AMHERST, N.Y. - Like many, Trey Buscaglia had a hard time adjusting to a slower schedule indoors this spring after years of running from one place to another.

"I need motivation to get up and do stuff in the morning and get my day going," said Buscaglia. "Back to routine and school just gets me going. When I was in quarantine, I didn't really have that. My parents just kept me in. I didn't have much going."
 

That's why Buscaglia and Daemen teammate Derek Bartlo eagerly pursued tryouts – and later joined – FC Buffalo's 2020 roster this summer, joining alumni Trevor Hill and Justin Figler as the only other Wildcats to have played for the organization.

Formed in 2009, FC Buffalo played its first match in 2010 as a member of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL.) Before this, men's soccer in Western New York struggled to establish a presence to draw fans towards, compared to football and hockey. With FC Buffalo typically playing home matches at All-High Stadium, Bartlo said the main draw is finally here. And, with NCAA Division II rules stating student-athletes are allowed to participate as members of outside amateur teams while outside their declared playing and practice season, the transition between seasons is much smoother.

"(In) soccer, FC Buffalo is that team," said Bartlo, a sophomore and Canisius High School alum. "We don't have the European leagues in our area that we can look up to and possibly go to (play) but, growing up in Buffalo, FC Buffalo is a main goal for most people. They want to have the experience to play and experience the atmosphere that is going on."

Described by owner and manager Nick Mendola as a "professionally-run team of high-quality amateur players," FC Buffalo only played three games this summer in Erie, Cleveland and Detroit as part of the Members Cup after the NPSL cancelled its traditional 2020 summer season due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most, if not all, the off-season preparation that was completed over the winter was thrown out the window in March. A simpler plan was implemented when the team started practicing in July, including daily temperature checks and enforcing social distancing when not partaking in drills.

The main criteria in finalizing the roster, Mendola said, was finding high-quality players, on and off the pitch, who would follow these new guidelines.

"The message I sent to (the players) was we have an opportunity that not a lot of people have and we also have the potential – if we do this the wrong way – we could directly and adversely affect a city that we love," said Mendola. "I was very careful – and all our staff and our captains were – to make sure that there was an appreciation for the opportunity in front of us. Kids who were seven (years old) all the way up to certain professional teams in certain countries were not being allowed to do what they loved. And we were going to get the chance to do what we love while representing a city that we love and that was an absolutely monstrous level of responsibility.
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While there were some initial nerves on how the first day of practice would be, Buscaglia said his concerns disappeared by the end of the first few drills.

"It was like we never even took that quarantine break," said Buscaglia, a sophomore and Williamsville East High School alum. "The speed was higher than I ever played before. Everyone knew where everyone was, and the ball was moved perfectly. It was just an opportunity to get out and play."

"Nick mostly explained it's on us and that he could only do his part, which is put us on the field and get us ready to play," added Bartlo. "It was our job to stay safe and figure out what was going on in the world and not put us in danger and not put the rest of the players on the team in danger."

Heading into the first game, Mendola pointed out there was a chance they wouldn't play as much as this was a more-intense league. This didn't faze them one bit. They were simply happy to be part of a team again and each contributed immensely.

"You can look at Trey and his pace and his willingness to get up and down the pitch and clearly how much he loves being out there and that is such a brilliant starting point for a player," Mendola said. "He still has that passion and he's always smiling and laughing and that's infectious. That's something that makes teammates love you.

Derek is hard-nosed. He's physical. He's technical as well and reads the game. He's very intelligent. But he's the sort of kid who people would say would run through a wall. I think he'd do whatever it takes to get through that wall. If he had to pick it piece by piece, he'd punch through it."

Not only was the change in pace helpful but their experience with FC Buffalo helped them grow mentally.

"Playing against some Division I players, I would say I learned some tricks, but I'd say I more learned different play styles and better function in the midfield where I play," said Bartlo. "Learning from them and taking advice from them will hopefully help me during the Daemen season and hopefully we can get some success out of it."

"And it helped me with the shape of the team where everyone needs to be connected and then it's a well-oiled machine," added Buscaglia. "You may not have the best players, you may have the best players, it doesn't matter. As long as your team, and you individually, do your job and everyone's helping everyone, your team's going to be top-tier."

Having them play for FC Buffalo also gained high approval from Daemen head coach Bediako Swan.

"The opportunity to play with FC Buffalo gives (Derek and Trey) the opportunity to practice and play with experienced players, which I think helps with the mental development of the game," said the Daemen second-year head coach. "The benefit of playing with FC Buffalo is the maintenance of their fitness levels, the opportunity (to) practice while most couldn't and (they were) coached differently. This helped the players develop the mentality to adapt.
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Moving forward, Mendola believes a top Division-II men's soccer program in Western New York like Daemen's will be a "game-changer" for FC Buffalo.

"I think we've always identified (that) Daemen could become a gem for us," said Mendola. "The development of the program into an improving and growing D-II (team) is just going to be so big for us… The programs the college has, the potential under the coaches, what Division II soccer has become in our country, Daemen has the hallmark of a team that is going places and has every potential to be a special place."

In what was an unpredictable summer, Buscaglia and Bartlo appreciated the moment – and have memories of a lifetime
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"(They) put a lot of faith in us," said Bartlo. "They took an opportunity to let us play and I respect them for that. I'm grateful that they gave me the opportunity. I hope to be there next year but I can't thank them enough."
 

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Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.