When the Eastern Premier Soccer League (EPSL) was being announced to start this fall, there was one club that was not known to anyone. SEFT FC, short for School of Elite Football Training, was going to make its debut as part of the launch of this exciting and intriguing new venture in amateur soccer. We had a chance to talk with Bonny Londono from SEFT FC about his club.

Who are you and what is your position with SEFT FC?
My name is Bonny Londono. I am the founder of SEFT and SEFT FC.

How did the School of Elite Football Training get started?
School of Elite Football Training got started about 6 years ago. After a ruptured Achilles cut my playing career short in 2013, I decided to get back into the game through coaching. I was working in Manhattan and stayed late one day in the office and came up with School of Elite Football Training as the name for my training. Started off as personal sessions to some of my club players. The personal sessions turned into group sessions. And fast forward 6 years later and we have seasonal training programs, travel training programs, and have helped dozens of young players sign for MLS academies in the area.

What's the philosophy of your program?
Our philosophy is very simple: a program of the player, by the player, for the player. As a former Division I athlete, youth national team player, and professional, I wanted to build a program that is player driven, not money driven. The vision is to create a program that can help guide the American soccer player through the right path in this very complicated and confusing system.

What was the thinking behind starting SEFT FC?
SEFT FC came out of the blue. SEFT is known for its development approach towards young players. We eventually wanted to get to the men's world but we wanted that time to come when our young players got to that age, we didn't want to skip any steps. And then COVID hit. Some of our trainers invited some of their friends who were back home because of the circumstances. Pick up games turned into training sessions, and after a few weeks we decided to give this group of young talented players a home to compete and develop under our guidance. Now SEFT FC is looking to be a team filled with young talented players looking to play at the next level and represent our talented area through attractive football.

Why did you decide to join EPSL? Did you consider other leagues?
We joined the EPSL because of the level of competition it provided our young guys. We had looked at other options but we felt the EPSL was the right fit. The EPSL's vision for the landscape of men's soccer is something that also attracted us. We are very excited to see it grow.

What goals do you have for the initial season?
Our goals are very simple. We want to win. Our main focus is the development of the players, but winning drives competitors, and if our guys want to play at the next level, they need to handle high and demanding expectations. We also want to drive the team through the community. It is very important to us that the people around us feel a connection to the team. We consider ourselves to be The People's Team. We're a team made up of talented local guys who are ready to show everyone that good football is right here in their backyards.

Where would you like to see SEFT FC go in the future?
We want to be a serious soccer project that the community holds dear and that produces good football and players. As long as these points are met, the sky is the limit for us.

Check out SEFT, HERE