THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9409200150
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
Tom Bashara didn't like being passed up for a soccer scholarship because the coach didn't think Bashara's hometown of Norfolk had enough of a soccer tradition.
Bashara also didn't like having to drive to Virginia Beach when he wanted to buy quality soccer gear.
So Bashara kicked back.
In early August, Bashara opened Premier Soccer Equipment in Ghent. Since day one, the ball has bounded in the right direction.
``We're already way ahead of budget,'' he said. ``We've filled a niche.''
Bashara, 26, who says he knew he wanted to own a soccer store since college, did eight months of market research to find the right location, including consulting Dun and Bradstreet Inc. His 1,000 square-foot site sits at 748 Shirley Ave., just off Colley. According to this young entrepreneur, the shop lies within a four-mile radius of nearly 2,000 families whose children play soccer - and youngsters make up about 70 percent of his business.
``This is the spot,'' he said. ``Nowhere else comes close.
``Youths are now playing soccer more than any other mainstream sport except basketball.''
The store's typical customer ranges in age from 9 to 14 and is accompanied by a parent. Almost as many girls as boys walk through the door. Many are just getting into the game. For those starting out, Bashara and his assistant manager, Eric Althouse, suggest a soccer ``kit''. A kit consists of cleats, socks, shin guards and shorts. The whole package can be purchased for about $50 and - minus a ball - is all that is necessary to take to the field.
``Not a whole lot of equipment is needed, and any size kid can play,'' Bashara said. ``That's part of the reason the sport has become so popular.''
While the game has been enjoying a roll nationwide, securely on the heels of the World Cup and the advent of Major League Soccer, Bashara pointed out that the local scene has been given a boost by Pat McStay, head of the Norfolk Youth Soccer League.
``McStay is one of the only A-licensed coaches in the area and has brought a lot of credibility to the league,'' Bashara said. ``He's helped encourage lots of kids to get into the sport.''
Though business is booming with the younger set, the site also has an adult following, made up of players from area college, high school and community teams. ODU just formed a women's soccer club. Bashara indicated that many of his customers come in to find the product variety and quality not available in some of the sporting goods chain stores.
``We're a specialty store, and we carry a lot of brands you're not going to find at the big sports retail chains,'' he said.
Xara, Kelme and Lanzara are among some of Bashara's recommended labels.
Although h'es putting in more than 10 hours a day at work, Bashara still finds the time for the game. He sponsors and plays for the Premier Football Club, a men's soccer club in the Southside League.
``I try to get on the field as much as I can, usually about twice a week,'' he said.
Bashara took to the sport at age 8 in the Larchmont Youth Soccer League. He played at Granby High School, then received a scholarship to Montreat Anderson College in North Carolina. While there, Bashara was named the team's most valuable defensive player and became captain of the squad. Bashara did not want to name the school, but he says he later was approached about a scholarship by the soccer coach of an NCAA Division I team.
``The coach said he didn't think Norfolk was a good spawning ground for soccer talent,'' Bashara said. ``That was his reason for selecting a player from Orlando, Fla., despite the fact we were even on the field. I found that kind of insulting.''
Bashara later transferred to Belmont Abbey, also in North Carolina, where he continued to play soccer until he graduated with a bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation in 1992. Just out of school, he went to work for NordicTrak in New Jersey for two years.
``I already knew I wanted my own soccer store, but I needed some retail experience in the sports world,'' he said.
Although he has been in business for only a few months, Bashara is optimistic about the future. In addition to the confidence that a good start brings, there is a special advantage that he and his store enjoy.
``Virginia is the only state in the country I know of that has two soccer seasons,'' he explained. ``Private schools play in the fall and public in the spring. That means less down time for the business.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SCOTT McCASKEY
Tom Bashara sells quality soccer gear at his store in Ghent. ``We've
filled a niche,'' he says.
by CNB