones’ team MVP as a senior center-midfielder and went on to play at SUNY Brockport and coached at Colgate University.
“I feel very fortunate to still be able to play,” Bernstein said. “More importantly it’s about meeting old friends and enjoying each other’s company. It says a lot about the club and the high school program.”
Tom Walsh, a 2004 SSHS graduate who played for longtime coach Al Freeman, echoed Bernstein’s thoughts. Walsh played in every alumni game from 2003-2019 but was unable to be a part of this year’s action. “I don’t get to play too much outside of the alumni games,” Walsh said. “It’s a fun game and a fun get-together afterwards. The big thing is seeing guys who I don’t get to see often.”