Stephen Basso
Encyclopedia
Stephen Basso is a Costa Rica
n-born American
soccer player currently playing for the Harrisburg City Islanders
in the USL Professional Division.
, India
where his father, a foreign service officer with the State Department, worked. Basso eventually settled in Columbia, Maryland
, where he played on Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County teams and high school soccer at Hammond High School
, but did not attended college; instead, he left high school early and went to Germany when his father was assigned to Frankfurt. Basso signed for German lower-league side PSV Blau Gelb in 2003.
Basso spent a year with Blau Geld, before returning to the United States to join the youth academy of Major League Soccer
side D.C. United
, foregoing college soccer
, Basso spent two years there, helping his team to the U17 National Championship Semi-Finals in 2004 and the U19 National Championship Semi-Finals in 2005.
. Basso spent the majority of his time in Darmstadt playing for team's reserves, never making a first team appearance, and returned to the United States in 2008 to sign for USL Second Division
expansion franchise Real Maryland Monarchs
. He made his professional debut on April 20, 2008 in Maryland's season opening 1-0 loss to the Western Mass Pioneers
.
Basso signed for Crystal Palace Baltimore in 2009. On March 16, 2010 Baltimore announced the re-signing of Basso to a new contract for the 2010 season. He went on to make 24 league appearances for CPB over two seasons before leaving the club when it ceased operations at the end of 2010.
Basso signed with Harrisburg City Islanders
of the USL Pro
league on April 1, 2011. He scored his first professional goal in his fifth pro year, on May 22, 2011 in a 3-1 loss to Orlando City.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player currently playing for the Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Professional Division.
Youth and Amateur
Basso started playing soccer at age 5 in New DelhiNew Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where his father, a foreign service officer with the State Department, worked. Basso eventually settled in Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not...
, where he played on Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County teams and high school soccer at Hammond High School
Hammond High School (Columbia, Maryland)
Hammond High School, established in 1976, is a public secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland and is part of the Howard County Public School System. It is located near the Kings Contrivance Village Center, south of Maryland Route 32, east of U.S...
, but did not attended college; instead, he left high school early and went to Germany when his father was assigned to Frankfurt. Basso signed for German lower-league side PSV Blau Gelb in 2003.
Basso spent a year with Blau Geld, before returning to the United States to join the youth academy of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
side D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
, foregoing college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
, Basso spent two years there, helping his team to the U17 National Championship Semi-Finals in 2004 and the U19 National Championship Semi-Finals in 2005.
Professional
Having not been offered a professional contract by DC, Basso initially returned to Germany, signing his first professional contract for SV Darmstadt 98SV Darmstadt 98
SV Darmstadt 98 is a German association football club based in Darmstadt, Hesse. The club was founded on 22 May 1898 as FC Olympia Darmstadt. Early in 1919 the association was briefly known as Rasen-Sportverein Olympia before merging with Darmstädter Sport Club 1905 on 11 November that year to...
. Basso spent the majority of his time in Darmstadt playing for team's reserves, never making a first team appearance, and returned to the United States in 2008 to sign for USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
expansion franchise Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland F.C., commonly known as the Real Maryland Monarchs, is an American soccer team based in Rockville, Maryland, United States...
. He made his professional debut on April 20, 2008 in Maryland's season opening 1-0 loss to the Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers
Western Mass Pioneers is an American soccer team based in Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
.
Basso signed for Crystal Palace Baltimore in 2009. On March 16, 2010 Baltimore announced the re-signing of Basso to a new contract for the 2010 season. He went on to make 24 league appearances for CPB over two seasons before leaving the club when it ceased operations at the end of 2010.
Basso signed with Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
league on April 1, 2011. He scored his first professional goal in his fifth pro year, on May 22, 2011 in a 3-1 loss to Orlando City.