Interview by Kelly Postiglione. Photos provided by Westchester Soccer Club.
To celebrate Father’s Day, we caught up with Mitch Baruchowitz, founder of Westchester Soccer Club and local dad from Rye. As the region’s first professional soccer team, the club is bringing fans and families together across Westchester, Fairfield, Rockland, and Bergen counties- building community, connection, and local pride.
Congratulations on launching the first-ever professional soccer team in Westchester! What does it mean to you to bring this club to life right here in our community?
It means the world to create something right here in Westchester. We think of our team as representing the entire region, which is Westchester, Fairfield County, Rockland, and Bergen counties. These counties are all known for having beautiful, livable communities, but there isn’t always an easy thing to point to that unifies all of them. There are fun rivalries between adjacent towns or rival soccer academies—even every town is competing to have the best schools—which contributes to a lot of neighborly competition. What if, as a community, we could elevate the thinking around local sports, especially when it comes to soccer? Let the Westchester Soccer Club give everyone one thing they could rally around. The long-term effects of this could be so positive and inspiring to the aspiring elite soccer player or casual fan alike. Think of three hours of good family fun on a summer Saturday night. The concept in the abstract seems so timely—but if it works…
When I started evaluating whether it made sense to try and bring a USL franchise to Westchester, my first question to people was, “What do you think of the current professional sports landscape for fans in the region?” Almost every answer was about how much effort it took to go to MetLife Stadium, Yankee Stadium, or Citi Field on game days. I understood this as a former NYCFC and Islanders season ticket holder—we could not get to games on time during the week because of traffic. I wanted to be able to provide these communities with not only an affordable and convenient professional sports option (in a sport a majority of kids play at an early age and a sport that is growing exponentially among our youth throughout the Northeast), but instead of NY, it would be named for the place they actually live—that was the real driving force!
I wanted to use a sport I love and that shaped a lot of my youth and my kids’ youth as a unifying force that everyone in the region could share and help me build from the first day. Something that kids could grow up rooting for and really connecting with. It has truly been a dream to have some small role in trying to do something that could have such a deep impact on our community here.
You’re raising your own family here in Westchester. What’s the most exciting part of sharing this experience with your kids?
I am extremely close with my two sons, and sport is one of the things we have always enjoyed together. I coached their soccer team when they were young and have always enjoyed how tight-knit Rye is. The families really rally around those early morning soccer games and other sports. It is so special. Other communities in the region are the same. Parents are constantly sacrificing so much every weekend to make sure their kids have such rich experiences in sport and other activities. I see what we are doing at Westchester Soccer Club as such a great opportunity for parents to experience the love of the game alongside their kids, rather than just watching their kids.
I always enjoyed going to games with the kids—we do a college bowl game every year and have been to every major sporting event you can go to, from the Jets/Mets/Knicks/Islanders. I find there are so many life lessons and interesting stimuli that come from sports when you are experiencing it together.
When this opportunity arrived to launch a soccer club, I was intentional about making it a positive thing—one that can be shared with all of the other soccer-loving families of the region.
The main driving force in creating and building this club is that it is something that can shape our family but also be shaped by our family. That, to me, is the ultimate joyful pursuit. Doing something I love (building companies and community), with my sons in a way where they can be substantial contributors to how we provide a family-focused experience for others, has been one of the real, surprisingly awe-inspiring parts of this journey.
The depth of conversations I have had with my older son in particular—he took a semester off to work for the team and be part of the core group of people who made sure we could launch a professional sports team in less than a year in one of the busiest sports markets in the world—has been about as rewarding as anything you can imagine. Then to host Eagle Hill students at a game and be able to give back in such a unique way to my younger son’s school was a great experience for our family and all the Eagle Hill families that came. They got to meet players and be a part of the opening kick of the walkout.
Memorial Field in Mount Vernon has a rich history. Why was this the right home base for the club, and how do you hope to revitalize the stadium for families and fans?
The truth is, the stadium, which was redone in 2022, is a really nice venue. It just needed an anchor tenant that could shine a light on it. And it was the only venue in the area that could get soccer federation approval with minimal work, so it was pretty much a no-brainer if we intended to play in 2025. I wanted Westchester Soccer Club on the map before the 2026 World Cup. Everyone around me and at the USL told me that you need an 18–24-month ramp-up time—here we are, 14 months later and 13 games in, so thankfully Mount Vernon was a real blessing.
The community and staff of the stadium have been so supportive, and we continue to make little tweaks to enhance the experience so that people have an amazing time every time they set foot in it. After years of sitting decrepit, the place is jumping every time we have a game—from the T-shirt gun, to the Supporters Group chants, to the drums and really high-level soccer. We even had an ESPN #1 top play for a wonder goal, so that can’t hurt bringing more attention to MV and its stadium.
And most importantly, it is so easy to get to from everywhere and parking surrounds it so that you can literally drive up and be in your seat in two minutes. One of my key advisors comes from Westport—45 minutes from his front door to his seat. From Spring Valley in Rockland—45 minutes. From Piermont or Tappan—25 minutes. Greenwich and Rye are 20 minutes tops. So ease, affordability (a family of four should be able to stay under $250 with tickets, food and merch)—that is how you bring a community together and revitalize a famous venue!
How do you plan to engage local talent from youth programs in Westchester and Fairfield?
We acquired an academy before launching and we just did an open tryout, which had 800+ kids trying out. We plan on being the local professional option for kids from every elite academy—so whether someone plays for us or one of the other great academies, if they want a professional opportunity and want to stay local, we have an open door.
We have seven local players on our pro squad, and with the help of local legend Tyler Adams, we plan on integrating our scouting efforts with all of the local academies and youth programs so that when it comes to youth, you have tons of options—but when it comes to professional options, the whole region is all in on Westchester SC. We also recently did a tryout for the Boys and Girls Club where we plan on giving scholarships, so giving back to the community is a huge part of our plan too.
What kind of fan experience can families look forward to on game day? Will there be kid-friendly zones, clinics, or opportunities to meet the players?
We have amazing sponsors like Northwell Health, HealthFirst, RXR, the Taco Project, Yonkers Brewing and others that have helped us create a ton of fun stuff at the stadium. Super Soccer Stars has set up mini fields on the east side of the stadium at our first four games, and there is a ton of space for kids to run around if they get antsy or just want to play soccer.
We keep adding new things—so a halftime T-shirt launcher is the newest fun thing. We have plans for all kinds of fun halftime stuff coming up. We recently had the New Rochelle girls youth program playing mini games at halftime and a full band from a local school of arts that greeted people as they walked in—so it’s always a little bit carnival, and a lot of professional soccer. We also do a player autograph session after each game so kids have a chance to meet their local heroes and really be part of the experience, which has been so much fun to watch.
How do you see Westchester Soccer Club becoming more than just a game, but a movement for local pride?
I truly believe that a few years from now, our jerseys, shirts, and hats will be everywhere in the region and the 17–20 home games we have will be the place to be on summer nights. Whatever rivalries exist outside the stadium, when you set foot in the stadium, you are going to be linking up with your neighbors and friends for three hours of community and fun.
And because it says Westchester, and not NY, NJ, or Connecticut, everyone will rally around the fact that this is their team—and many of the players will have been born and raised locally, which will bring even more of a local connection. That pride and belief in the virtue of sport as a unifier and the importance of community—it’s not just lip service—we are living it every day.
When people discover that we are a professional team, the surprised looks I get and the immediate turn of the conversation to how someone can get involved, or when the next game is—it is really a dream come true for myself and my sons. I owe so much gratitude to all of the friends and friends of friends that I have leaned on to help me navigate this, that I am seeing the community grow in pride in real time—and it is simply the most humbling thing I have ever experienced.
When people think of Westchester Soccer Club, we want them to think: one large backyard summer hang, good local food carts, activities for the kids, great drinks, live music, your friends and neighbors—and of course, professional soccer.
How do you plan to celebrate this Father’s Day?
At the stadium of course, with my boys for an evening game under the lights. This Father’s Day in particular is important to me, as my father passed away a year ago. Our last few conversations centered around launching the team and the colors we were going to use, the badge, etc. I want this club to represent that connection to family, to friends, and to a broader community that gives life such deep meaning. I couldn’t think of a better way than to create a legacy for my own boys that brings our community together for the love of the game.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Our condolences on the loss of your father, and I’m wishing you and your family a very special Father’s Day. We’ll be cheering you and Westchester Soccer Club on as the movement continues to grow.
We’re incredibly grateful for our amazing community and the wonderful people and places that make it so special. Explore our Blog page for features that spotlight local businesses and more. Looking for something to do in Westchester? Check out our Local Guides and Calendar pages to discover what’s happening locally and follow along on Instagram for more!