Axel Bartsch
U.S. Virgin Islands association footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Axel Bartsch (born May 16, 2002) is a United States Virgin Islands soccer who plays as a midfielder for Castaways Soccer Club in the USVISF Premier League and the United States Virgin Islands national team.
|
Bartsch warming up before a match with the United States Virgin Islands in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | May 16, 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | United States Virgin Islands | ||
| Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Castaways | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021 | Occidental Tigers | 6 | (0) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024– | Castaways | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021– | United States Virgin Islands | 8 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:42, March 19, 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 13:42, March 19, 2021 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Bartsch played for youth club 18.3 Massive FC and won the U.S. Virgin Islands Soccer Association's Under-15 Boys League with the team in 2018.[1] He played for his school team, the Virgin Islands Montessori School Volts, and won back-to-back St. Thomas-St. John Interscholastic Athletic Association championships in 2017 and 2018.[2]
By age 16 he was already competing in the U.S. Virgin Islands Premier League with New Vibes SC.[3][4]
In late 2019 Bartsch was playing in the Occidental College intramural league while studying there.[5] Following the resumption of college soccer during the COVID-19 pandemic, he became a member of the school's NCAA Division III squad. He went on to make six appearances for the team in his first season.[6]
Following his time at Occidental College, Bartsch returned to the USVI and joined Castaways SC in the USVISF Premier League in 2024.[7]
International career
Bartsch represented the United States Virgin Islands at both the 2017 CONCACAF Boys' Under-15 Championship[8] and in 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship qualifying.[9]
Bartsch was named as part of the 23-man USVI roster ahead of a training camp in Florida in March 2021.[10] He made his senior international debut for the territory on March 21 in a friendly against Anguilla which was part of the camp.[11] Six days later he made his competitive debut in a 3–0 defeat to Antigua and Barbuda in the team's first match of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. He started and played the first 84 minutes of the match.[12]
Personal life
Bartsch graduated as salutatorian of the Virgin Islands Montessori School in 2019. He then enrolled at Occidental College in Los Angeles, California.[13]
Career statistics
- As of match played March 29, 2021[11]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States Virgin Islands | 2021 | 3 | 0 |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 0 | |
