A former FirstPoint USA client, and consultant - and a candidate for our FirstPoint USA Hall of Fame, is Callum Bissett.
He has enjoyed success throughout his soccer career at The University of Rhode Island. He has now been named an assistant men’s coach by Rhode Island.
Callum's Stats
- Career Honors:
- Three-time team captain
- Started in all 80 of his career games
- 2007 NSCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region Second Team
- 2007 Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team
- 2007 Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team
- Notre Dame's 2007 Mike Berticelli Memorial All-Tournament Team
- 2006 Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team
- 2006 Preseason All-Conference Team
- 2006 Rhode Island Classic All-Tournament Team
- 2005 Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team
- 2005 NSCAA All-New England Region Third Team
Career Totals: - Goals: 5
- Assists: 2
- Points: 12
- Games Played: 81
- Games Started: 81
2007 (Senior):
Team co-captain... Earned NSCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region Second Team honors and was named to the Atlantic 10 Second Team... Also earned a spot on the A-10 All-Championship Team... Played 14 full games this season and made 17 appearances overall (missed two games due to injury)... Anchored a backline that limited its A-10 opponents to a combined 25 shots on goal in nine league games while URI outshot its conference opponents by an overall margin of 176-82... Was named to Notre Dame's Mike Berticelli Memorial All-Tournament Team... Tallied a goal in Rhody's 4-2 win at Saint Joseph's (Nov. 11).
Team co-captain... Earned NSCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region Second Team honors and was named to the Atlantic 10 Second Team... Also earned a spot on the A-10 All-Championship Team... Played 14 full games this season and made 17 appearances overall (missed two games due to injury)... Anchored a backline that limited its A-10 opponents to a combined 25 shots on goal in nine league games while URI outshot its conference opponents by an overall margin of 176-82... Was named to Notre Dame's Mike Berticelli Memorial All-Tournament Team... Tallied a goal in Rhody's 4-2 win at Saint Joseph's (Nov. 11).
2006 (Junior):
Finished the season with three points on one goal and one assist... One of the team's tri-captains... Was named to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Team... Scored a goal in 2-1 victory over Providence (Oct. 28)... Was named to the Rhode Island Classic All-Tournament Team (Sept. 3)... Assisted on the game-winning goal at Dayton on Oct. 8... Was named to the 2006 Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team... Netted his PK shot to help URI defeat Rutgers in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 11.
Finished the season with three points on one goal and one assist... One of the team's tri-captains... Was named to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Team... Scored a goal in 2-1 victory over Providence (Oct. 28)... Was named to the Rhode Island Classic All-Tournament Team (Sept. 3)... Assisted on the game-winning goal at Dayton on Oct. 8... Was named to the 2006 Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team... Netted his PK shot to help URI defeat Rutgers in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 11.
2005 (Sophomore):
Was named a tri-captain as a sophomore... Started as the center back in all 22 games played... Contributed an assist in the match against Providence... Had a season high two goals in a win over Richmond... Scored his second game-winner in an overtime win against St. Bonaventure... Totaled seven points on the season, with three goals and one assist... Earned All-Atlantic 10 Second Team honors and was a Third Team All-New England selection.
Was named a tri-captain as a sophomore... Started as the center back in all 22 games played... Contributed an assist in the match against Providence... Had a season high two goals in a win over Richmond... Scored his second game-winner in an overtime win against St. Bonaventure... Totaled seven points on the season, with three goals and one assist... Earned All-Atlantic 10 Second Team honors and was a Third Team All-New England selection.
2004 (Freshman):
Started 19 games for the Rams in 2004... Took nine shots during the season... Steady player who made an impact in his first season in a Rhode Island uniform.
Started 19 games for the Rams in 2004... Took nine shots during the season... Steady player who made an impact in his first season in a Rhode Island uniform.
High School:
Played for Knox Academy and the East Lothian regional team.
Played for Knox Academy and the East Lothian regional team.
His coach said of his new position:
"Having Callum return to the Rhody soccer program could not be more exciting news," said URI coach John O'Connor. "As my first team captain here at URI, he was outstanding leader and someone I always new would be a great coach one day."
Andrew Kean, our chief executive and founder has this to say of Callum Bissett and his accomplishments:
"Callum Bissett epitomised the true meaning of what being a ‘student-athlete’ was all about. He was an excellent student who applied as much to his academic endeavours as he did to his
soccer career. On the field, Callum made an immediate impact with the University of Rhode Island and was quite rightly regarded as one of the leading defensive players in the nation. The fact that Callum is now working as a coach with the University of Rhode Island highlights just how highly he was regarded by the university. A great ambassador for FirstPoint, Callum is a legitimate candidate for induction into the FirstPoint USA ‘Hall of Fame’"
Throughout Callum's soccer career he has had many accomplishments as fully described in this article:
A three-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference selection, he was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region honoree in both 2005 and 2007 while landing a spot on the 2006 A-10 All-Tournament team.
Academically, Bissett was a member of the Atlantic 10 Commissioner's Honor Roll from 2004-2007. He also received the league's 2008 Sporting Award - which is presented annually to one male and one female A-10 student-athlete who best exemplifies good sportsmanship, is in good academic standing, is active within the campus community and embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, and sporting conduct.
Bissett also was voted the URI Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007.
He went on to play professionally for the Western Mass Pioneers of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) until a career-ending injury forced his retirement.
Bissett earned his undergraduate degree in International Business and finished with a 3.5 GPA in his major. He was a member of the Dean's List for Academic Excellence in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
Prior to joining the Rhode Island staff, he had returned to URI to pursue a Masters Degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He spent the previous 18 months as a Senior Sports Consultant for FirstPointUSA, an athletic scholarship assistance company based in Glasgow, Scotland. There, he was responsible for evaluating players interested in pursuing academic and athletic careers at colleges and Universities here in the United States.
Upon graduating from Rhode Island in December of 2007, Bissett spent a year in the University's Optional Practical Training (OPT) program working for Versacold Logistics, LLC as a management trainee.
Upon graduating from Rhode Island in December of 2007, Bissett spent a year in the University's Optional Practical Training (OPT) program working for Versacold Logistics, LLC as a management trainee.
In addition to his assistant coaching duties, Bissett will also serve as the Assistant Director of Coaching for Rams Football Club, a premier youth soccer organization that is a fundraising arm for Rhody men's soccer. He holds a Scottish Football Association and UEFA "C" Coaching License, as well as an NSCAA Regional Diploma and Scottish Football Association Youth Coaching License.
Callum also had the opportunity to travel during his American scholarship experience:
"During the Spring of my Junior year. A requirement of my International Business degree was to study abroad. So I had the opportunity to choose to study on any continent for one semester. I studied and lived in Prague, Czech Republic for 6 months and played right back for a pro team while I was out there, and my scholarship paid for it."
We asked Callum if he has any advice for anyone considering an American athletic scholarship:
"Do everything you can to maximize your potential. The tools and opportunities are there for you to make an impact in whatever sport and professional field you are focused in. Aim high and put in the hard work to get there."
We would like to thank Callum for taking the time to reflect upon and share his experiences with us.
We wish Callum continued success in his coaching career in America.
*images sourced from The University of Rhode Island Facebook page*
